Wet/dry vs Fuge

[Benny503]

All this time I thought wet/dry filter and fuge are the same, but I read one of the post in here said that convert wet/dry filter to fuge. What is the different?

[DoughPat]

A wet/dry and a refugium are actually quite opposite, in many ways. First, wet/dry filters are (by design) highly aerobic environments (lots of oxygen). This means that they will grow jillions of nitrifying bacteria that do a great job taking super-toxic ammonia and nitrite and reducing it to less-toxic nitrate. However, because denitrification (the conversion of the less-toxic nitrate to non-toxic nitrogen gas) requires an anaerobic environment, wet/dry's tend to result in a build up of nitrate. Refugiums usually have a deep sand bed (anaerobic) and some live rock (the inside of which is anaerobic), both of which are designed to grow denitrifying bacteria for the purpose of denitrification.

 

The other major difference is that wet/dry filters often incorporate some kind of mechanical filter pad, which is designed to remove suspended matter from the water. One of the main goals of a refugium is to allow planktonic critters to spawn and release their larvae into the main tank. So a wet/dry removes goodies, a refugium adds them. (However--there is often very low flow rates through a refugium, so they turn out to be very good "settling filters")

 

In many people's opinion (including mine), wet/dry's are better suited to fish only tanks where nitrates aren't an issue, and where fish loads may be very high (i.e. carnivorous fish). Refugiums are great ways to mimic the expanses of mud/sand flats and still lagoons found surrounding most reefs.

[reefboy]

very well said couldnt of said it any better.

 

 

A wet/dry and a refugium are actually quite opposite, in many ways. First, wet/dry filters are (by design) highly aerobic environments (lots of oxygen). This means that they will grow jillions of nitrifying bacteria that do a great job taking super-toxic ammonia and nitrite and reducing it to less-toxic nitrate. However, because denitrification (the conversion of the less-toxic nitrate to non-toxic nitrogen gas) requires an anaerobic environment, wet/dry's tend to result in a build up of nitrate. Refugiums usually have a deep sand bed (anaerobic) and some live rock (the inside of which is anaerobic), both of which are designed to grow denitrifying bacteria for the purpose of denitrification.

 

The other major difference is that wet/dry filters often incorporate some kind of mechanical filter pad, which is designed to remove suspended matter from the water. One of the main goals of a refugium is to allow planktonic critters to spawn and release their larvae into the main tank. So a wet/dry removes goodies, a refugium adds them. (However--there is often very low flow rates through a refugium, so they turn out to be very good "settling filters")

 

In many people's opinion (including mine), wet/dry's are better suited to fish only tanks where nitrates aren't an issue, and where fish loads may be very high (i.e. carnivorous fish). Refugiums are great ways to mimic the expanses of mud/sand flats and still lagoons found surrounding most reefs.

[ThePremiumAquarium]

That was probably the best explanation on this subject that I have ever heard. I would recommend that this explanation be printed out by everyone so that when questioned they can simply pull it out to explain why it works. I know why I use refugiums, DSB, live rock, etc. and could probably provide a decend explanation but not one that was so condensed and well stated.

 

 

 

A wet/dry and a refugium are actually quite opposite, in many ways. First, wet/dry filters are (by design) highly aerobic environments (lots of oxygen). This means that they will grow jillions of nitrifying bacteria that do a great job taking super-toxic ammonia and nitrite and reducing it to less-toxic nitrate. However, because denitrification (the conversion of the less-toxic nitrate to non-toxic nitrogen gas) requires an anaerobic environment, wet/dry's tend to result in a build up of nitrate. Refugiums usually have a deep sand bed (anaerobic) and some live rock (the inside of which is anaerobic), both of which are designed to grow denitrifying bacteria for the purpose of denitrification.

 

The other major difference is that wet/dry filters often incorporate some kind of mechanical filter pad, which is designed to remove suspended matter from the water. One of the main goals of a refugium is to allow planktonic critters to spawn and release their larvae into the main tank. So a wet/dry removes goodies, a refugium adds them. (However--there is often very low flow rates through a refugium, so they turn out to be very good "settling filters")

 

In many people's opinion (including mine), wet/dry's are better suited to fish only tanks where nitrates aren't an issue, and where fish loads may be very high (i.e. carnivorous fish). Refugiums are great ways to mimic the expanses of mud/sand flats and still lagoons found surrounding most reefs.

[TAD]

DoughPat, that was very well said.

[Benny503]

Wow, thank you! Now I really understand the different between w/d filter and fuge.