Problem with Wet/Dry Filter...

[Stephen]

I'm having trouble with my wet/dry filter and since this is the first I've ever had I thought maybe one of you could help.

The problem is I can never get the water balanced out right. Meaning amount coming in is equal to the amount being pumped out. It runs into the over flow then through a sponge filter, out the tube in the bottom, into the first chamber, over a lip into the drip tray where it falls through the bio balls. It then goes through another sponger and to the pump for the return to the tank.

For some reason I'm always having to adjust the sponge in the over flows position to keep the pump from sucking air when the water gets too low. The filter is either pumping too much water out, or not pumping enough. When I do get it balanced it is a few inches above the water line mark on the filter and touching the bottom of the bio balls. If I take the sponge out too much water enters the filter. Can I add a valve on the intake tube to reduce or increase the water flow into the filter? Or should the filter, if positioned right balace itself out?

It's the first time I've ever set one up so I'm not sure if I did anything wrong or if my problem is normal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

[Guy W]

you don't want to add a valve between the tank drain and the filter. that could get clogged up. If you can get the pump returning faster than the drain you can put a valve after the pump to choke it back a bit. That is what I had to do when I first set up my tank.

Guy

[widdledink]

I Too have a control valve on my return. when I first started my tank I had a problem with fine tuning the valve. But after a bit of fidgiting with it I got the balance between intake and return. My Advice...go buy one and put it directly on your return pump. they are only a few bucks, and they save you from pulling out your hair...

:-)

Widdledink