Wet/dry switching to regular sump

[Michaelnewb]

So i have a 30 gallon wet/dry connected to a 125 gallon reef i finally got my sump built will transfering the media and bio balls to the new sump cause a new nitrogen cycle? Or should i be good the new sump is 55 gallons.

 

[cdemoss01]

I'm not any good at sumps.. @00W can you help?

 

[Fish Fan]

I'd like to follow this to see what is suggested.

If your bio balls have been the main bio filter for your tank, then you're going to have a problem if you just suddenly remove them. Adding them to your new sump would indeed help to avoid a new cycle, but I think ideally you'd want to get away from using the bio balls as they can become a "nitrate factory", which is why the hobby has largely moved away from wet/dry trickle filters.

Do you have rocks and sand in your tank? How much livestock do you have?

#reefsquad how would you guys handle this transition?

 

[Rocks reef]

I was going to comment something similar about what currently is in the tank.

I wouldn't use the bio balls, removing them won't impact the system. As mentioned, saltwater has pretty much moved away from bio balls. What other media is currently in it?
Are you going to run a skimmer, it is not needed, just a general question to help figure this out.
What sump is it?
Are you going to use some sort of mechanical filtration? Socks/filter floss/other?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree. I think the bioballs are a detriment and I’d toss them.

 

[Troylee]

So i have a 30 gallon wet/dry connected to a 125 gallon reef i finally got my sump built will transfering the media and bio balls to the new sump cause a new nitrogen cycle? Or should i be good the new sump is 55 gallons.

If you got live rock in your display and still using that water you’ll be fine without the bio balls.

 

[00W]

As mentioned above if you have live rock already then just rock that.
You can literally take the bio balls out and add more water and you have a sump.
Bio balls as used in a wet dry won't have much use in a sump especially submerged in water.
I still run some in my overflow but only to help with water noise.
Good luck
BTW I ran a wet/dry for years.
Archaic now but nothing wrong with running a tank that way.