BioBalls or Live Rock in Wet/Dry and why?

[LexSkizzle]

Hello everyone,
I just purchased a wet/dry filter system for my 55g (upgrade from my previous emperor400) and Im really confused as to what to do about these bioballs. I currently have some zooanthids, mushrooms, frogspawn, some polyps, and 4 small fish(smaller than 2") and 85 lb of LR. From my understanding, with the trickle effect of the wet/dry, BioBalls help convert Ammonia to Nitrite, then Nitrite to Nitrate. I think! lol..Here are my questions:

1. Would placing some pieces of LR on the tray above the water level have the same Nitrate build up as the bioballs would over time?

2. Should I bother adding any LR at all to the Wet/dry since I already have 85lb in the display tank?

2. If I do add the BioBalls, should they be completely submerged underwater, semi-submerged, or just no bioballs at all?

3. Has anyone actually seen a difference in Nitrate levels by switching from bioballs to LR?

4. Any pics of someone running a wet/dry with LR would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
:)

[luke33]

Take out the BB's and leave the LR in your tank. If your worried about nitrates get some chaeto and run it in your sump with a light on it 24/7. It will devour the trates. Are you running a skimmer?

[LexSkizzle]

Sorry, but Im not too familiar with chaeto. My nitrate levels are currently at 15ppm but I would like to get them < 5 and yes I do have a HOB AquaC remora protein skimmer. Is their any other way other than growing some chaeto in the wet/dry?

[luke33]

Alot of water changes with the current setup imo. The remora is my least favorite skimmer out there but you could get away with it if you added some chaeto in your sump.

[chilwil84]

water changes are the other easy way. chaeto is just a macro algae that grows in a long spagetti like style. look up marine plants/ macroalgae sections of some online retailers and you will see some pics. all you have to do is put a light like a little pc or t5 over it and remove some as it groes to large for your space

[LexSkizzle]

Thanks for the help luke33 and chiwil84 I appreciate it and so I'll look into the chaeto but do you have any suggestions on the questions I had about the live rock in the wet/dry? Do any of you guys have bioballs in your system?
Thanks!

[luke33]

Keep the lr in your tank. It does the same thing in either. IF you put it into your sump like you mentioned it will collect detrius which is not a good thing.

[LexSkizzle]

Should I then be concerned with Nitrite or Ammonia since the wet/dry portion of the system isn't being used?

[luke33]

LR is the best biological fitration you can have for breaking down am and trites. What you can't produce naturally in your tank is waves like the ocean. This is what the protein skimmer is mimicing. The chaeto and skimmer remove the doc's reducing and ridding your tank of trates.

[LexSkizzle]

K, thanks Luke..I guess now I have to look into possibly getting a better protein skimmer that will fit in my wet/dry/sump or a HOB skimmer..