What does a wet/dry filter do?

[The Editor]

I don't see why you couldn't have a mud bed and a wet/dry you would just need a sump for your wet/dry and a refugium (spelling?) for your mud bed. Just means that you would need a bit more space under your tank to store all that.

ne alternative I have seen (and cannot speak to its effectiveness) is to run chamber with some kind of media with low waterflow off the sump. The theory is that the water becomes anaerobic and the media provides a surface for the anaerobic bacteria. Others use live rock where the theory is that water permeates to the middle of the rock at a slow rate, and it's anaerobic by the time it reaches the core.

That's pretty much what's in my mind now... Have the sump set up with a decent wet/dry stack at one end, return pump and other such equipment in the middle chamber and a refugium in the end chamber with a high wall holding back a deep bed...

Perhaps overkill for the sub 10g tank I have currently but certainly some nice ideas for future set up!

 

[ilostnemo]

So I have just skimmed over this and I thought I would throw in my 2 cents. A wet dry filter is old news and is hardly used today. The best and I mean best filtration system somebody can run today is a combo of allot of diff techniques. This is what I have cone up with. Start off with a Pre filter such as a filter sock, next go into a algae turf scrubber, from there into a protein skimmer, and last but not least a fuge filled with a dsb and a variety of macro algae and live rock rubble. If you are looking at filtration systems this is prob by far the most natural and best. Also as a side note if you have room you can add mangrove into the fuge for even more filtration.

Its used often actually still the highest sold filter. And if your running that route why do all that have a all natural closed system

 

[Tomchong22]

What I ment by hardly used was people are trying to get away from using them as there is better methods of filtration. Yes they are Cheep and do not require much to maintain. I still like the more natural approach to things.

 

[maxwellag]

Ok and I have another question : what are bio balls? I am talking about those black plastic spheres with weird slits and hold in them...

 

[Togliat]

I have no experience with bio balls but I have read that they have lots of surface area by design for promoting bacterial growth and are used in wet/dry filtration setups.

 

[Tomchong22]

I have no experience with bio balls but I have read that they have lots of surface area by design for promoting bacterial growth and are used in wet/dry filtration setups.

That is what they are. A better alternative is live Rick rubble.

 

[snickers450]

hey guys..does wet/dry filter only works for a DRILLED TANK???..i've read couple of advertisements stating that wet/dry filter for drilled tank use only...

 

[maxwellag]

hey guys..does wet/dry filter only works for a DRILLED TANK???..i've read couple of advertisements stating that wet/dry filter for drilled tank use only...

No I think its only for larger canister filters and rarely hang on backs... but the fluval c series is hang on back, and it has the wet dry

 

[Tomchong22]

The best way to run a wet/dry system or any sump is with a hang on the back overflow or a drilled tank.