CPR CR500 Wet/Dry Filter Good or Bad?

P

Particleman

AC Members
Oct 23, 2004
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Irvine, CA
Was trying to decide if i should setup a sump or not on my system and came across this item at marine depot. It says Wet/Dry filter but isnt it also a sump? I'd like something clean and easy and since I don't have a predrilled tank I was going to use the overflow they make as well. Is this a good option for someone who isn't a DIYer? Really I'm looking for a place to grow some algae, pods etc and get some better nitrate reduction for my system.

55 Gal FOWLR
AquaC Remora Skimmer
2 Peguin 550 Power heads
40lbs Live Rock
50lbs Sand

Any suggestions would be apprecaited.
 
a wet dry filter uses some sort of bio media like bio-balls. You dont really want that. Bio-balls will end up producing nitrates. go with a sump or you could buy a extra tank and use it like a sump.
 
I thought a sump contained bioballs, the ones I have seen do. Are you talking about maybe a refugium? Like an active filter thing that would contain the algae, sand, LR etc? that was the other option I was considering.
 
A sump is just a tank below the display that usually contains equipment. It can have a wet/dry, skimmer, heater and so on. I can also have a refugium.

If all you want is a place for a refugium, why not just get a tank that will fit in your stand, the CPR overflow, and a magdrive pump for a return? The bioballs will do nothing for nitrate reduction, I don't see any space for a fuge in their sump, and you can put together a simple system for a lot less than the CPR sump.
 
That sounds pretty good to me..I actually have an extra 10 gal tank I was thinking of using, just wasnt sure since it didnt have all the glass dividers that I've seen it would work. Another option I saw by CPR was there hang on refigium "Aquafuge" looked pretty nice. Do refugiums work well for nitrate reductions or is it minimal? The AquaC remora is turngin out about 1/3 cup of green watery gunk a week but my nitrates still wont get below 15. I only feed 4 times a week and its either frozen formula 1, frozen bloodworms or frozen mysis shrimp. I do a 20% change every week with RODI water.
 
i use the hang on refugium. Mine is rated for a 55 but in my opion i would use 2. I got mine from ebay for about $45. it uses a small power head. I have a 4 inch sand bed some LR rubble and chaeto. The one i got was cheap because it was a kit. It was precut came with glue and every thing.
 
I had a 12" aquafuge for a few years, and liked it. The advantages were:
1. It was easy to install.
2. It was great for pods, worms, snails and macroalgae.

The downsides for me were:
1. It was hard to see, being on the back of the tank. Harder to monitor health, and enjoy the pod show.
2. It was small. As far as I'm concerned, bigger is better when it comes to fuges.

Also, with the refugium under the tank, it's easier to come up with a cheap lighting system. I just put a few cheap PC floods over it, and the macroalgae do great.

Overall, I think the fuge does more for generating plankton than it does for nutrient export, but it's worth it nonetheless.
 
another plus is that your pods can make the safe trip from the fuge to the tank with a HOB. As far as lighting i use a clip on desk lamp and the macro is growing great.
 
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