Question about wet/dry sump filtration

[ellenalt]

I've bought a used custom 90 gallon with wet and dry sump. It has a nice skimmer. I have live rock but only about 50 lbs... The way that the sump is set up is like a trickle down system passing carbon and other poly bio pads and one more blue and white sponge thingy and then at the bottom , it's stocked with bioballs.

I'm scared that I might have too much or not enough bio filtering going on.
All the bacteria on the bioballs can lead to a spike right? And that's bad if I eventually get corals like say eight months from now? Helllpppp and thank you!!!

 

[Palyzoa]

If you clean out your filter regularly and get as much detritus out of the bio balls as possible you should be fine with this filter. Bio balls. Just use saltwater when cleaning the bio balls to keep beneficial bacteria alive.

 

[ellenalt]

Okay I will make sure they stay clean. Thank you for the advice. So I shouldn't add or do anything else? Buy just a regular hob filter just in case? I want to make sure that it all goes well after I add my fish to their new home.

 

[Palyzoa]

Is the aquarium setup and running right now? If not you might want to take the time to read up on the different filtration options. Most people that keep a reef tank prefer the Sump method which doesn't have to be a top of the line sump. You can create your own out of a 10g or 20g with some glass baffles and silicone. Sumps allow for easier maintenance and space to hide equipment.

 

[ellenalt]

Yeah this is a wet/ dry sump with a trickle down filter and the overflow box on the back of this aquarium.
So you think it's better to just do all wet sump? Start over?

So the way it will be set up is the carbon and polyfilter and floss will be above the bioballs. Water falls down on those three things and then the bioballs. I could possibly have room for more filter related stuff but I'd have to measure the space between the two Chambers.

No it's not running. The canopy and bottom cabinet are getting a paint job.

I like this sump but I want to make sure that I do not need anymore equipment before I get all excited for go day and figure out I need to put a few more hundred bucks in it. Or maybe I'll just start with this and build my own!

 

[Instigate]

I converted my wet/dry into a sump with refugium section. Very happy with the extra space for equipment or fuge. By doing this I created room to have chaeto in the fuge as well as a reactor that would not have fit before. As long as you have adequate rock and sand in your tank I don't see the need for the bio-balls.