# Wet/dry bio filter for fresh water



## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

You see them commonly on saltwater setups. Why not freshwater? Is a canister filter better for a freshwater tank?


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Wet drys are great for freshwater as well! They are the heart of many saltwater systems because they allow you to easily attach the other bells and whistles that you will be using. They are easy to clean and very effective filters. They also keep the water level in the display tank constant. A canister filter wont give you that, although they are good filters. A little trickier to clean out, but they are quieter. Each have advantages, depends really on your goals. Are you getting ready to do a new system and trying to decide? Lets get to the bottom of this and maybe make some suggestions for you. Regards


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

You figured me out. I currently have a 55gal ciclid tank. I use 2 penguin200 biowheel filters. I've been looking for a deal on a larger used tank, anywhere from a 90gal to a 150gal. For a neat setup and for space reasons I want the tank as close to the wall as possible. I am looking for a drilled tank and to be able to run the filtration inside the cabinet.


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

You can run a canister on a closed loop under the stand drilled through the glass.. but you should just go the distance and get a wet dry imo. Would the sound of water and the hum of a pump bother you? You can also use a submersible pump in the sump to cut back a few decibels on some of that noise. The wet dry is so easy to clean! And it can probably better support the bio load of your voracious cichlids... depending on the size filter you would get, but overall most wet drys are bigger than your typical canisters. Gas exchange would be much better with the w/d also, better for the fish than a canister (sans spray bar).


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

Low maintenance is key. I guess it makes sense that a canister filter would be difficult to clean. Besides rinsing the filter pad is there anything on the wet/dry setup to clean? I read somewhere that the bio-balls need rinsing occasionally. Why would this be? The bio-wheels on my current filtration are never recommended to be cleaned. What gives?


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

Hello????


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Bio Balls work VERY effectivly on the nitrogen cycle as in they convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate, they also can trap food and detritus and that gets turned into trates so to keep your nitrates in check you need to rinse them every month or 2. I know people that run W/D's and they have twice as many bio balls as needed and when they clean them they just take out all of them and put fresh ones in and cover them with some of the ones they took out so they dont loose there biological filtration. I hope this makes sence


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

It does, thank you. In theory a good filterpad should block the food and detritus deposits from getting to the bio-balls right? The reason I ask is that I know several who never rinse their bio-balls. They are using them on salt water tanks in contrast what I want to do but I don't think that makes any difference when it comes to nitrate production.


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Well one thing I would like to know is do they do WC's because of nitrate levels because I have had my system going for just over 4 years with a sump/fuge and have never had a nitrate reading yet and no one I know would comsider a wet dry on a reef tank do to the nitrate problems they cause. Nitrates are not nearly the problem on FW as they are on SW and thats why I see fewer reefers useing them and many more FW people useing them and I would use one on a FW system or even try a fuge but thats just me


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

So let me see if I understand this correctly. If not kept clean, a wet dry can be a source of alot of nitrate. You however maintain yours and as a result your water changes are infrequent and your nitrates stay low?


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

The people I know that use to use them myself included had to clean them to keep there nitrates low with minimal WC's they have changed over to refugiums and now see practicly zero trates with minimal WC's even after 2-4 months. I know several people that keep nothing but HIGH END SPS's and use refugiums and have almost zero trates at all times, I understand you are wanting to use a wet dry on FW so it is a little different but the wet dry itself still works the same way. They are a very good filter when maintaned and trates are not as big of an issue with FW what I mean is 10-30 will not cause major problems with FW but those same levels can cause major problems with reef tanks. I would deffinatly use one on a FW setup but I would try to clean them every 1-3 months. This is just my opinion and how I would do it.


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## cschauerj (Aug 31, 2008)

Thanks for the advice!


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