Which is more efficient?

[rallysman]

really? i am under the impression that with overflow fed wetdrys - there is always debris that collects on the bottom....

did you do anything special to make sure that wasn't the case?

I guess my fish keep it stirred enough to get it in the overflow. On my low flow tank (heavily stocked 265 with 2.5x turnover rate) I added a powerhead near the bottom, but that's it. The water is seriously crystal clear..... Here is a pic of that tank. Over filtration is over rated (like canisters IME)

The only thing filtering this tank is a wet/dry and a power head.........that's it.
Edit: This pic is before the power head. The only reason I added the power head was because crap was collecting in the gravel...........but it was never making the water look "dirty:=:

 

[thecoolguy]

i see

well, gravel/rock substrate definitely helps clear up the water, it gives small debris a place to settle...

when i was barebottom, my water always had little floating things, once i added some river rock, i had a crystal clear tank....but had to siphon every once in a while....

i think it is the wet/dry people running barebottom tanks that need the extra mech filtration via a cannister

 

[rallysman]

i see

well, gravel/rock substrate definitely helps clear up the water, it gives small debris a place to settle...

when i was barebottom, my water always had little floating things, once i added some river rock, i had a crystal clear tank....but had to siphon every once in a while....

i think it is the wet/dry people running barebottom tanks that need the extra mech filtration via a cannister

My only bare bottom tank is filtered by a canister, and I hate it. The only reason I have a canister is because the stand can't hide a wet/dry.

 

[thecoolguy]

yeah, barebottoms have there +/-'s.....

ok, another opinion question ----

what if i were to add 4-5 large sponge filters such as this http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/4927/cid/1340
into the last chamber of both my sumps, is it worth it? (chamber that holds just the return pump)

reason being, i can buy some here in china for like $1.5 US dollars, for the large ones ----

if they are in a sump, do i still need to run the aerator on them?

is the added bio-filtration they will give me worth it? i have never used a sponge filter, but hear amazing things about them.....

 

[rallysman]

yeah, barebottoms have there +/-'s.....

ok, another opinion question ----

what if i were to add 4-5 large sponge filters such as this http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/4927/cid/1340
into the last chamber of both my sumps, is it worth it? (chamber that holds just the return pump)

reason being, i can buy some here in china for like $1.5 US dollars, for the large ones ----

if they are in a sump, do i still need to run the aerator on them?

is the added bio-filtration they will give me worth it? i have never used a sponge filter, but hear amazing things about them.....

They won't hurt a thing, but in theory all of your ammonia/nitrite is gone after the bioballs so they won't be much benefit at all.