Wet Dry Filter Questions/questions

HODGESDNE · 03/09/2008, 11:22 AM

I recently purchased a used salt water aquarium that came with an established wet dry filter system.
The tank has an inside over flow system and two holes in that area for water to and from the filter. I inserted a picture so you can see exactly what I have. I just want to make sure that I am doing the right thing with the media and the filter set up. There is a sponge on the inside of the tank where the water goes out.

A little tank history.

When I bought the tank it was set up and running with live rock and no fish. Not 100% sure why. I transfered it only a couple blocks down the road so I was able to transfer about 25 gallons or so of the water. When I picked up the tank it did not have any bio balls (or in my case squares) in the filter. It only had the green easter basket looking stuff and the protein skimmer. It came with the bio balls so I went ahead and rinsed them out good and put them in the filter along with the green stuff. ( Is the green stuff even neccassary ) I went to the LFS and they advised me to purchase the blue filter bedding that you see in the pic. I had failed to tell them that I already had the filter bedding around the tube in the over flow area. Do I need both ? Do it hurt to have both ? Is there anything else that I should have in the filter of have around it ? My father in law keeps telling me that I need some type of charcoal or something and the LFS tells me no.

Also, I tried to goggle wet dry filters to see exactly what make/model that I have and could not locate it anywhere online. I would assume it maybe a few years old. Would you know what kind it looks to be or where I could find that out ? There is a compartment in the back that holds water as high as the protein skimmers water area but does nothing. What is that area for ? For like replacement parts or to see exactly the set up would be nice to have handy too.

As you can tell I am a newby to saltwater fish tanks and this type of filtering system. I have had fresh water all my life so have some idea of what I'm doing so far. Right now I am still in the "cycle
stages and doing pretty well so far.

Thanks in advance for any advise you are willing to give !!

David

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...203_08_037.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/..._water_005.jpg

ggk1988 · 03/09/2008, 11:52 AM

Most people do not use bioballs or the green stuff which i believe is biobale. In th long run then tend to become nitrate factories. It is a good idea to keep carbon/charcoal on hand in case you need it but it is not necessary to use it all the time.

Percula9 · 03/09/2008, 05:27 PM

I would replace the biobale with a filter sock. Put lots of live rock and live sand, in your tank that will be your biofilter. The sponge can also be eliminated. The device hanging on the outside looks like a fluidized bed filter. Is that what it is? If it is I suggest using phosphate removing media in it.

matt880305 · 03/09/2008, 06:35 PM

and that looks to be a cpr wet dry...and if it is that area in the back u are talking about is for the return pump u just probably ot it set up diff also i would say remove the bio bale/ bio balls and replace it with live rock, other wise you will have bad water quality in the futer..... hope that helps
Matt

HODGESDNE · 03/09/2008, 06:50 PM

So replace the bio bale and balls by putting a cured live rock inside the filter system ? I have heard that having the bio balls at 1st if OK but then take them out once the tank is established.

Thanks for all the advice !!

Aquarist007 · 03/09/2008, 07:10 PM

just in case you were missed:

To Reef Central

Its harder to take the bioballs out once the tank has been established because they become part of the biological filtration along with the live rock and sand bed
There for if you take them out later you have to do it gradually so the live rock can cycle more bacteria to make up for the loss of the bio balls

Aquarist007 · 03/09/2008, 07:13 PM

the right hand corner of the sump was a trickle filter--all I kept was the one wall for a baffle to slow down the flow

HODGESDNE · 03/10/2008, 11:13 AM

Is that your heater that you keep inside if your w/d ?

Aquarist007 · 03/10/2008, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by HODGESDNE
Is that your heater that you keep inside if your w/d ?

no, that is the skimmer pump
I am running an external refugium which returns to the left of the sump. the flow is from left to right. In the case of a refugium in the sump itself then you want to skimm the water before it goes to the refugium--not after--or copopods ect from the refugium are skimmed out before they benefit the tank inhabitants.

HODGESDNE · 03/10/2008, 11:46 AM

I have a PH question for you.
My PH levels are reading to me as 8.8 in my tank
I use a API test kit that I just bought this past weekend.
Before I bought the kit and took water samples to the LFS the PH color was the same light purple color and I was told that it was just fine. Now my test kit shows that same purple color but to me that means 8.8 which should be too high, right ??

