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FAQs about Wet-Dry, Trickle Filter Operation/Maintenance, Repair
Related Articles:
Trickle Filters, pt. 1 By Bob Goemans,
Physical Filtration,
Denitrification/Denitrifiers, Nitrates
and Marine Systems, Related FAQs:
Wet Dries 1, Wet Dries 2,
Wet-Dries 3, Wet Dries 4,
Selection, Set-Up,
Pumps, Plumbing Issues,
Bio-Balls FAQs, Bio-Ball, Wet-Dry
Media 2,Other Filter/Media/Elements
(other than bio-balls),
Modification/Conversion,...
Biological Filtration, Biofiltration
2, Fluidized Beds,
Ammonia, Nitrites,
Nitrates, Phosphates, Denitrification/Denitrifiers, | 
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Spare/Replacement Pump – 04/04/09
Hello,
<<Howdy>>
I Have a Pro Clear Aquatics Wet- Dry filter for my 75 gal tank. I would
like to have a back-up submersible pump for the CAP 1800. Any
suggestions?
<<Hmm… A Mag-Drive 5 would make for a good backup to this system. But if
you want the best re quality and reliability, go with the Eheim 1260.
You could use the Eheim as your primary pump (install a gate-valve on
the output-side of the pump to temper flow, if needed) and rest easy…and
hold on to the CAP pump as the emergency backup, that you would likely
not need for many years>>
Thanks, Michael
<<Happy to share… EricR>>
Can my Wet/Dry filter "hold its breath" 5/1/08
Will the bacterial
colony living on the Bio-Balls in my wet/dry filter be damaged or
reduced by being submerged for a few hours?
<The bioballs will be
fine so long as they are not in a sealed container.>
It’s a 50 gallon
temperate marine tank (60 degree F) with five gallons of Bio-Balls, an
AquaC Remora skimmer, 4” DSB, a bimac octopus, a bat star, and a red
spotted sea anemone. My wet/dry is built into my tank and when the
return pump turns off (during tank feeding or power failure) enough
water slowly back-flows through the return pump to mostly fill the
wet/dry and submerge the bio balls. I have a battery powered air pump
that will run an airstone in the submerged wet/dry, and in the tank,
during a power failure.
<Good, oxygen in the water is what you need
to keep your biofiltration alive.>
How long could my wet/dry go
submerged, with an airstone running, before suffering significant
damage?
<A few hours.>
I could remove all the water, and
Bio-Balls, and install a check valve, but I’d rather avoid that headache
unless it is necessary to protect my bacterial colony.
<You are
better off having the bioballs submerged than drying out.>
Thanks for
all the great advice!!
<Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>
Re: bubbles in my sand bed... and now Eheim W/Ds
Thank you for
the response, I will be more patient. I do however have one more
question. You raised a possible issue with my Eheim Wet/dry, to correct
this would you recommend capping the breathing tube to change the
filtration method to continuous filtration verses a wet/dry filtration.
<Mmm, no... or at least, not necessarily... To be straight-forward... as
much as practical, here... I am not a fan of this Eheim product... it
and their powered gravel washers are clunkers... If it were me, my
decision, I'd pull them... You may be fine operating the wet-dry with or
w/o aspiration. If w/o, I'd add some form of mixed-aerobic media like
Siporax...>
In the manual it states to do this when removing
additives to the tank, so it can be done. Thank you.
<Yes... Cheers,
BobF>
Wet/Dry Filter...Future Flooding 8/30/07
Dear Bob,
<James
with you today.>
I have researched as much as I can to try to
find the answer to this, and I am simply stumped.
Below is an
image of a tank I bought off craigslist and, along with a Wet/Dry
filtration system. I am (more than likely) going to make this a
cichlid tank, or maybe a FO saltwater, but either way I cannot
figure something out...
How does my WET DRY not flood my floors
in case of a power outage? I live in FL, Tampa Bay, with frequent
storms, and from the setup below it seems that if the pump stopped
flowing, gravity would force 1/2 the tanks water, 25 gallons, into
the sump, which is not sealed, and has an open part designed for a
protein skimmer, and thus would overflow... am I wrong?
<You are
wrong my friend. It appears you have a piece of glass glued into
this corner. The water overflows over the top of the glass then into
the intake. In the event of a power failure where the pump would
stop, no more water would be pumped into the tank. If the glass
partition is leak proof, no overflowing should occur. You may want
to put a check valve in the return line to prevent back siphoning in
the event of a power failure. I always drill a 3/16 hole in the top
of my return line and glue a piece of rigid air line tubing into it
and keep the tube slightly below the surface of the water. If the
pump stops, water will drain to that point and once air enters the
line, the siphon will break. This protects you in the event debris
gets into the check valve and prevents a tight seal from occurring
when the poppet drops in the check valve. I have a very similar
set-up in my reef tank and have had no problems with it. James
(Salty Dog)>
Please let me know if you have any other
information. My initial thought is to find some additional tubing
for the intake inside the tank.
Re: Wet/Dry Filter...Future Flooding 9/2/07
The corner is NOT
separated by glass, but a piece of black plastic, which has holes up
ton and apparently near the bottom as well, but I guess that is the
design. I am not sure.
<Geez, can you send a pic or two looking
at this corner.>
I think I understand what you mean, but I was
actually interested in making a Durso (sp?) valve along these
lines... would you recommend it:
<Yes, if the face is not glued
to the glass of the tank, you will definitely need to get that
intake up much higher
than what it is now. Do seriously consider
the check valve and other fix I suggested. James (Salty Dog)>
Re: Wet/Dry Filter...Future Flooding 9/5/07
After a weekend
of trial and error, I've made a Durso standpipe and modified my
tubing under tank with flexible clear tubing and got an acceptable
level of noise. My focus now is getting fish into the tank, and
eventually I will work on quieting it down a bit more. I did drill a
hole in my return valve, and since we had a power failure yesterday,
I was able to test the system and all was fine!
<Great.>
My
only problem now is still a bit of cloudiness, but I wonder if it's
from a super oxygenated tank, considering I have a powerhead on the
right side over an under gravel filter, and the wet dry system. The
wet dry drops into floss filter, and then bioballs, and then through
a filter I pulled from an existing tank to help get bacterias
growing.
<You really do not need this additional filter.>
My
father who was helping, insisted on the undergravel filter, to the
point of going out and purchasing the entire thing, insisting that
with the wet dry and the UGF I wont have to worry about the dead
spots of a normal UGF. Your thoughts?
<UGF's in my opinion are
maintenance nightmares and they are not necessary in a system such
as yours. The gravel/sand will have to be vacuumed during water
changes, or the filter will become a nitrate factory.>
One more
question... My wife wants a Gold Severum, but I cant find any
interesting inhabitants to go with one? Any suggestions? I saw a
beautiful and mild Flowerhorn, but I don't really want to have these
fish considering their... background!
<Geez, there are so many
fish to consider that I just do not have to time to research.
A
few would be barbs, Corys, angelfish, danios, etc. James (Salty
Dog)> |
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How can I clean my bio balls??? Understanding causes from effects,
circumstances - 08/11/07
Hi again. I have had brown slime
algae & the hair algae is starting to come out & its really stressing me
out. I think its coming from my bio balls.
