Are there advantages of a wet/dry sump to a canister filter? I know both are flexible with media but what about the quality of filtration?
Are there advantages of a wet/dry sump to a canister?
- Thread starter zachjohnson65
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It depends on many factors such as bio-load, media, tank size etc,etc,etc. To say that one is better isn't a real comparison. The quality of the canister system and the wet/dry have a lot of impact on the amount of filtration achieved.
You can DIY a wet/dry much easier than you can a canister. The only difference between the two is the amount of achievable filtration. A wet dry is easier to increase media than what you can do with a canister. Another factor is noise. Most wet/dry systems will have the noise of running water and a canister may or may not have pump noise. It is almost impossible to say one is better as a blanket statement.
I did the DIY wet/dry with a 500gph pump on a 100 gallon tank. I have about 500 1" bio-balls for bio-media and use flocking for filtration. The flocking can be changed out without shutting down the system, unlike a canister. I have another pump (1000gph) that I can change over to for doing larger tanks. My system is fully expandable to do about 250 gallon tank without investing any more money. This same system will be moved over to my 150 when I set it up. A canister has a limit and can't be expanded to go beyond that limit.
Quality of filtration is equal IMO.
You can DIY a wet/dry much easier than you can a canister. The only difference between the two is the amount of achievable filtration. A wet dry is easier to increase media than what you can do with a canister. Another factor is noise. Most wet/dry systems will have the noise of running water and a canister may or may not have pump noise. It is almost impossible to say one is better as a blanket statement.
I did the DIY wet/dry with a 500gph pump on a 100 gallon tank. I have about 500 1" bio-balls for bio-media and use flocking for filtration. The flocking can be changed out without shutting down the system, unlike a canister. I have another pump (1000gph) that I can change over to for doing larger tanks. My system is fully expandable to do about 250 gallon tank without investing any more money. This same system will be moved over to my 150 when I set it up. A canister has a limit and can't be expanded to go beyond that limit.
Quality of filtration is equal IMO.
Comes down to personal preference. Theoretically, a w/d has a massive advantage on a canister for bio capacity. Realistically, taking advantage of that capacity doesn't make much sense - If you REALLY need 50gal of bio media for a 100gal tank, you'll be doing water changes every few hours. In terms of practicality, a canister is king. I built several iterations of wet dry sumps for my 200gal setup, and at the end of several months, I wound up going with an FX5 and never looking back. Sumps are noisy, energy inefficient, and unless you have yours somewhere other than under the tank, a PITA to clean. If you're looking to tinker and enjoy farting around with your filtration, a Sump is great, but if you're looking for low maintenance, low noise, low evap, low power consumption and so on, the Canister is the way to go.
I'm not sure I understand your statement when referencing
"If you REALLY need 50gal of bio media for a 100gal tank, you'll be doing water changes every few hours. "
a sump may have a greater capacity for bio media. but it depends on the set up.
energy efficiency is relative to the pump.. the sump can be fitted with a large pump..they are also mag driven and will move a lot more water than a cannister. with a good design you may only need one sump.
an extra added benefit.. water capacity.
I run a 75 with a 30 g sump(really only adding about 15-20 more gallons). the extra volume allows more water to the volume of the tank = stability.
the sump can also be set up with plants which will help with nitrate take up.
they are a bit more noisy tho the gurgling from the over flow in a drilled tank can be greatly reduced with the addition of a stand pipe.
the large pump that run the sumps are actually pretty quiet.
it really all boils down to personal choices.
Oh jeez, I knew I was opening up a debate here.
Like I said, it comes down to some personal preferences. Canisters are tough to beat for convenience, maintenance, noise, and energy consumption. If you like messing with your filtration options a w/d is fun to play with.
Right... but why would you use a w/d for any reason other than it's increased biological capacity? Unless you want a sump to put your heaters in or a fuge or some other valid reason. My point was that a w/d has tonds of bio capacity, but 99% of applications do not use this capacity - they just underpopulate a larger volume of media. a couple of bags of aragonite are all the media I need to filter my 200gal tank, along with whatever bacteria is growing in the tank, so what would I gain by having 5gal of media?