03/09/2008, 11:22 AM	#1
HODGESDNE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 11	Wet Dry Filter Questions/questions I recently purchased a used salt water aquarium that came with an established wet dry filter system. The tank has an inside over flow system and two holes in that area for water to and from the filter. I inserted a picture so you can see exactly what I have. I just want to make sure that I am doing the right thing with the media and the filter set up. There is a sponge on the inside of the tank where the water goes out. A little tank history. When I bought the tank it was set up and running with live rock and no fish. Not 100% sure why. I transfered it only a couple blocks down the road so I was able to transfer about 25 gallons or so of the water. When I picked up the tank it did not have any bio balls (or in my case squares) in the filter. It only had the green easter basket looking stuff and the protein skimmer. It came with the bio balls so I went ahead and rinsed them out good and put them in the filter along with the green stuff. ( Is the green stuff even neccassary ) I went to the LFS and they advised me to purchase the blue filter bedding that you see in the pic. I had failed to tell them that I already had the filter bedding around the tube in the over flow area. Do I need both ? Do it hurt to have both ? Is there anything else that I should have in the filter of have around it ? My father in law keeps telling me that I need some type of charcoal or something and the LFS tells me no. Also, I tried to goggle wet dry filters to see exactly what make/model that I have and could not locate it anywhere online. I would assume it maybe a few years old. Would you know what kind it looks to be or where I could find that out ? There is a compartment in the back that holds water as high as the protein skimmers water area but does nothing. What is that area for ? For like replacement parts or to see exactly the set up would be nice to have handy too. As you can tell I am a newby to saltwater fish tanks and this type of filtering system. I have had fresh water all my life so have some idea of what I'm doing so far. Right now I am still in the "cycle stages and doing pretty well so far. Thanks in advance for any advise you are willing to give !! David http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...203_08_037.jpg http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/..._water_005.jpg

03/09/2008, 07:10 PM	#6
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	just in case you were missed: *To Reef Central* Its harder to take the bioballs out once the tank has been established because they become part of the biological filtration along with the live rock and sand bed There for if you take them out later you have to do it gradually so the live rock can cycle more bacteria to make up for the loss of the bio balls __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

03/09/2008, 07:13 PM	#7
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	the right hand corner of the sump was a trickle filter--all I kept was the one wall for a baffle to slow down the flow __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

03/09/2008, 11:52 AM	#2
ggk1988 Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NW suburbs Chicago, IL Posts: 668	Most people do not use bioballs or the green stuff which i believe is biobale. In th long run then tend to become nitrate factories. It is a good idea to keep carbon/charcoal on hand in case you need it but it is not necessary to use it all the time.

03/09/2008, 05:27 PM	#3
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	I would replace the biobale with a filter sock. Put lots of live rock and live sand, in your tank that will be your biofilter. The sponge can also be eliminated. The device hanging on the outside looks like a fluidized bed filter. Is that what it is? If it is I suggest using phosphate removing media in it.

03/09/2008, 06:35 PM	#4
matt880305 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: montgomery, il Posts: 844	and that looks to be a cpr wet dry...and if it is that area in the back u are talking about is for the return pump u just probably ot it set up diff also i would say remove the bio bale/ bio balls and replace it with live rock, other wise you will have bad water quality in the futer..... hope that helps Matt

03/09/2008, 06:50 PM	#5
HODGESDNE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 11	So replace the bio bale and balls by putting a cured live rock inside the filter system ? I have heard that having the bio balls at 1st if OK but then take them out once the tank is established. Thanks for all the advice !!

03/10/2008, 11:13 AM	#8
HODGESDNE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 11	Is that your heater that you keep inside if your w/d ?

03/10/2008, 11:46 AM	#10
HODGESDNE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 11	I have a PH question for you. My PH levels are reading to me as 8.8 in my tank I use a API test kit that I just bought this past weekend. Before I bought the kit and took water samples to the LFS the PH color was the same light purple color and I was told that it was just fine. Now my test kit shows that same purple color but to me that means 8.8 which should be too high, right ??