<Mmm, no... Whatever
conditions themselves that are allowing, fostering such growth, are
doing the same with the plastic biomedia... not the other way around>
I cant seem to find how to clean my bio balls, all I see is I should get
rid of them. The problem is that my LFS's don't have them here where I
live, which is Bahrain. Unless you know who ships international? or if
its possible for myself to get rocks out of the sea here & cure them
since I live on an island. The salinity is very high here. I have turned
my old 52 gallon tank into a refugium which I am housing 2 types of
algae, not sure of their type,1 is reddish maroon & the other is green.
My main tank is 190 gallon & I also have a 25 gallon sump. I hope I
didn't forget anything :-/
Ghulam.
<They can be cleaned, likely
even removed entirely... But the "material" issue won't be solved
thus... that is, the BGA et al. will simply return (and soon) w/o
correcting the circumstances... Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/bioballfaqs.htm
and the linked files above,
and here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm
and the linked
files above. Bob Fenner> Del Ray 125... 1 1/4" hose
replacement 3/4/07
I have a Del Ray filter for my 80
gallon fresh water tank. The flexible tubing that connects the filter
to the tank has cracked and is leaking. I cannot find the tubing
locally. The 1.25 inch tubing is 3 feet long. Any suggestions.
Thank you Dave
<Mmm, yes... do check with the large hardware stores
(Home Depot, Lowe's...) and if they don't have (sometimes do carry up to
this diameter), check out your "Yellow Pages" for a pool supply (maybe a
wholesaler... they'll direct you on how to have some intermediate help
you...) to supply you with a replacement. Bob Fenner>
My
Eheim 2227 Wet'n'Dry is causing a micro bubble problem
2/23/07
Hi Guys!
<Greg>
I have a new 6'x2'x2' fresh water
setup currently in its 3rd week of cycling, and I've noticed that my
Eheim 2227 Wet'n'Dry canister filter produces a lot of micro bubbles.
<Mmm... even Toyota has made them "clunkers" in its time... this one (of
two or so), is Eheim's>
This causes the water to look 'unclean' and
I'm certain it won't be good for the fish which currently includes 9
Black Neon Tetras and 4 Cory Catfish. The tank is destined to become a
home for Discus once it has fully cycled and settled down probably in
another few weeks.
<Nice!>
Are the Eheim 2227/2229 Wet'n'Dry
filters known to cause micro bubbles? Is this a major problem? Can it be
corrected?
<Are trouble... We could go back and forth here a
bit/while... but in my usual (well, too-often) overly-direct M.O. I'll
come straight out and state, "I'd return this filter"... and go with
something (yes, even by Eheim...) else... A much larger (or two)
canister filter itself likely...>
I'm sure I have the filter
configured correctly as I followed the setup instructions to the letter
and the unit seems to be working as expected, with rising & falling
water level etc.
<Yes... have heard this all before... Have you
written Eheim (DanielS in Canada) re?...>
The other filter running
on the tank from the other end is an Eheim 2228 and it does not have
this issue.
<A mighty fine product>
Are the Eheim 2227/2229
Wet'n'Dry series filters duds? Would I be better with something else?
<Yes, and yes>
Any information would be appreciated.
Regards,
Greg
Perth, Western Australia
<You are not the first... I wish
Eheim would pull these turkeys. Bob Fenner> Re: My Eheim 2227
Wet'n'Dry is causing a micro bubble problem 2/24/07
Thanks Bob,
<Welcome>
You have confirmed my suspicions. I'm
going to send the 2227 back and get another 2228 or perhaps step up to
the Classic 2250.
<You will be much happier, I assure you>
Regards,
Greg
<BobF> Eheim Wet/Dry filter
11/16/06
Hello,
<Greetings, Michelle here.> I have a 75
gallon tank with live rock, a few small fish and inverts. I use an Aqua
C Remora Pro skimmer and an Eheim 2227 Wet/Dry Filter. I regularly
change the water with RO water. My problem is getting the phosphate and
nitrate levels down to undetectable. They are currently high, nitrate -
30ppm, phosphate - 1ppm. <Higher than desirable.> I'm not sure if the
Wet/Dry filter is contributing to the problem. I fill the trays with
Ehfi substrate. Should I only use it as a circulating water source with
carbon? <Carbon, with time, can also leach phosphates.> I've read that
this filter method is a nitrate factory. <Yes, wet/dry filters
typically are.> I do like the water surge that it makes every 30
seconds. My goal is to start adding some corals but I may have to use
alternative filtration. <I address this issue first. I would remove
the Ehfi substrate, and monitor levels before opening any new
doors.> Thank you for your time. <You're welcome.>
Michael
Wet/Dry Filter Water Height? - 03/18/06
Hi-
<<Hello>>
I
just bought a wet/dry filter- called the ProClear SL 60. The LFS
doesn't know much so I'm asking you guys.
<<Might be time to find
another LFS...>>
How much of the bio-balls should be completely
submerged in water? Right now only about 1/4 of the bio balls are
completely submerged? Is this correct? Should more bioballs be
submerged completely?
<<In a wet/dry filter the intent is to have
the bio-media exposed to water AND air (wet/dry) to maximize oxygen
availability to the nitrifying bacteria (air contains a higher
concentration of oxygen than saltwater). Most filters will be designed
to submerge very little if any of the bio-media. Your filter should
have an "optimum" water level as determined by the
manufacturer...lacking this, I would adjust the water level to the
bottom of the bio-media chamber.>>
Thanks a lot.
<<Regards,
EricR>> Set-Up...Using Multiple Wet/Dry Filters 6/26/06
Good Day,
Hope you are all well.
<I'm as good as I can be.>
Question: from a functionality point of view, what sorts of issues might
one run into in using multiple trickle filters on a larger
aquarium? Things such as balancing input/output, etc.. Are there some
best practices or is this typically not done due to complexity (I can
also imagine one side going out and slowly filling up...)
In any
case, very curious as to history in this sort of thing.
<Not a very
good idea. Each would need it's own pump and drain. Problem here is
that when one system goes down for whatever reason, the water level will
lower to the bottom of the skimmer box or bulkhead. This is going to
cause a lack of water for the other system, and possibly a flood, and,
if you are not home when this happens, you will more than likely be
greeted by a burned out pump and a wet floor, and for sure, an irate
wife if you are married. James (Salty Dog)>
Bill Pro
Clear Pro Wet/Dry 300 Filter 8/19/06
I just installed
a new filter described above. The water is circulating fine with the
exception on a significant amount of bubbles coming out of
the
"bubble trap" located in the first section on the filter. These are
connected to the water intake. Is this normal or do I need to adjust
something?
Thank you for your help.
Adam
<Mmm, sometimes
when these units are new... I would wait a few days, see if all settles
down. Otherwise there is an option of adding a layer of filter media on
top of the upper bio-balls... though this presents more maintenance,
issue of nitrate accumulation. Bob Fenner>
DSB/Wet-Dry/Nitrates - 08/28/06
Hi there!
<<Hello!>>
How
are you all today!
<<Don't know about the rest, but I'm doing fine,
thank you>>
I hope I am not bugging you with a repeat question.
<<No worries my friend>>
I have read thru all your FAQs on sand beds
and am getting confused.
