# Need everyones take on this one



## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

Sump or Wet / Dry filter for 2 40 G cichlid tanks.

What's everyones take on this.


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## Fishfinder (Feb 17, 2008)

iv no experience on using either, but from what i have read i can see the sump being better, more water volume is never a bad thing, and it allows you to have a nicer tank with all the heaters and filtration hidden. Also a more even heat flow i would think. Both give more bio-filtration also.


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## ka NUK (Dec 19, 2008)

Why not Wet/Dry filtration as part of the sump setup? 

In my Mbuna tank sump the water goes through foam (or floss) then trickles down over exposed biomedia (ceramic) followed by passing through a submerged coarse sand bed. I can add charcoal or other chemical scrubbers between the foam and the wet/dry stage if needed. 

ka NUK


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

either is good. both is better. in terms of media, i'd say a wet/dry is cheaper because you can use pot scrubbies from the dollar store $1 for 6 pcs.

WD is a bio-house of aerobic bacteria, which consumes ammonia into nitrite.

sumps are oxygen depleted and create anaerobic bacteria, which is good for converting nitrites to nitrate.


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## ka NUK (Dec 19, 2008)

Agree with everything above, except that oxygen depletion statement. 

At least in my setup, the sump gets its water through an oversized pipe which aerates the water well. It then trickles over exposed "dry" media which again aerates the water. Just in case I can cram some more oxygen molecules in there: Some of the water returns to the tank through a surface jet to further aid gas exchange and prevent film buildup. I shudder at trying this sump with a CO2/high light tank. It would make a pretty sweet refugium for a saltwater system though.  

ka NUK


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

what you have is a wet/dry sump
the water trickling over dry media is the wet/dry section

whereas the constantly submerged area would be your sump section

a 100% sump filter is usually low on oxygen levels because it is constantly submerged. although it has its advantages because of the increased water level and potential higher surface area, but without having any aerobic bacteria to help filter its recommended to add an airstone under the media in this case.

which is why in most cases (and the best) including how you have setup, is to have a wet/dry sump so you take care of both worlds


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

I just wanted to thank everyone and the input they have put into this thread. I ended up building a 30 G Wet / Dry for my 40 G breeder cichlid tank. If I ever have time I will post pics of it. I will be putting another 40 G breeder beside the existing and run that on the same filter or make another one as I have another "dirty" 30 G downstairs and redesign the setup of the next wet / dry.


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

30G wd on a 40G tank is impressive. i'd like to see pics of that


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

Heres the tank....










Gen 1 Wet Dry....


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## ka NUK (Dec 19, 2008)

That's REALLY well done. So well done that I'm going to "pass" on posting mine  

I love the idea of using the plastic storage boxes as your "dry" filter. Did you just drill through the base of the drawers? I have a bucket and a few tupperware containers full of ceramic. Both of which were turned into swiss cheese with drills and hole saws. I may have to try your approach. I'll also steal the idea of using styrofoam to keep evaporation down. (k?thx!  )

One question: You seem to be giving away a lot of usable water volume in the sump? Can you raise the level a few inches, or will that "drown" a lot of the dry media?

Cheers
ka NUK


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

looks great
the silicone job looks professionally done
i like the in-tank overflow too

how high does the water go when the pump is turned off?


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

ka NUK said:


> That's REALLY well done. So well done that I'm going to "pass" on posting mine


Post it anyways, you might have an idea that I may want to steal =)



ka NUK said:


> I love the idea of using the plastic storage boxes as your "dry" filter. Did you just drill through the base of the drawers? I have a bucket and a few tupperware containers full of ceramic. Both of which were turned into swiss cheese with drills and hole saws. I may have to try your approach. I'll also steal the idea of using styrofoam to keep evaporation down. (k?thx!  )
> 
> One question: You seem to be giving away a lot of usable water volume in the sump? Can you raise the level a few inches, or will that "drown" a lot of the dry media?
> 
> ...


