Ehiem Wet / Dry?

[Tyler718]

I'm looking at getting either a 55 or 90 gal tank in about 2 weeks. It's going to be a malawai chiclid tank.

I was curious has any body ever used or knew somebody that used an Ehiem Wet / Dry Filter? On my other tanks I use Fluval 404's and have no problems, but I was wondering if the Ehiem Wet / Dry will do as good of a job? If I did get one would I have to supplement it with a HOB (AC???)?

Should I just stick with what I know for sure that works?

 

[125gJoe]

I'm guessing there will be no live plants; if so, then I'd go all out for a high quality SW type Wet/Dry. I'd also go slightly over the recommended filter size for the tank. And, if there's enough room -- 90 gallon all the way!

Wouldn't hurt to get a HOB too. The biggest AquaClear would be my pick.

Hope you get the new aquarium! Post on how it's going.....

 

[JSchmidt]

I use a Eheim 2229 wet/dry on a moderately stocked african cichlid tank, and I think it does a fine job. A couple considerations:

I don't fill it with Ehfisubstrat as Eheim recommends. I don't like any media that has to be replaced, especially when it costs as much as Ehfisubstrat. I pack mine with bioballs and Ehfimech (ceramic noodles) mixed together in the baskets. I don't get the same surface area for bacterial colonization that I'd get with 'substrat, but I have permanent media that cleans itself.

I also think that mech filtration is necessary. A big Aquaclear will work, or a HOT Magnum with a sponge prefilter (which I use) will do the trick, too. The Mag can be run with floss in the filter canister, or you can run the micron cartridge 24/7. In my cichlid tanks, the micron required too much cleaning to be practical.

HTH,
Jim

 

[aquariaddictus]

Without a doubt, the 2229 was the best investment I ever made. Like JS, I don't use media that needs to be changed - it's full of bioballs, foam, those ceramic thingies that supposedly have so much surface area. I do run an Emperor 400 with the intake strainer removed to catch the residue from my carnivores, so the wet/dry doesn't have to take it.

A definite plus - this filter is SOOOOOOO quiet, and soothing too.
my 2 cents
judy