<<Oh?>>
There seems to be many
contradictions and I really want to get it right.
<<Indeed...differing methodologies/opinions...>>
I have a 220 gallon
setup that is about 8 months old. I used 220 lbs of live rock to set it
up as well as about 120 pounds of CaribSea live sand. That gave about
an inch of sand on the bottom.
<<Ok>>
I also have a wet-dry
running and am not sure if this is necessary and will contribute to
higher nitrates.
<<The wet-dry filter is not necessary, or even
desirous, if this is a reef system...but can be beneficial to a FOWLR,
though these days my preference when additional bio-filtration is needed
is to turn to a fluidized-bed filter>>
My nitrates are around 50.
<<Mmm, you have a problem then, in my opinion. Nitrates should be <5ppm
for a reef and <20ppm for a FOWLR>>
I have an ASM G3 protein skimmer
and a Blueline 40HDX pump. After the first few months of losing several
fish, my tank seems to be settled and I have had luck with my fish for
the last 4 months without any casualties.
<<Won't last with nitrate
readings this high. Though maybe not immediately evident, the high
nitrate level will have/is having an effect on the fish and will cause
problems/deaths in the long-term>>
I'd like to get my nitrates to 0
and am wondering if I should increase the sand bed to at least 4 inches
and get rid of the bio-balls.
<<One approach>>
I could also add
some more live rock.
<<Sounds like you have a lot of rock in there
already>>
Would you advise this or should I stick with my 1/2-1 inch
sand bed (I lose some sand every week when I vacuum as it's fine sand)?
<<I'm a fan of DSBs...I would try increasing the depth of the sand
bed...and stop the weekly vacuuming as this will be counterproductive to
the DSB. If detritus accumulation is a concern, then increase water
flow in the tank>>
If I made it a DSB, how would I go about it with
all the fish and live rock in there?
<<Considering the current
depth/weekly vacuuming, simply add the sand until you reach the new
desired depth. Pre-rinsing will help to reduce the associated
cloudiness>>
Can I purchase a different kind and put it on top?
<<You can>>
I would like to add some pink.
<<Won't stay
"pink"...I recommend a sugar-fine substrate, though you can go a bit
larger if you wish (1mm-2mm)...or even go with a mix of these>>
Also, would the LR need to be removed if I was adding 3 or 4 more
inches?
<<Nope...in fact, I prefer to place my live rock on the tank
bottom and fill around it with the sand for better stability>>
What
about the fish?
<<If you go to the trouble to pre-rinse the sand to
reduce the "fines" suspended in the water column they should be
fine. If you wish, you could even add the sand in stages (a day or two
apart)>>
I really have no where else for them to go as it's a
220. Maybe knowing my fish would help determine what sand bed is best
for my tank. I have a Bluefaced angel, a maroon clown, a purple and
sailfin tang, a fairy wrasse, a Twinspot wrasse, a zebra moray and a few
gobies. Also 2 anemones and a couple starfish and hermit crabs.
<<Yikes! Anemones and 50ppm nitrates? Maybe you should try testing
with another brand of test kit (Salifert, Seachem) to validate this
reading>>
I have had a little trouble with red Cyanobacteria and
have been physically suctioning it out every week as well as weekly
water changes. I can't get it all off the rock but do blow some of it
off with a bulb syringe. I was wondering if increasing the sand bed
would help get rid of that as well as hair algae which I have a little
of?
<<The DSB will provide numerous benefits, one of which will be
the reduction of nitrogenous compounds (algae fuels), but an increase in
water circulation will also help with the Cyano>>
Any help in
resolving the sand bed issue once and for all for my setup would be
greatly appreciated.
<<I think a 4"-6" sugar-fine DSB to be a
worthwhile addition. As for the wet-dry, you might try replacing the
bio-balls with fist-sized pieces of live rock and see if that helps with
your nitrate. Adding some carbon/Poly-Filter somewhere in the filter
path will also prove beneficial>>
I want to do the best I can for my
fish and make it as healthy in there as I can for them.
<<Then
address/determine the source of nitrate and bring that reading down. Do
have a look here and among the links in blue at the top of the page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm
>>
You have such an awesome website and I read it often.
<<We're
pleased you find it of use>>
Thanks so much for all your help.
Heather
<<Happy to assist. Regards, EricR>> Re:
DSB/Wet-Dry/Nitrates - 08/31/06
Thanks Eric for all your great
advice so far.
<<Is my pleasure>>
I did add a Poly-Filter.
<<Always beneficial>>
I change my carbon monthly and I clean out my
filter pad as well as protein skimmer at least every other day.
<<Excellent>>
I was all set to order 150 pounds or so of sand when I
decided first to take your advice and try another nitrate testing kit.
<<A good move...and the cheaper route no doubt>>
I bought the one
the LFS had which was SeaTest and got a reading of 10 or less while the
Red Sea by Marine Lab reads at least 50.
<<Mmm...>>
How can
there be such a discrepancy?
<<Many reasons my friend...differences
in quality/age of reagents, contamination, inaccuracy of the
gauge/scale/benchmark...even human error <grin> >>
It seems odd that
two tests can be so far apart.
<<Is advisable to keep fresh test
kits of good quality (Hach, LaMotte, Salifert, or Seachem...to name some
of the better ones available)>>
It makes me angry after spending so
much money on my setup and
continually trying to find ways to bring
my supposedly high nitrates down. Which test should I believe?
<<I'm inclined to believe the SeaTest over the Red Sea kit>>
I
prefer my shallow sand bed and would rather not add 4-inches or more to
it if my nitrates are under control.
<<Indeed, maybe you don't need
the extra denitrification the DSB would offer after all>>
I plan on
this being mostly fish therefore the bioload will be higher than a reef
tank and I worry that in the long run
the DSB might not be best for
a FOWLR tank.
<<The DSB would be fine...though a fluidized-bed
filter will react more quickly to fluctuating bioloads and is likely
cheaper and easier to install>>
I will remove the bioballs and put
LR in the wet/dry like you suggested. I appreciate all your help.
<<Happy to assist>>
I now have a dumb newbie question.
<<Ok>>
You mentioned that I might want to increase the flow to my tank.
<<Yes>>
My 220 has two overflow boxes predrilled and I have a
Blueline 40HDX pump which I was told was more than sufficient for my
tank.
<<Mmm, about 1200 gph "before" head loss..."sufficient" for
feeding the sump yes, but not likely to provide "sufficient"
flow/elimination of dead-spots/suspension of detritus...in my opinion>>
However I don't think it pumps your recommended 10-20 times per gallons.
<<Likely not even 5x your tank volume, after head loss>>
How would I
add more flow to this system without it looking ugly?
<<Perhaps
addition of a couple Tunze Stream pumps, or a "closed-loop" with a
multi-nozzle return manifold (see here and the links in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pbretfaq3.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/circmarart.htm
>>
I know this is a stupid question and probably very basic but I'm
not really sure how to go about increasing the flow.
<<Not stupid,
and not always "basic", but do read the link/links provided and
learn/choose your options. Get some ideas of what you want to do and
come back to bounce them off me if you wish>>
I do have a deep tank
at 30 inches and some Cyano on the sand. It is also only 8 months old
and I don't know if this is a phase or something I should address?
