Wet/Dry help
- Thread starter dr_girlfriend
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
seaham358
Aquarium Advice Addict
I like sumps a lot more then w/d filters... Are you planning on having LR in the tank? if your getting at least 1lb per gallon then take the w/d back and get a sump.
A sump has plenty of room for a skimmer, return pump and heaters and what ever else you want to hide in there.
Over time a w/d can be a place where nitrates are built up from the bioballs becoming clogged with tank waste, a lot of folks who have bioballs end up taking them out of the w/d.
Don't get me wrong w/d do work but IMO sumps are better if your going to have LR in the tank.
A sump has plenty of room for a skimmer, return pump and heaters and what ever else you want to hide in there.
Over time a w/d can be a place where nitrates are built up from the bioballs becoming clogged with tank waste, a lot of folks who have bioballs end up taking them out of the w/d.
Don't get me wrong w/d do work but IMO sumps are better if your going to have LR in the tank.
dr_girlfriend
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'd eventually like a reef, so I'm planning on about 75 lbs of LR. So do sumps hook up the same way the w/d does? I'm not a plumbing nut, so the simpler the better.
seaham358
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sumps hook up the same... you have the overflow from the tank which drops into the sump.. Very easy to hook up.
If you going reef then I would definitely go with a sump..
Check out superskimmer.com and get a idea on what a sump is..
If you going reef then I would definitely go with a sump..
Check out superskimmer.com and get a idea on what a sump is..
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
It is a decent w/d. I have the Pro Clear Aquatics 150 model with a built-in skimmer. Might be worth seeing if the LFS has a model with a skimmer and exchanging. The up-graded model gives you a lot more space for equipment. Not sure about the price difference. I ended p taking our the bioballs and the tray they sit on and filling up the center chamber with 30lbs of LR rubble. I did need to increase the water level a bit to cover the rubble. This will help combat the NO3 challenges a w/d can have. I have a couple pics in my gallery of my sump if you are interested.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
72gal bow front
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thank you very much.
dr_girlfriend
Aquarium Advice FINatic
thats exactly the same tank I'm getting, 72 bow front.
Well, the first one he tried to sell me was $259 and it was with a sump. I thought that was a little high, and asked if they had anything else. He showed me this one and I got it for 129 after he removed the hook ups that my tank already came with. Would it be cheaper to get it online? If so where from?
I was also thinking of until I got LR for the filter, filling at least part of the way with seachems matrix in place of some bioballs. Its suppose to remove nitrates, I was wondering if anyone else done anything like that.
Well, the first one he tried to sell me was $259 and it was with a sump. I thought that was a little high, and asked if they had anything else. He showed me this one and I got it for 129 after he removed the hook ups that my tank already came with. Would it be cheaper to get it online? If so where from?
I was also thinking of until I got LR for the filter, filling at least part of the way with seachems matrix in place of some bioballs. Its suppose to remove nitrates, I was wondering if anyone else done anything like that.
indy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Price is pretty dependant on size and features. For just a sump with the most water volume per $, just find the largest aquarium that will comfortably fit under your stand. If you tank already has an overflow and return drilled into it, all you would need is the hose/fittings and a return pump. If you plan on not needing the bioballs down the road, it would be a good idea to not get them to start.
dr_girlfriend
Aquarium Advice FINatic
So if you made a sump with an aquarium, would you have to add the different chambers like in the commercial ones?
My tank is drilled with an overflow.
My tank is drilled with an overflow.
indy
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yes and no. It depends on what you want to use the sump for. If you just want the additional water volume and a place to put your heater, skimmer, etc. then you don't have to put in the chambers. The chambers in a commercial wet/dry are usually to keep the bio-balls in place so the filter works correctly. If you plan on putting macro in the sump, then chambering off the return pump would be a good idea, just to keep the algae out of the pump. You can get pretty complex designs depending on exactly what you want done. But often times a simpler design would function just as well. My current sump was a little overthought and it worked not so great. I made it simple and it works very well now.
If you decide you need to section off the sump, don't stress out about the difficulty. All it takes is some 1/8 or 1/4 inch plexi and some silicone. It's very easy to do and will save you a ton of money.
If you decide you need to section off the sump, don't stress out about the difficulty. All it takes is some 1/8 or 1/4 inch plexi and some silicone. It's very easy to do and will save you a ton of money.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
That is the main reason. Think surface area. LR rubble has a lot more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on.
dr_girlfriend
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ok, cool. I think I understand a little better now. Thanks for your help guys!
Lando,
I was looking at the pics of your sump set up in your gallery. I have a similar wet dry and plan on replacing the bioballs with LR rubble. The only question I have now is how do you clean the blue square foam filter in your sump, that your LR rubble is next to and on top of? I would think that you would have to move all the rubble in order to just get the filter block out to clean it.
Also how often do you clean this filter block?
I was looking at the pics of your sump set up in your gallery. I have a similar wet dry and plan on replacing the bioballs with LR rubble. The only question I have now is how do you clean the blue square foam filter in your sump, that your LR rubble is next to and on top of? I would think that you would have to move all the rubble in order to just get the filter block out to clean it.
Also how often do you clean this filter block?
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
Twice a year during a water change I remove al of the LR rubble and rinse out the sump. During this time I rinse the sponge in tank water to clean it.
dr_girlfriend
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Ok, new question regarding this filter. What model of skimmer do you guys recommend for it? LFS told me a few different models could fit in it, but I dont remember which ones (nor do I totally trust those recommendations 
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