Which filter is better?

[edison9114]

The Eheim Professionel Wet/Dry Filters or the traditional Wet/Dry filter with the bio balls and overflow box?

Cheers!

 

[Electrobes]

I would say traditional sump.. but opinion only

 

[noor]

IMHO, both filters are of good quality, its only at the end of day, whether we aquarist do maintain them properly or not. We can have the best filtration type for our reef tank, but if we dont take care of them, then, that No. 1 best filter in the world can be just like a forgotten corner box filter in a small aquarium that has not been look after by the owner.

Anyway, I look for easy and quick maintainence but not to compromise for its efficiency & purpose. Choose for your practicabality rather than aesthetic.

I DIY my own wet/dry filtration system plus a sump using a 2 footer aquarium. My main tank is a 3-footer tank. It has been with me for almost a year and it serves my purpose. Need to do regular AC and mechanical filter change.

CHEERS!

 

[fishfreek]

I would prefer the tradional wet/dry simply because it gives you more options. Cant exactly put your heaters, and skimmer in a Eheim wet/dry canister can you?

 

[loganj]

I agree with fishfreek. I think you'll also find that the traditional wet/dry is easier to maintain than the canister.

 

[Electrobes]

its actually a lot easier.. almost no mess, and little room to make mistake versus the canister. If I could go back I would have just made my own sump. What fish freek said also is one of the better points.. not only can you hide the heater, skimmer, etc int he sump and leave your tank more open and prettier (i.e. without the machinery poking out), buuuuuuut you could also grow secondary things in your sump if you wanted to. Heck you could even grow the food for you fish in the main tank (I SO wish I had a sump right now :x ). But yeah... there you go, now I am gunna go kick myself.

 

[Apollo]

Eheim

I actually purchased the Eheim Wet/Dry and love it.

First the priming and media change is extremely simple.

The Eheim comes with valves that lets your canister drain itself into
your tank without taking in any more water.

This way you are able to easily remove the media by the "media baskets"

The priming is simple as these same valves allow you to intake water from the tank without returning it prematurely therefore limiting the air within the canister for full priming.

More importantly the media used on the Eheim is much more efficient the bio balls.

Just one liter of Seachem's matrix or Eheims Ehfi Subtrat Pro are equivalent to 40 liters of bio balls.

The reason for this is that these two types of media are extremely porous and create more surface area than with bio balls.

So by purchasing just the "Small" wet/dry from Eheim which is filled up with 4 liters of media, it can potentially cultivate as much bacteria as 160 liters of bio balls.

It's also extremely quiet and no special plumbing required.

Here's a link on the media I chose to run in my Eheim Wet/Dry.

http://www.seachem.com/seachemframeset.html

 

[Apollo]

Matrix™ is a high porosity biomedia that provides efficient biofiltration for the removal of nitrogenous waste. Matrix™ is a porous inorganic solid about 15 mm in diameter. Each liter of Matrix™ provides as much surface (<162 m) as 40 liters of plastic balls! Plastic bio-materials provide only external surface area, whereas Matrix™ provides internal macroporous surface area. These macropores are ideally sized for the support of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. This allows Matrix™, unlike other forms of biomedia, to remove nitrate along with ammonia and nitrite, simultaneously and in the same filter. Matrix™ is completely inert and will not breakdown. It need not be replaced. Use 1–2 Liters of Matrix™ for each 100 gallons. Since the majority of the bacteria are internal, Matrix™ may be rinsed when needed without damaging the filter. Matrix™ is compatible with all types of wet or wet-dry filters. Marine or freshwater use.


Sizes: 1 L, 4 L, 20 L

DIRECTIONS: Use 1 to 2 Liter(s) of Matrix™ for each 400 L (100 gallons) of water. Matrix™ may be placed in any kind of filter, and is particularly effective in a canister filter. Matrix™ is sufficiently large that no filter bag should be required for most applications. Matrix™ works well in drip tray systems, but you may find that the larger Pond Matrix™ is better suited for such applications.

 

[got bait?]

I am in the same exact predicament. I have both the Eheim professional wet/dry and the pro. traditional. I am still going to be building a sump instead. I didn't purchase these they came with the tank. Now i have no use for two brand new nice pumps. I guess they could be used for water movement and additional volume.
The sump is much more user friendly IMO. These would be excellent for a big FW water tank though. Oh no, now I need another tank, I can see MTS starting now. I have 2 now I guess I 'll need 3.