<<If your only source of water flow is your sump return, increased water
circulation may indeed help>>
Thanks for all your great advice.
<<Always welcome>>
I don't trust my LFS very much because when I
told them I thought my nitrates were around 50 they said I was crazy to
worry as their fish only setups have nitrates of over 300.
<<Mmm,
well...while it's true that in most FO/FOWLR systems Nitrates "alone"
may be no real worry, 300ppm will certainly cause harm. The fact this
store claims no ill effect is largely due to the "transient" nature of
the livestock ...though their customers are likely not so lucky do to
the harm/further insult to health imposed by this store on their
livestock with this kind of water quality. In my opinion, it is
irresponsible (and probably just plain laziness/ignorance) to subject
the livestock to these nitrate levels no matter how long the duration,
and even more irresponsible to advise customers that this is "OK">>
They seem to think I'm a bit crazy and that I overreact and worry too
much about my fish.
<< (sigh) Maybe it's time to find another
LFS...>>
That is why and how I found your site and am a true fan.
<<Yay!>>
Thanks! Heather
<<Be chatting, Eric Russell>>
Re: DSB/Wet-Dry/Nitrates - 09/01/06
Hi Eric!
<<Hello
Heather!>>
I think I'm becoming your groupie.
<<Hee-hee! Cool,
I think you're my first!>>
Thanks so much for your speedy reply. I
was shocked how fast you wrote back.
<<A matter of timing/luck for
the most part>>
And it's nice to converse with someone who cares
about this hobby and doesn't roll their eyes at me when I ask too many
questions.
<<Mmm, indeed...too bad your LFS doesn't see the value in
education/keeping their customers in the hobby...or maybe they just
don't have the capacity re>>
(Well maybe you are but I can't see it
at least like at my LFS)
<<Ha! I'll never tell! (and spoil my image
<grin>)>>
I've been reading and am considering the Tunze Turbelle
Stream pump.
<<An excellent choice...I use these for water movement
in my own system>>
It's around $190.
<<Not cheap, but excellent
quality/engineering/performance>>
Is it all inclusive or do I need
to buy anything else with it?
<<Based on the price I'm guessing
you're looking at the model 6080? This is a synchronous-motor pump
(does not run on a controller/wavemaker) and is ready to go out of the
box. But, depending on your tank design/bracing, you may need one of
the holding device extensions (3000.244 or 3000.260). These should be
available on the site where you purchase the pump (if not, they can be
found at MarineDepot.com), just review the information on each and
determine which is needed (if any) for your tank>>
The internet
stores don't really say much but they talked about timers and wave
controllers. Is any of that necessary?
<<No...and not possible with
some pumps/powerheads>>
Where is the best place to put it in the
aquarium?
<<Hmm...distal from the sump return line...and positioned
toward same for creation of a random turbulent flow pattern>>
Would
one be good since it says it pumps about 2250 gph on top of my 1200 gph
I'm already getting?
<<If this creates enough water movement to keep
detritus in suspension/eliminate dead spots, yes...will likely take a
bit of experimentation to determine the optimum position (or number of
powerheads required)>>
I have a feeling that more gph would
definitely help with the Cyano.
<<Me too, though other factors to
consider as well. Have you read our articles/FAQs on blue-green
alga? Here's a good place to start:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm>>
I always worried 5X
wasn't enough flow but again my LFS disagreed with me.
<<You must
evaluate the needs/requirements of the livestock, but it is likely an
increase in flow will be appreciated...even "enjoyed">>
I'm trying
to find another LFS but I live in Melbourne Beach Florida and unless I
want to drive 90 minutes there are only 2 close by. I'm not too happy
with either.
<<I see...best to arm yourself with "your own"
knowledge/research>>
You were right about the 300 ppm nitrates
hurting fish. When I sat down and worked out where all my fish losses
were from, they were all from that store.
<<Indeed...as if the
stresses of capture/transport weren't enough already...>>
I think I
lost 8 out of 10 of the fish purchased there for a loss of about $500.
<<a pity>>
All my other fish purchased elsewhere have done fine.
<<Hardly a scientific analysis...but does seem rather telling>>
I
guess they only care about the bottom line.
<<Unfortunately there
are stores out there with kind of short-sightedness>>
Neither store
carries live rock and the store that did and had a conscientious owner
(shocking), went out of business.
<<...why does it always have to be
the good one's...?>>
Do you recommend any internet sites for quality
cured rock?
<<Some of the members of my local reef club have been
raving lately about the rock offered at Reefermadness.us >>
I guess
that is it for now. I'd like to purchase a quality pump that gives good
gph and add some more LR and see how that goes.
<<Sounds fine>>
I read the links you sent me as well as Anthony's report on pumps and
like the Tunze like you suggested.
<<You won't be disappointed>>
Thanks so much! Heather
<<Cheers my friend, Eric Russell>>
Hair algae from wet/dry 2/5/04
Hello,
I have a 55 gal reef
tank that has been set up for about 14 months. I have a wet/dry with one
layer of bio-balls and some nylon mesh below about four inches of
crushed coral as a medium. I have a Turboflotor skimmer and currently
have mesh bags of carbon, Phosban and Purigen as chemical filtration.
Additional mechanical filtration comes from my pre-filter and filter pad
on the drip plate. I have about 80 lbs of live rock and 50 lbs of live
sand. There is a striped cardinal fish and a royal Gramma. I also have
two banded coral shrimp, two lettuce Nudibranchs, a few Mithrax, blue
leg and scarlet hermits, misc. snails and two Caribbean starfish. There
are two ivory corals, two bubbles, a Galaxea, a pagoda, a cup, a pipe
organ, a gorgonian, a long tentacle plate, some zoanthid polyps, pulsing
xenia, three flower anemones, and two yellow tree sponges. The problem
is that I have had a hair algae infestation for about the last 6 months.
I do water changes of about 10-15 gallons 3 to 4 times a month. I
recently removed each individual rock and scrubbed the algae off. I knew
this to be a temporary fix, but figured if I stayed on top of the water
changes that I would keep nutrient levels low enough that it wouldn't
get the upper hand again. It is coming back thick as ever and I don't
know what to do next. Water parameters are as follows: Ammonia <0.01
mg/l, Nitrate 1<5 mg/l, Nitrite 0.02<0.05 mg/l, PH 8.2, Alkalinity 9
dKH, sp. grav. 1.024, and temp 80. I am beginning to think that the
crushed coral is building up nitrogen that the algae is binding so it is
hardly detectable. I would think that the Phosban is removing any
phosphates.
<I agree with your assessment that the algae is taking
up the nutrients as fast as they are introduced. See comments below
about your filtration set up.>
My question is: Do you think that my
filter medium is the primary cause of the problem, and if so what should
I do to fix it?
<I do think it is a major contributing factor. The
highly aerobic nature of a wet dry favors the accumulation of nitrate,
and unless you maintain them meticulously, filter pads accumulate
detritus. Detritus in filter pads rots instead of being re-processed.>
I have a refugium in my garage that I have considered adding to the
system. Do you think that my current filtration should be removed
altogether and replaced with the refugium?