Yea, it took some time and alot of light pressure on the drill, I found out on a couple of occasions that if you to man handle it, the plastic WILL snap. But it worked out really well. Yea, the styrofoam really slows dow the evaporation process, I noticed that the first couple of days the wet / dry was running.

If the watre level in the tank was raised anymore than it is, it will turn drown the media. My next tank will be done in a different manner than this. Once I get it up an running, I definitely post it.


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

aeri said:


> looks great
> the silicone job looks professionally done
> i like the in-tank overflow too
> 
> how high does the water go when the pump is turned off?


Thanks, the silicone job took forever coz I didn't want it took look like trash, so I did it a couple of times before I got it too look this neat. Its so well done I guess, that 2 of my friends want me to build them wet / dry filters too and my future brother in law is seriously considering starting a tank and me building him the same thing as well.

In the filter tank, it only goes about another 1.5 inch when and if the power goes off. I've done many tests, and I can guarantee it will l never overflow on either tank.


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## ka NUK (Dec 19, 2008)

Ok, you asked for it! 










That was taken shortly after I got it running. The bucket sits a bit higher right now and contains the tupperware with coarse sponge, floss and biomedia (lava rock & ceramic). The gravel bed is relatively coarse and needs a vacuuming to remove mulm once a year or so. The second floss is there just to keep the gravel away from the pump(s ...have two pond pumps in there now). I have added a charcoal bag to remove anything which may be leaching from the new background. The heater is now in the bucket compartment.

Fabrication is really ghetto as I built this very quickly. I used tons of silicone, scraps of glass of different thickness, and didn't even check my right-angles 

Here is the DIY overflow box, made from Acrylic and HD plumbing:









It all sits in this DIY cabinet (just to show that not _all_ my fabrication is ghetto...









I then had it as a planted Mbuna tank for a few years:









Presently it looks like this

Cheers
ka NUK


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

ka NUK said:


> Ok, you asked for it!


As long as you did it, no matter how it looks, doesn't it feel good tho that you built it.

I may have to steal the gravel bed idea and use crushed coral as pH buffer, hehehe, see.

That overflow, did you make that yourself, have you ever had any issues with it, like when and if the power goes out, does it restart by itself.


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## ka NUK (Dec 19, 2008)

Yes, it's satisfying to build things yourself! 

Especially since it gives me about 45 gal instead of the wife-mandated 29 gal maximum tank. We had 55 gal end up on the floor in an apartment years ago. The experience has scarred her for life 

Indeed, that "gravel" is about half crushed coral. Make sure that you don't go below 1/4 or 1/8" gravel, as it will clog too quickly, reducing flow.

The overflow works great. It keeps it's syphon until the highest pick-up hole is exposed in the tank. I can do 30% water changes without having to restart it. Restarting is a PITA though. Next time I will include a way to suck the air out through a bleed fitting at the top of the syphon pipe. Right now the air is sucked out through an air hose fed into the tube. (The water doesn't taste _that_ bad!)

Some day I want to create a "swamp" filter in a sump for a freshwater tank. I have that idea working well on my outdoor pond.

Cheers
ka NUK


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

You guys mind if i move this to DIY?  I love it!


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

By all means, go ahead and move it.


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## CICHthis (Oct 10, 2008)

ka NUK said:


> Yes, it's satisfying to build things yourself!
> 
> Especially since it gives me about 45 gal instead of the wife-mandated 29 gal maximum tank. We had 55 gal end up on the floor in an apartment years ago. The experience has scarred her for life
> 
> ...


Have you ever tried a PVC overflow, I have a 1.5 inch already built, I just never ended up using it, I'll post pics of it later. I know it works and I know it won't lose siphon either. The one I have now was way too cheap to not pass up, its the CPR CS90 Overflow, I got it for 50 CAN on ebay from some guy who was trying to get rid of it from Nfld. No way I could pass that up since it normally goes for over 100.00 US.


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