Wet/Dry Filter / Sump

[menzies2901]

Hi, i am new to this site and require quite a lot of help setting up my system.

I have a few questions regarding diffrent advice from reef owners.

1. Direction of water flow, which is best front to back or side to side? - I have been told that certian corals don't like excessive water flow is this true?

2. Has anyone heard of at wet/dry system where tank return line is attached to spinner arms throwing water over bio ball some of the bio balls are out of the water and some emerged then it is gravity fed to another chamber where the protien skimmer operates then pumped back into another chamber then pumped back into the tank.

3.Is the heating element best in the tank or the sump?

[castor]

wet dry systems aren't the best. They produce a lot of nitrates. A better alturnative is to grow cheato in your fuge, a macro algea. It sucks up excess nutrients and keeps your nitrates low. You can buy cheato cheap in the selling forum.

[crispyreef]

First of all, wet/dry systems are very good and can handle a large bioload for an all fish system. Even for a reef tank you can maintain very low nitrates. I would not jump menzies right into a refuge when he is asking about wet/dry systems.
As for direction of flow. It is not direct current that you want. Corals require current for nutrient exchange. You do not want a powerhead pushing directly at a coral but you want to acheive strong indirect currents. Some reefers say you can never have enough motion in a tank. An ocean dive can back them up.

[menzies2901]

Thanks,
I have read some more and believe that if you really want the system to work 100% you should have the protien skimmer in the first chamber then pump the skimmed water into the spinner bars then pump the water back into the tank. This will eliminate most of the soild waste before it reaches the bio balls.

Also,

Would a sprayer bar at each end with 90 deg 45 deg and 0 deg holes drilled into it be sufficent