Wet/Dry design

[BarroomHero]

I'd suggest a slight rearrangement, which I am considering:

View attachment 351733

• By having the reservoir before the wet/dry, you can use the full depth of the aquarium, i.e. a larger increase in total volume, and the heater(s) have more volume for buffering.
• By having the water flow under the first baffle, you ensure the water flows through the filter sock.
• All the threads I've read say to maximize the area for the biomedia as much as possible.

Labels for the numbers in the diagram:

1. Two 4" 200 micron filter socks.
2. Two 250 watt heaters
3. Egg crate with filter pads
4. Bio-balls or scrubbies
5. Filter pad (bubble buster)
6. Return pump

But, what do I know? I'm still in the build stages of my 135 project.

Christiaan

Thanks for the ideas. I've never thought of doing it that way, most of the ones I see are set up more like my drawing.

 

[BarroomHero]

Haven't hooked it up yet. I still need to build an overflow. But I don't foresee the socks clogging up too quickly.

This is my first wet/dry and I have never dealt with filter socks so I have no clue what to expect. I am hoping I don't need to clean them more than once a week.

 

[Camshaft Ramrod]

depends on sock size, micron, fish, food. Mines going on a little reef tank, so I should be ok. You might end up cleaning yours quite a bit. Just toss them in the washer and your good to go.

 

[BarroomHero]

depends on sock size, micron, fish, food. Mines going on a little reef tank, so I should be ok. You might end up cleaning yours quite a bit. Just toss them in the washer and your good to go.

I think they are 4"x12" and they are 200 micron. I guess I will just have to see, but I hope I can get away with cleaning them once a week.

 

[durchfalle]

The problem I see with the design is a little over half of your bio media will be submerged because the wall seperating section 5 with the pump section 6 is so high remember water will always finds its level and it will fill the bio compartment up as high as the output water needs to be to get over that wall. I would lower that wall to just as high as you need it for the pump and sponge. Just a thought. If you are looking for a low cost solution I can post what had done and it has been working great and it cost less than 100 dollars to make including pump and bio media.

I'd suggest a slight rearrangement, which I am considering:

View attachment 351733

• By having the reservoir before the wet/dry, you can use the full depth of the aquarium, i.e. a larger increase in total volume, and the heater(s) have more volume for buffering.
• By having the water flow under the first baffle, you ensure the water flows through the filter sock.
• All the threads I've read say to maximize the area for the biomedia as much as possible.

Labels for the numbers in the diagram:

1. Two 4" 200 micron filter socks.
2. Two 250 watt heaters
3. Egg crate with filter pads
4. Bio-balls or scrubbies
5. Filter pad (bubble buster)
6. Return pump

But, what do I know? I'm still in the build stages of my 135 project.

Christiaan

 

[BarroomHero]

The problem I see with the design is a little over half of your bio media will be submerged because the wall seperating section 5 with the pump section 6 is so high remember water will always finds its level and it will fill the bio compartment up as high as the output water needs to be to get over that wall. I would lower that wall to just as high as you need it for the pump and sponge. Just a thought. If you are looking for a low cost solution I can post what had done and it has been working great and it cost less than 100 dollars to make including pump and bio media.

Id like to see what you did.

 

[I<3fish]

I suggest taking out the filter socks and extending the bio media as much as possible. You will find that the pre filter and foam pre filters in your overflow will take out most, if not all of the particulate wastes. Filter socks should only be used when using an overflow that draws from the bottom of the tank as well as the top. I have a wet/dry with overflow build the way I described. I don't have to wash both pre filters more than once a month.

 

[BarroomHero]

I suggest taking out the filter socks and extending the bio media as much as possible. You will find that the pre filter and foam pre filters in your overflow will take out most, if not all of the particulate wastes. Filter socks should only be used when using an overflow that draws from the bottom of the tank as well as the top. I have a wet/dry with overflow build the way I described. I don't have to wash both pre filters more than once a month.

I have about 10 gallons for the bio area, that should be enough for a 125 with african cichlids.

What foam prefilters are you referring to? The ones that go on the pumps?

 

[aeri]

I'd suggest extending your bio chamber to the end. Putting the heaters along side the depth beside the pump is the better place to put them. 15" depth is good enough for most heaters too.

Or.

You could create turn that first half into a sump, with water flowing through submerged media through the baffles, then into the W/D bio part, then the pump.

I would just go with the extended bio though. I personally think it is more effective.

 

[aeri]

the problem with this is that the 2nd chamber doesn't really do anything. and i think having heaters before the WD, risks losing a bit of heat when exposed to air and trickling down the media as opposed to remaining submerged (just a guess, i didn't do research on this). and the baffle right before the pump needs to be lower. water level will be the same on both sides.

View attachment 351733