<I would definitely
remove your current mechanical filtration/wet-dry set up. They are not
necessary with the amount of live rock you have and are certainly
contributing to your problem. When removing the wet/dry, remove each
component (filter pads, bio balls, gravel) one at a time, about a week
apart so that the bacteria in the live rock can increase to handle the
load. While doing this, please monitor water quality and continue water
changes. I am a fan of refugia, and it would probably be beneficial.>
One last note, my Turboflotor doesn't seem to pull all that much gunk
out. It does good after I clean it which is about once a month. Do I
have to step up the maintenance on the skimmer?
<If it works best
after cleaning, you may want to do so more often. Also be sure that the
air inlet tube is kept free of salt build up (letting it suck up some
hot fresh water occasionally helps a lot). If working properly, a
Turboflotor should be a very appropriate skimmer for a 55.>
Thank
you very much for your time and any input. Sincerely, Quinn Whitten
<Always a great pleasure! Adam> Re: Tap Water, high nitrates
is this my wet-dry filter? 1/26/04
Thanks very much for the
advice, my skimmer (with some adjustment) is turning out a very nice
dark green yuck. As to the live rock, I am going to buy on line from
one of the places recommended from this site. I live outside of
Buffalo, NY,
<I have visited two local stores in the Tonowandas. I
am very much in favor of supporting locals and one of these guys is
probably equally capable of supplying your needs. Do try negotiating
with them to buy entire unopened boxes of rock, most store will offer a
significant discount for this.>
the water here is very, very hard. I
use a Type I DI water (reagent grade) and RO water from the LFS, and tap
water. I did 2 very large water changes, which did indeed drop the
Nitrate level, still not as low as I want
<Unless your water contains
other objectionables, you may want to forgo RO or DI in favor of free Ca
and Alk supplementation from your tap water. If you feel that
purification is important, RO may be better since you will exhaust DI
cartridges very quickly.>
.... so on my wish list is the live rock,
which I should be getting very soon.
<Be sure to cure VERY thoroughly
before placing in an existing system to prevent repeat cycling.>
As
to the Nori seaweed, yes my domestic cat LOVES it, she comes as soon as
she hears me open the bag. I have another question in my learning
saga. What is a fresh water dip??? I see it mentioned all the time, I
am guessing that this is indeed fresh water (without salt), I am
guessing that the temp. would have to be on par with my tank, but what
else???
<Weird cat. Good question. See here for lots of info on
dips and other disease treatments:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/maintenance/index.htm >
I teach
students part time...I teach them the instruments that we use at a
hospital, this would be chemistry analyzers, hematology etc....I have
found that my fingers and brain do things so automatically that when I
have to "explain" things to my students I find that I must now also
"think" what I am doing. The very, very basic principles which are now
longer basic to the user who has been doing these things for over 20
years, and darn it, it is HARD.
<Small world! I work in open heart
surgery. Running blood gasses, etc. all the time. I definitely
understand what you mean about becoming so comfortable with a topic and
discussing it with others who are too that you forget that not everyone
has the same comfort level. Thanks for bringing that to the front of my
mind for the purposes of answering these crew questions!>
So to a
very new marine non-expert, what exactly is a fresh water dip, in what
kind of container, with how much, or little water, heated, etc.?
<Much too much to cover here, and it is presented better in the link
above than I could ever hope to do. Please don't be intimidated,
though. A proper FW dip is easy and quite beneficial for certain
maladies.>
I ask, because my new surprise is the possibility of ick
for my maroon clownfish. Which I never quarantined, which I now have a
QT tank, he had a very large disagreement with my other larger clown
over the anemone, (which is now gone as it drifted into my uptake on my
power filter.....) he lost with some damage to his side fin. Several
weeks later, his fins are all becoming ragged and I see, I think small
white spots around his head.
<Keeping anemones should be reserved for
more experienced aquarists. They have dismal survival rates, and as you
learned must be protected from pumps, filters, heaters, etc. I will
also assume you have learned your lesson concerning quarantine. Clowns
can be quite aggressive. It is best to introduce them at the same time
and to have a significant size mis-match so one will immediately submit
to the other. Your clown probably has fin rot and possibly
Brooklynella. Ich is possible too. You will find lots of info in the
FAQ's. Good ID of the disease is critical to successful treatment.>
Once the anemone was gone the clowns became more aggressive. I have a
picture on my cam, that I am taking to my LFS (not too local as it is a
45 minute drive). I am setting up my QT tank now... I see lots of
answers to my questions over the QT but can you tell me how to go about
doing the fresh water dip? I also bought today SeaChem Cupramine, not
treating anything until I am sure what I have, nor did this fish store
have a kit for testing the Cu+. Sorry for the additional questions,
have been online for many hours last night and tonight trying to find
out some of these questions.
<Do ID the disease before applying
copper. I consider copper to be a last resort medication and it can be
particularly hard on some clowns. In addition to any other treatment, I
strongly favor hyposalinity in quarantine. Over a period of several
days, lower the salinity to 1.012-1.014 and hold for two-three
weeks. This can be done in addition to any medication and/or freshwater
dip.>
THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all the help and such a great
site! Without this site, I would have made so many more mistakes then
the ones I have already made.<Glad you have found WWM to be of
benefit! Please do let us know if we can be of any more help! Adam>
- Wet/Dry Clarification -
J-
Thank you for your quick response
to my questions, but I am confused with some of your suggestions. I
hope you don't mind another battery of questions. {smile}
Why would a
wet/dry system INCREASE the need for water changes? I know that
biological filtration produces nitrates, but they are better for the
fish than the nitrites. <Uhh, not really... nitrates are not toxic as
nitrite and ammonia, but their accumulation to high levels will present
as much a problem as anything else.> By the way, something I didn't
include in my earlier email was that I will also be using mechanical
filtration prior to the bio media, with carbon after the bio. Sorry, I
just left that as a given. <Makes no difference with this part of the
discussion... wet/dry filters produce nitrates in bulk - mechanical
filtration, carbon will not address this issue.>
And why would a
totally submerged bio system be better than a wet/dry? <Because the
exposure to oxygen in the air is what makes the wet/dry filter so
efficient at producing nitrates. Submerging the bioballs would
counteract the dry part of the wet/dry filter but still provide a medium
for the de-nitrifying bacteria to live on.> Or are you talking about a
De-nitrification Filter? <No.> I've only recently heard of these and
only in reference to saltwater systems. Do they work in Freshwater?
<Have no experience with this... couldn't tell you.>
And I understand
that the more bio filtration the better, but I'm trying to get an idea
of "the norm" so to speak. That way I won't be making it more
complicated than necessary. I'm just trying to get a ball park of the
low end needed. I mean, is it a cubic foot of bio-balls, or 5? <I am
aware of no formula for calculating such things.> I'm simply limited on
space by attaching it to the back of the tank. <All the more reason to
consider live rock.>
One reason I assumed bio-wheels were more
efficient than bio-balls was how much smaller the wheeled versions
tended to be for the same size tank. <Do believe that's what they want
you to think, but not certain this is so...> For example, there is the
"Tidepool" wet/dry system. It simply has one large wheel, as compared
to a cubic foot or more of bio-balls. <Perhaps, but I'd be willing to
bet the overall surface area is about the same.> If the wheels are that
much more efficient, it would make sense to go with the wheels,
especially given my space limits. <Uhh... it's still a wet/dry and in my
opinion something to be avoided.>
I appreciate your concerns on DIY,
but I enjoy the challenge and it's a labor of love. And I want it to
fit the stand I spent so much time designing and building. I liked the
Prairie Style design so much, I'm making matching end tables and TV
stands. (I guess it's the designer in me). Besides, I'm limited on how
much I can spend and the $ saved means there's that much more available
for buying more fish anyway! Hah ha <Well... do figure out what your
time is worth... what you make at your day job... once you add this time
up, you may find that the price of outright purchase is more worthwhile,
warranted, and with proven design.>
Thank you AGAIN for any help you
can give. Have a great day.
