What to do with empty compartment on CPR Bak Pak?

I recently got this skimmer in a good deal trade but it contains no bio bale and from what I have read is most people get rid of it. What are some alternatives or what use can I make of the wasted extra space in that compartment that may also perhaps reduce the amount of micro bubbles? Any and all suggestions please. Thanks

 

chaeto possibly, or lr rubble. You could even turn it into a small fuge how big is the compartment?

 

Chaeto, hmmm, never thought about that. I do have an accessory light I can use on it too but its clear so the light would go into the tank also through the skimmer side cause its a HOB unit thats hanging on the side, but im gonna see if i have enough clearance to put it on the back and that would block the light out from the DT

 

The space is about 8x2x2

 

You could hide your heater in there.

 

Wouldnt the heater melt the plastic? Besides, its barely noticeable in the corner of the tank. So far I like the chaeto idea. What if I use live rock rubble. Why is it that people remove the bio-bale anyway?

 

I have the same cpr bak pak 2r+ with the pre skimmer and bubble trap! I was wondering if you are getting enough skimmate? I was thinking about adding an airstone for my bubbles, what do you think? As for the empty compartment, I think a refugium would be cool, I have a HOB one right now but why not have a second? Let me know what you end up doing so I can do the same, and please post a picture!

 

Im gettin pretty good skimmate actually. The guy I got it from did some kind of mod to it. Its running on a mj1200 and the intake tube thing is attached to a drilled hole on the intake of the mj1200. My camera is dead right now but I'll put it on charge and take some pics this evening of it for you. I'm gettin some nice delicious dark green/brown skimmate with the rubber ring about halfway. The only thing is the crazy amount of microbubbles after feeding even if I keep it off for half an hour afterwards. Hey since your not too far from me. I live in Lombard. I was wonderin do you have some Chaeto to spare by any chance. I cant find none nowhere. I also run one of those DIY HOB filter converted into refugium things but theres no chaeto in it. Just some refugium mud for nutrients which cant be put into cpr but I couldnt definitely stuff some chaeto in there and some pods I got a culture of going.

 

I heard the air stone mod is pretty good also. Probably the easiest to do if you got a real good air pump. I considered it but since I'm already gettin good skimmate I dont want to over do it but if you try it let me know how it goes, meanwhile I'll get you the shots of my mj1200 with the mod

 

I have a different plastic skimmer but it has the extra chamber.

I have a pile of LR rubble and my heater in there. The heater doesn't actually touch the walls of the skimmer - at least not the part that gets hot...