I've debated this at length in other threads and some people refuse to believe me, but for the same flow, a sump is less energy efficient than a canister, no matter what your flow is. Canister pumps are mag driven too, you still have to put the energy into the water. If you're moving MORE water, you're using even more energy with a sump.
Right I missed the extra water capacity. WRT the plants though, that's not part of a basic w/d, that's a plant scrubber.
This is true... in my experience, all the wet dry's I've built, no matter how carefully I design the standpipe, seem to be noisier than I like though. Could be I just haven't found the right formula yet, but then again there are threads every day asking for help with noisy overflows.
Ehhhhhh, there are quiet ones and there are LOUD ones. Choosing carefully is important here. You're right it's possible to get a quiet pump, I've had bad experiences, but I was using Q1 pumps, which apparently, Ironically, are known for noise issues.
Like I said, it comes down to some personal preferences. Canisters are tough to beat for convenience, maintenance, noise, and energy consumption. If you like messing with your filtration options a w/d is fun to play with.
Nobody bothered to mention that sumps can be used to filter multiple tanks- ie central filtration.
Also, for really large tanks, a canister is not often an option.
Also, for really large tanks, a canister is not often an option.
Central filtration is another good point. I am not sure the OP was concerned with this, but you're right on that front. Gotta go to a pretty large tank before canisters aren't an option, like 500gl+. For my 600 I'm going with an in tank wet filter.
I agree.. move more water = use more energy.
but the turn over in a sump is generally much higher than a typical cannister.
and can be set up with different pump set ups..again leading to easy customization
properly set up you need one sump for a large tank opposed to 2 or more cannisters.
the other point to my thoughts is.. yes it would be a plant scrubber (with the bio media) but this is an advantage is it not?
the sump has the advantage of being set up in various ways to benefit the tank.
but the turn over in a sump is generally much higher than a typical cannister.
and can be set up with different pump set ups..again leading to easy customization
properly set up you need one sump for a large tank opposed to 2 or more cannisters.
the other point to my thoughts is.. yes it would be a plant scrubber (with the bio media) but this is an advantage is it not?
the sump has the advantage of being set up in various ways to benefit the tank.
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if we are talking about the advantages of sumps...
Gas exchange
Price (if DIY)
Water volume
Can be used as a growout tank
More options for media (plants were mentioned)...
Also depends on the application, I know this is in FW, but with SW, its a good place for pods to take refuge in...and as well in SW, most people don't maintain the canisters enough, and then the collect lots of debrius, and unlike other options, the nitrates cannot be broken down farther and released into the air, thus not completing the cylce and giving them the term "nitrate factories", and when it comes to SW, you want to keep nitrates as close to zero as possible.
Gas exchange
Price (if DIY)
Water volume
Can be used as a growout tank
More options for media (plants were mentioned)...
Also depends on the application, I know this is in FW, but with SW, its a good place for pods to take refuge in...and as well in SW, most people don't maintain the canisters enough, and then the collect lots of debrius, and unlike other options, the nitrates cannot be broken down farther and released into the air, thus not completing the cylce and giving them the term "nitrate factories", and when it comes to SW, you want to keep nitrates as close to zero as possible.
50 gallons of bio-media? I never heard of that, please explain as I don't understand.
Practicality? I have to say wet/dry for multiple reasons. 1) can be used as a refugium 2) more water capacity 3) can change out filtration media w/o shutting down the system 4) more flexibility for both filtration media and bio media 5) can have plants etc as a bonus item. 6) central filtration for multiple large tanks.
Those are the reasons I listed for myself in my decision to go wet/dry over canisters. Canisters would cost me over $600 and the wet/dry 1/2 that. It fit my long term plans better and more efficiently.
For a single tank, a canister might be a better option. For multiple tanks it's the only way to go.
