Hello, I currently have a 150 gallon aquarium set up with a rena xp3 canister filter, filtering up to 175 gallons. But recently through the forums I've been hearing great reviews on wet dry filters, and also heard it'd be a good idea to get one on my tank to assist the canister. This sounds great to me, as those bio balls' bacteria and oxygen supplement sounds great, but I know nothing of them. I would appreciate all insight on good brands, good types of balls/systems, good gallon output for my size, etc. Also any additional information you all know about them would be welcome. Thank you!
Wet dry filtration system?
- Thread starter Rykershot101
- Start date
DIY is the cheapest way to go if you are handly, I love wet/dry and also sump filtration.
There are a million and one diy threads for sumps and wet drys simplest is the 3 draw plastic storage bins from walmart that sites in a rubber maid storage container. The water drains in the top draw where you have filter pads into the next draw where you have bio balls or scrubbies or bio matrix or anything. Then the water goes down into the bottom draw where you have submerged media.
Then you pump the water out of the rubermaid back into the tank.
There are a million and one diy threads for sumps and wet drys simplest is the 3 draw plastic storage bins from walmart that sites in a rubber maid storage container. The water drains in the top draw where you have filter pads into the next draw where you have bio balls or scrubbies or bio matrix or anything. Then the water goes down into the bottom draw where you have submerged media.
Then you pump the water out of the rubermaid back into the tank.
And do you have to have a hole in the tank or anything? I've seen holes in the tanks before labeled overflow or something like that, and it seemed to relate to wet dry filters.
You can, but you don't have to. You can use what's called an overflow box to siphon the water down to the wet/dry if you don't want to drill your tank.
My sump is an off the shelf commercial wet/dry. It has an extremely simple design. About 3/4 of the volume is bio balls with a drip tray and a filter pad on top of the drip tray. I put some air stones under the bioball chamber to keep a supply of fresh air going up through the bioballs while the water is trickling down. The rest of the volume is to give easy access to service the pump. Very simple, very efficient and works great! I noticed an increase in the activity of my cichlids when I added the sump. My water parameters were fine before the sump so I attribute the extra liveliness to extra oxygen.
I have a pair of submersible heaters next to the air stones under the bio balls.
I picked up the wet/fry off of Craigslist for $30... I have a 29gal tank from petco I am planning on using to build a bigger sump... even though I probably don't really need a bigger sump for my 110 gallon.
I have a pair of submersible heaters next to the air stones under the bio balls.
I picked up the wet/fry off of Craigslist for $30... I have a 29gal tank from petco I am planning on using to build a bigger sump... even though I probably don't really need a bigger sump for my 110 gallon.
Thank you all very much! I was going to make my own, but I think I'll wait until I maybe see anything good on craiglist, and as for the media ought, you seem to have it down. I'll see what I end up doing. I'm CONSIDERING just adding the media that would go into a wet/dry into my spacious rena XP3 canister filter, as it needs more media anyway. Would that work fine?