Jim
<Cheers, J -- > Moving
Filter Media
Hello WWM Crew,
<Hi! Ryan Bowen with you>
I have a problem I'm hoping you can help. <Do my best> I have a
large wet/dry on a 180 gallon tank. The fish are 1 yellow tang, 1
Foxface, 1 (5") lionfish, 1 (10") puffer, 1 (10") panther grouper. The
problem is that one of the lower tray that holds the bio-balls has
collapsed. Little by little bio-balls are escaping and getting sucked
into the pump so I have to remove them. <Yikes. Replace them with live
rock?>
My question is how do I install a new wet/dry? There is
no room underneath the stand for two large wet/dries.
I tried just
adding one on and eventually overtime remove the bio-balls of the old
filter so the bacteria would have to colonize on the new filter, but
that didn't work out... One filter in low on water the other is high,
make some adjustments and vice versa I sure you know what I mean.
<I'd remove all the bio-balls from the first filter, place them in a
clean bucket, then hook up the new filter. Use the bio-balls from your
old filter in place of the new bio-balls, and the bacteria should be
able to keep up. But please, get some water ready for a water change if
need be. Good luck!
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/filtration/biological/biofiltr.htm>
What should I do?
Thank a lot,
Melissa Wet/Dry
Filters/Cleaning
I have recently purchased a 125 gallon reef tank
and it came with a Aqua Clear Aquatics 200 wet/dry filter. My question
is, do you clean the bio balls and sponge? If so, how often do I clean
both? Also there are particles of brown stuff building up in the area
where the pump pumps out the water, should I clean out the whole
system?
<Robert, you do not clean the bio-balls as that is where the
denitrifying bacteria will be growing. The pre-filter sponge should be
cleaned weekly. The brown "stuff" is either diatoms or rust. If it looks
like it is around the screws that fasten the impeller housing to the
body, it is rust and the grade of stainless screws being used isn't up
to par. Here is a link to wet/dry FAQ's that may answer any future
questions you may have about wet/dries.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/wetdryfaqs.htm James (Salty Dog)>
Thank you
<You're welcome> Biological filtration
I have a standard wet/dry sump on a 75-gallon FOWLR marine tank. I have
my Wavemaster Pro set to run the main pump which allows a timed feeding
cycle of 30-minutes. This being a great feature since most of my
deposited food floats for the at least a couple of minutes as the fish
and invertebrates slowly start to eat it, without the pump off my
overflow quickly cleans up the food moving it to the mechanical filter
very fast.
My question is, during the feeding cycle of 30-minutes
the wet/dry filters biological media is covered totally underwater (as
opposed to "being dripped on") since the sump pump is off and the water
level decreases temporarily in the main tank. Is this hurting my
bacteria colonies on the substrate in the wet/dry chamber by having it
"oxygen deprived" for a short period of time twice a day? Appreciate
your time in reading this, I truly hope its a unique question, I tried
all the keywords I could find to make sure it was not answered yet in
the wet/dry and bioballs sections.
<Phil my friend, you have no
worries. James (Salty Dog)>
High nitrates with a wet-dry? Of course! - 8/13/05
Hi there,
<Howdy, Ali here>
I have enjoyed your
website and reading through all the advice. I've told everybody even the
LFS. But despite all the reading I wanted to see if you can help me
with my situation.
<Sure>
I have: 29gal. mini reef 30"x12"x18",
approx. 52 lbs. Live rock, 30lbs. live sand, Coralife PC one 65watt
10,000K daylight and one 65watt actinic, ProClear Aquatic System 125
wet/dry with 266 Bioballs in Biotower, CA 2200 return pump at 685gph,
Aqualine motorized protein skimmer in sump. Two Lifetech powerheads
295gph each on timer one for 6hrs in one direction then the other in
opposite direction for 6hrs and so on.
<I'd keep your powerheads on
simultaneously and take them off of the wavemaker device.>
Adding
Kent marine's Essential Elements, Tech-I, and Purple-up according to
directions on each bottle.
<All are unnecessary. A good two-part
calcium/alk. supplement would be all you truely need. B-ionic or
C-Balance, do a search on these.>
temp. avg 78, LFS tested water
parameters and all was where it should be except for NITRATES >200ppm
said one LFS. So I was told to do a water change and I did a 30% water
change. Next day LFS tested water and this time Nitrates where at about
40ppm. Did another 30% water change and I tested my water for nitrates
and still high>40ppm. I was also told to siphon the sand which I
did before the water change. LFS said that it could be the Bioball sand
advised to take some out but you guys have said to remove them all out
slowly and replace with LR.
<Unfortunately my friend, you have been
receiving bad advice from your LFS. This is not uncommon so please don't
feel singled out.>
Livestock: 1 Pair of (not mated) Gold Stripe
maroon clownfish one is 1.5" the other approx 3",
<Not a good
choice for this size tank. A healthy pair of clownfish do make for a
really pretty, calming yet humorous display. Unfortunately, the maroons
not only get big - but very aggressive. Look into a pair of A. percula,
A. ocellaris or some neat skunks.>
1 diamond watch goby, 2 Brown
colored BTA purchased together because both were and still are occupying
the same rock so I bought the rock and the Anemones. Clowns have gone
into anemone and enjoy it. 1 blood shrimp. I have read the articles and
seen the FAQs but concerned for my tank crashing with the high nitrates.
<Unless you enjoy doing daily water changes, remove the wet-dry system
ASAP. Look into doing a tank renovation, with a 3" fine grade aragonite
sandbed layer (CaribSea Aragamax Select works perfect for this, and
given your tank dimensions 1 x 30 pound bag should get the job done.)
Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/reef2.htm >
I have read
about turning the wet/dry to a sump Refu. but not sure how to do it with
the DSB and the pump in there as well as where to place the live rocks
with this kind of "generic" or "standard" wet/dry? And how do I
position the light for the LR and the DSB in the wet/dry because at the
top of the Bio tower is where the water from the tank comes in?
<With a little creativity, you can make all this work Felix. If that is
not possible, consider removing the entire wet-dry filter unit and
purchasing a standard Berlin style sump or utilizing an empty aquarium.>
If I make a DSB in the sump would I still need to siphon that sand as
well?
<No need to do this Felix>
Also the bottom of the wet/dry
has white spots or fuzz along the walls.
<These are harmless
critters. Don't worry about them. :) >
Sorry about the length but I
wanted to make sure I gave as much information as possible. Please let
me know what my next course of action should be. If left any missing
info please let me know so I may provide it for you.
