Are Eheim wet/drys better than DIY wet/drys?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Not sure how they compare, but my friend has one, and he swears by it. He claims it is better than a home made W/D.
 
That is still a canister though. The do it yourself wet/dry or any other wet/dry for that matter is better in my opinion because you can customize it to fit your needs. And I used to swear by my canister filters. Now I will have nothing but the best. Wet/Dry! You can build or have one built to use bio balls or grow plants in a refugium area to cut nitrates.
 
It does looks like a canister, but i'm sure the mechanics work as a wet/dry. Question still poses, is it's performance better than a diy wet/dry?
 
TankBuster;569094;569094 said:
That is still a canister though. The do it yourself wet/dry or any other wet/dry for that matter is better in my opinion because you can customize it to fit your needs. And I used to swear by my canister filters. Now I will have nothing but the best. Wet/Dry! You can build or have one built to use bio balls or grow plants in a refugium area to cut nitrates.
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Plants in a refugium will not suck up as many nitrates as a plant in a tank that does not have a w/d and has canister. The loss of CO2 causes a slower growth rate, and slower nutrient uptake.
 
You're talking apples vs oranges. Eheim has a TRUE wet/dry. The DIY units everyone compares it to is a trickle filter. Let me explain. The Eheim fills with water then purges itself of the water. So it's full of water=wet. When it purges itself, it empties the water from the unit=dry. This flushing action actually breaks down trash and debris in the filter baskets making them longer lasting between cannister tear downs. The unit cycles. When purging the return is forceful, gradually it weakens as the filter starts to fill, the cycle takes several minutes to complete.

The other sump arrangement filters do work very well. I agree that they're very efficient and inexpensive to build and maintain. Basically water is dumped on media, sometimes multiple densities. The clean water trickles over other media, commonly bio-balls, squares or ceramic forms. The newest media is a type of cell-pore that looks like limestone. IMO, the biggest plus for a trickle filter is the higher oxygen level produced from the action of the water moving over the partially submerged bio media. Add to that the customization of size, media choice, pump choice, and both drain and return pipelines and you've got a system that's hard to beat. Unfortunately, it's not a system a beginner would be able to create correctly. In fact, many advanced hobbyists are unable to determine the proper components, much less construct such a device.

If you're looking for a all-in-one device that's easy to maintain and has all the parts right off the bat, and you've got the funds, the Eheim is the best choice. If you're willing to depend on someone else to build a system for you after determining your needs, if you've chosen the right technician, you'll be pleased with a trickle filter. If you're multi-talented, like some of the ones participating in this thread, you could do it yourself.

Another alternative, this hasn't been brought up that I've seen since I joined MFK, Marineland's bio-wheel. I'm not talking about the toys built into the HOB filters, I'm talking about the commercial units. These units are designed for a 55g or bigger tank. I've plumbed two together for installation on a 200g. After selecting the proper return pump, it's a well thought out design. If combined with something like AGA's or Oceanic's "reef-ready" tanks, it's hard to beat.

To answer your initial question, it depends. It depends on too many variables to give you an answer without qualifying the answer or having you list your needs.

Another thing we haven't discussed, maintenance companies don't use any of these units. Each of these units require constant monitoring. Fluctuating water levels mess up both the trickle filter and the Marineland unit because of the surface extraction drains feeding both systems. The Eheim is much more forgiving. The water level can fluctuate but if the return is installed properly the noise will drive you crazy as the water level drops. Add to that, when cleaning the Eheim you need the mechanical ability of a watchmaker, too time intensive for commercial installations, requiring the BEST of the crew on each visit. Most maintenance companies reserve their best service people for the crisis of the day. Once you learn how to clean the unit you can do it again. The time between cleaning will allow you to forget the process and you'll need to re-read the instructions.

Longer than i thought it would be, sorry. I hope this helps.

I had a 150g set-up in the entryway of a store. It was viewed from both front and back and offered a display of the fish AND the filtration systems on the tank. My choice... a commercial bio-wheel from Marineland and an Eheim 2229. Both units worked well and the combination of the two gave me a good looking, clean and clear aquarium, despite almost full afternoon sun.
 
fishmaven;569290; said:
Another alternative, this hasn't been brought up that I've seen since I joined MFK, Marineland's bio-wheel. I'm not talking about the toys built into the HOB filters, I'm talking about the commercial units. These units are designed for a 55g or bigger tank. I've plumbed two together for installation on a 200g. After selecting the proper return pump, it's a well thought out design. If combined with something like AGA's or Oceanic's "reef-ready" tanks, it's hard to beat.
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Are you talkin about the tidepool filters? If ya are, what are the dimentions of the bio-wheel on them?
 
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