View Full Version : What is a wet/dry filter?
Wippit Guud
12-16-2002, 11:24 AM
I feel so newbie-ish.
JSchmidt
12-16-2002, 11:46 AM
Let me take a stab...
A wet/dry filter is essential one aimed at providing a medium for optimal growth of the beneficial bacteria that oxidixes ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates. It is generally designed such that the filter media has extensive contact with the air as well as with the water.
Some versions of these include filters that trickle water over the filter medium (a sump full of bioballs; a biowheel) where others (notably the Eheim wet/dry canister) cyclically fill then drain the canister, exposing the medium to oxygen, then water, etc.
The key is that their is availability of high oxygen levels to facilitate the biofilter's action.
Generally, some sort of mechanical filter precedes the wet/dry portion, to help keep the bio media a bit less clogged.
Hope this helps,
Jim
Wippit Guud
12-16-2002, 11:53 AM
Well, that makes a lot more sense that what I was imaginging it was :)
slipknottin
12-16-2002, 12:04 PM
im curious about the new "bio-rocker" looks pretty interesting
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=6&pCatId=8178
looks sort of "gimmicky" to me slip...... i have also seen mixed reports on the "cell-pore" media. some people claim it can be brittle i think......
jshmidt got the actual question, it seemed to sum things up nicely and i can think of nothing to add. :)
JSchmidt
12-16-2002, 4:59 PM
Thanks, ewok.
I agree that the bio-rocker looks kind of gimmicky... they seem to be searching for ways to make their stuff more useful to aquarists. The bio-rocker looks like it would be OK as a biofilter although I question their claim that it "Provides more wet/dry biofiltration in a smaller space than any other product, placing more bacteria into contact with more water than any competing biological medium". I also am highly suspicious of the claim that the "The Deluxe models also include a denitrifying block to bring nitrate levels to zero." I find that VERY hard to swallow...
The wobble design looks a bit like the algae filters that people seem to talk about every few months.
At $239-379, it could hardly be considered a cost effective way to provide biofiltration...
Jim
AikidoGuy
12-18-2002, 5:13 PM
Absolutely Fish has a bio rocker on display and its running it looks like it will work but it was VERY loud, made my Maxi-reef 400 seem silent! but all in all i bet it would work great?!
slipknottin
12-19-2002, 12:21 AM
gimicky? i still think bio-balls are dumb :D
akido- what was noisy? the water falling? or the motion of the rocker?
AikidoGuy
12-19-2002, 11:04 AM
both, the motion of the rocker kinda throws the water off and makes it splash hard, now im guessing that one thats been running for a long time would have all kinds of funky stuff on it and it would be a little less dramatic with the water noise because it would probably absorb and slow the water flow off the rocker part a tad. but you absolutely will go nuts by the rocker sound. I honestly must say though, that if it werent that noisey i would pick one up, it looked like a good design when you see it working.
Jukax
12-19-2002, 11:59 PM
Wet / Dry is my dream filter...once I acquire a 125+ gallon aquarium that's what I plan on using.
Lot of benefits to them:
Hide all of your miscellaneous equipment (heater, airstone if you desire, CO2 if you desire).
Bioballs have a HUGE surface area for beneficial bacterial growth.
High oxygen levels to your water.
The great thing about them is you can DiY! It can save you a lot if you decided to do it yourself, and be just as effective as a $250 Eheim.
jukax: sorry to correct you but what you are referring to is a "sump". wet/dry is a type of filtration used by some sumps, canisters and HOB type filters........ it is however alot more common in sump systems than in cans or HOB.
125gJoe
12-29-2002, 8:45 PM
Originally posted by AikidoGuy
Absolutely Fish has a bio rocker on display and its running it looks like it will work but it was VERY loud, made my Maxi-reef 400 seem silent! but all in all i bet it would work great?! I was thinking it would make noise....:(
Lennox3rd
12-11-2005, 12:53 PM
Can I ask where one finds out how to make one?
Wet / Dry is my dream filter...once I acquire a 125+ gallon aquarium that's what I plan on using.
Lot of benefits to them:
Hide all of your miscellaneous equipment (heater, airstone if you desire, CO2 if you desire).
Bioballs have a HUGE surface area for beneficial bacterial growth.
High oxygen levels to your water.
The great thing about them is you can DiY! It can save you a lot if you decided to do it yourself, and be just as effective as a $250 Eheim.
Slappy*McFish
12-11-2005, 1:22 PM
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=DIY+wet%2Fdry+filter&btnG=Google+Search