Thank you so
much for your time and keep up the good work
thank you
Felix
<Good luck and make sure you read the provided links Felix, all of the
set-up, filtration, sandbed, answers you are looking for are thoroughly
explained. - Ali>
Moving Wet/Dry Filter 9/2/05
Hi,
<Kia ora, Good
health!>
I will be moving my fish only tank to a new location in
Nov. It has a wet/dry filter with a protein skimmer. The tank will
be down for approx. 4 hours. I know the beneficial bacteria in the
filter has a short lifespan (I believe they start dying within 2 hours
of stopping the water circulation)
<Mmm, slow down... but if
they're kept moist, some air exposure... no problems>
and would like
to know the best way to try and preserve the bio balls during the move
to help prevent any problems with the tank recycling at the new
location.
<Cover the filter itself with a moist towel... freshwater
or marine... drain the water out of the filter itself...>
I've moved
the aquarium before when I only had a Fluval filter and didn't have any
problems with recycling, maybe because it is a closed filter. I just
would like your advise to be on the safe side.
Hopefully this move
will be just as easy.
Thanks,
Rich
Aylward
<I hope so too. Bob Fenner>
Oxygen In The Wet Dry
- 09/30/05
Thanking you all so much for all your answers to my
son's questions... ( he's been e-mailing you under my name - he's
actually only 13 and just starting his aquarium!)
<<Ah!...a
pleasure...>>
In reference to the towel over the wet/dry filtration
system... we of course would be blocking a lot of space where air would
normally be available to this area but would not block all air and a
towel is also quite "breathable" - the idea is to lesson the noise not
block O2 from getting in and around the system.
<<agreed>>
I've
also thought recently of putting up some foam pieces behind the
filtration area in the back of the "cabinet" which the tank sits upon so
the noise does NOT filter up along the back of it all against the
wall... does this sound feasible?
<<Quite...you might also consider
putting some type of damping material "under' the filter.>>
Yours in
under water dreams,
Clare B.
<<Take care my friend... EricR>>
Noisy Wet/Dry - 09/29/05
Hey crew,
<<Hey Clare!>>
I have
a 75 gallon SW tank, and it is an older model, and makes a whole lot of
noise <<?>>. I have a wet dry filter<<Ah, yes...can be very noisy.>>
(125 capacity) and we decided to put a towel over the wet dry filter,
this really helped with the noise. I was just wondering if this was OK
to cover the filter or if you see any problems with it?
<<Mmm,
interesting question... But as long as you're not blocking air/oxygen
from entering the filter (else, I'm sure you are already aware, you
defeat the purpose of the wet/dry), using the towel to dampen noise
shouldn’t be a problem.>>
Thanks,
Clare
<<Welcome, EricR>>
Eheim WD Filters
Hi
I recently bought an EHEIM wet&dry 2227
filter and I don't know if its working right !
I filled the baskets
with EHFISUBSTRAT PRO ( Eheim says : " All filter baskets must be filled
with EHFISUBSTRAT up to the rim " ) and then I put the white sponge
filter on top (the one for 2227) and then filled the filter with water
by sucking air through the small breathing tube. The suction valve was
open and the pressure valve was closed at that time.
I start running
the filter and after a while water was flowing out slowly and from the
other side it was filling with water.
The filter makes strange noises
as if water is flowing inside and its very annoying. It sounds more like
a vacuum cleaner !!!
<This is the air and water mixing in and about
the pump impeller... a good idea to turn the unit off, let the water
rise in the volute (the space around the impeller), then turn it back
on... doing this a few times should clear the air out entirely, and make
the unit very quiet>
I checked everything (hoses tight, if there are
any bends to the tube, if the baskets fit well) and it seems that there
is not a problem.
I use another EHEIM filter (2217) and its
completely quiet and noiseless !
Another thing that bothers me is
that water comes out constantly and I don't see any changes in the
pressure.
<Once again, this is due to the cavitation, the air and
water mixing together... once you get the air out of the volute, you'll
see>
From what I know in these filters the outlet pressure varies.
There is a wet&dry cycle that constantly goes on and the outlet pressure
varies during this cycle.
I don't know if I explained well my problem
but first of all I want to know why it makes these weird sounds and
second if the filter works properly.
Thank you in advance for your
help.
George K.
<A very common situation... and one that can/will
be solved with the simple protocol mentioned. Bob Fenner> Eheim
Wet-Dry Unit... more than cavitation at play
Thank you for your
reply.
<You're welcome>
When I turn it off and back on again I get
a very loud noise and the motor gets very heated.
<Not good... leave
unplugged till it cools down... and until we discover the cause of the
problem>
I left it like that and the filter stopped by itself...maybe
for the motor to cool down a little.
I took the impeller off and it
was very hot !
<Was there anything caught around the impeller
spindle? Do check for a minute piece of filter media>
When I turn it
off the floater goes up all the way then after a while and after the
loud noise stops it starts emptying and the pressure is very high till
it drops to a constant low water flow.
<Ahhh, perhaps there is a good
kink in a line (either intake or discharge. Try this: Check both loops
to ascertain whether there is a kink that is limiting water flow, and
take the discharge line off, place in a bucket (all this with the pump
turned off), to determine as well if there isn't either a twist, kink in
the line or some other area of internal blockage. If the water does not
flow freely (siphoning from the intake line, through the unit, into your
bucket via the discharge line), do take the whole unit off the tank,
dis-assemble it in a sink or tub, and check for blockage in the unit,
lines there>
Then the floater goes all the way down and NEVER goes up
again !
<I suspect either a "good" air gap in a line, or a blockage
inside the unit>
Then the wet-dry cycle doesn't come back again as it
should be and it keeps working like that!
(I changed all the o-rings
with new ones-I was told that maybe this was the problem).
<Shouldn't
have anything to do with the problem... the o-rings either work and the
unit doesn't leak... or...>
Help ... I am so confused! Thank you,
George
<Please read through the above. Have you been to Eheim's
website? http://www.eheim.com/
Bob Fenner> Tiny Bubbles...Big Headaches!
Hello,
<Scott F here tonight!>
I am in the process of setting up a 155
gallon bow tank. My filtration system is a Aqua Clear Model 200 with
prefilter wet dry box. My problem is that when the water drops down over
the bio balls it's creating a large amount of fine bubbles. The white
sponge that is supposed to catch the bubbles does not seem to be
working. Then my pumps pull these bubbles back into the tank, causing an
unclear tank. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank-you Shawn
<I'd try to create a little "baffle", by arranging some acrylic pieces
(squares the width of the sump) inside the sump compartment after the
Bioball area. Hopefully, by the time the water passes over these
"baffles", the majority of the bubbles will be eliminated. Give it a
try! It's worked for me! Good luck!> Wet Dry Filter
I
was wondering if you can help? I just recently started my saltwater tank
back up and I'm using a wet dry system that I got from a buddy of mine.
I'm not sure if it's working correctly the siphon is good and it's
pumping well but it seems to be holding more water than I think it
should be holding. Its over 3/4 full. The more water I add to the tank
the more it fills up. It has 2 siphon tubes and probably a 1/2 in to 1
inch return hose. If you can help or refer me to someone who can I will
be very grateful (55gallon tank. corner filter, and a hanging filter to
go along with the wet dry.
<These sumps are meant to run at a
constant level to be determined by the pump and water level desired.
This system may simply require less water. Hope this helps, Craig>
Clogged wet/dry sponge
Hi,
I have a 100 gallon Uniquarium that
was in my office for 5 years and serviced by a local shop. I have
recently shut down the office and brought the tank home. After a few
weeks of having the same shop service it, I began to care for it myself
as they were charging me an arm and a leg due to my home being a bit far
away for them. Recently, the tank has much more water in it than it
should and it seems that the chamber with the bio balls is a little
low. Additionally, the chamber to the far left is full to overflowing.
<hmm.. maybe a sponge is clogged. I would purchase a new
sponge or
just clean out the old one. also the tubing could be clogged> I don't
know EXACTLY how the
water flows through this system, but I suspect
that there is a clog between the left most chamber and the one directly
adjacent to it.<yes, I believe it may be the sponge.> Can you clear
this mystery up for me?<just replace or clean out the sponge>
Thanks
Adam Anthony<Your welcome, IanB> "Mulm"
Bob-
In my
sump tank there is currently no live rock or Caulerpa, which will be
placed in the sump shortly. But there is something "gathering" on the
bottom. It is brownish/red. It does not seem to be a form of algae
because it is not growing on the tank. It is in particle form, meaning
that when it is disturbed by a different water flow it mixes all over
the tank before it settles down. Do you know what this is? Should I
siphon it out or just let it be?
Thank you, Rob
>>
This is
likely a mix of a bunch of things... organic and not, biological and
just gunk... Sponges, algae, all sorts of microbes, worms,
crustaceans.... and I would NOT remove it, unless it gets to be "too
much".... And I would add some live rock and Caulerpa, and a continuous
full spectrum light source... and you'll soon see why...
Bob Fenner
Wet dry system with too much ammonia HELP
Dear Mr. Fenner,
We
recently bought an 80 gallon freshwater setup from a lady who had used
it for saltwater. We are using the wet dry filter with bio-balls, with a
layer of floss on top of the bio-balls. We are having serious trouble
bringing down the ammonia levels and were wondering if we should use
some kind of media or charcoal on top of the bio-balls. We have a 55, a
29, and 10 gallon tanks as well, but this is our first wet dry system.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as it is a beautiful set up and
our fish are eyeballing it and then asking us when they get to move into
their new home.
Thank you,
Carol and Mike
<Just pull the
bioballs... take them out and your system will cycle, settle in. This is
all that's needed. Bob Fenner> Wet-Dry Filter
Hello
Anthony!
<greetings, Thanassis>
I finally bought the wet-dry
filter we have been discussing about. It is an EHEIM 2229 Wet-dry
(circulation cap. 550 L/hour). This filter is proposed for larger
aquariums (mine is only 200 lit) , but I thought that it would be nice
to have this big size in case I upgrade to bigger tank in the future.
<very wise>
On the other hand I have been told that it would be
better to have it half-filled with filter media , since my present
aquarium is much smaller than the capacity of this filter, otherwise it
would built a too big number of bacteria colonies,
<not true...
bacterial colonies only grow in size to the load put upon them>
which
would mean a "too much of biological action" in my aquarium and which is
supposed to be bad for the water. I do not know if this can be correct.
<not correct... I'd play it safe and fill it with media... better water
flow through media that way too>
I installed the filter and it is
running properly. I filled all three canisters with sintered glass (EHFI
Substrat) , which is recommended by EHEIM, but I filled just the half of
each canister for the above reason.
<a very coarse foam block stuck
onto the intake strainer (inside the tank) as a bulk prefilter often
extends the life and cleanings of the media inside such external
filters>
I am running at the same time the already existing external
filter , an EHEIM 2224, where I have the bioballs and Substrat and which
has proved to be insufficient for my system, "modest" as you wrote, and
may be the reason of often illnesses of my fishes. My dealer told me it
would be better to run both filters at the same time forever, but what I
am thinking is to run them both for two months and afterwards take out
the material of the 2224 and put it in the wet-dry filter (both bioballs
and Substrat). What would you advise?
<the wet/dry filter is a better
environment for biological media...agreed>
Best regards, Thanassis
<kindly, Anthony> Wet-Dry filter & Oodinium!!!!
Hello
Anthony!
<Cheers, again, Thanassis>
"a very coarse foam block
stuck onto the intake strainer (inside the tank) as a bulk prefilter
often extends the life and cleanings of the media inside such external
filters"
Yes, this is exactly what EHEIM also recommends and is
included in the package of the Wet-dry filter (I have it on already).
They recommend to keep it on for 6 weeks and then take it out. I
consider of cleaning it and put it back.
<yes, agreed... I like to
rinse and reuse it constantly>
Well, whenever I realized that my
fishes started to have Oodinium (especially the Blue Tang) I immediately
treated it with OODINEX, an ESHA product, which is a light medication
(can be used also to invertebrates) and the signs of the illness went
away on the third day of the treatment. This time this is not the case.
After a 4-day treatment with OODINEX the spots did not disappear, but on
the contrary I realized today (it is the 4th day) that they have become
more. I have a copper-based medication in my stock (the CUPRAZIN from
Waterlife),
<Actually... I do not feel that copper if effective at
all on Amyloodinium (velvet). The parasite buries into the fish too deep
to be killed by copper before the fish does! Formalin based products
have been shown to be effective as well as consecutive daily dips
(5-8).>
afraid of a serous problem if I put CUPRAZIN inside it.
but I afraid to use it, since OODINEX is still in my system.
<Polyfilters will clear this promptly when that is the only concern>
On the other hand I feel that I have no time to take the OODINEX out
with my skimmer or carbon, because this would take at least two days,
and it would be too late for my fishes.
<Overnight with the
Polyfilters>
I am thinking of taking the risk and put tomorrow
morning CUPRAZIN, because otherwise I could lose my fishes.
<still... I don't think this will be very effective... better off to do
aggressive freshwater dips>
In the instructions of OODINEX it is only
mentioned that it should not be used at the same time with any other
treatment, but there is no indication for waiting two or more days in
order to make another treatment.
<indeed...most medications do not
stay in solution for even a few days>
Do you have any experience with
the above medicines? What should I do? Perhaps by the time I receive
your answer I may have already taken some action on this (now it is
02.32 a.m.), but still I would like to have your advice. Thanks and best
regards, Thanassis
<best regards, Anthony... PS. I recently sold one
of my books through Amazon.com to an aquarist in Cyprus. Is that close
to you?> Wet/Dry Prefilter
I just added a Rio 2500 & an
inline chiller to my 125 gallon FO tank that already has a Rio 4100
pushing the circulation. Here's my problem, the wet/dry can't handle the
water returning through the two returns & starts to overflow above the
filter floss. As a partial fix I replaced the old floss (that was used
for about 2 months)
<Way too long to go without replacing. I replace
all prefilters at least monthly, if not every other week.>
& the
water is flowing fine. I am considering drilling about twice the number
of holes in the lid just below the filter floss to allow for a higher
flow rate inside the wet/dry. What's your take on this?
<If you keep
your prefilter cleaned, you will probably need to take no further
action. -Steven Pro>
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