# WET/DRY - WET/WET



## sselraven (Jun 17, 2007)

Can you guys tell me how to stock up and what kinda of media is the best for a sump 
i have searched searched and every single place says different 
thank you 
1o gal sump for 2 x 30 gal tanks


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## LowCel (Apr 6, 2004)

I would recomend going with pot scrubbies for your media. I would also use polyfill matting and jap mat on top of the media in order to catch a lot of the poo before it has a chance to reach the scrubbies. They are both very reasonably priced so it won't break the bank to replace it when necessary.

I would also go with a wet/dry, not a wet/wet. Since you are only using a 10 gallon sump you are going to need to keep the water level pretty low so you will have room for the water from both 30 gallon tanks when the power goes and for when you do maintenance. Using a wet dry you can stack the media well above the water level and be fine since the water will still be dripping down it. If you want to do the wet/wet you won't be able to have much media at all if you keep the water level where you would need it.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Llike *LowCel* said, wet/dry is best, but you have to make sure that whatever media you use will 
distribute water over it's surface area. Pot scrubbies are fine if you pack them in. If fit loosely and the 
water rushes through the middle of them without disbursing,then you've lost the benefit of the surface 
area. Use a good drip tray with lots of holes that get that disbursement off to a good start. Also use a 
good prefilter that keeps organic particles from getting to and clogging up the biomedia. That's one 
reason that I would stay away from any media that was small and gravel-like, too easy to clog. So, 
there are lots of different biomedias that can work well, but also work poorly if used in the wrong way. A 
pic of your sump and media chamber, or intended media chamber, would help us advise you better.


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## elarkin (Jan 31, 2009)

I'm setting up a wet/dry for my 110. What are pot-scrubbies? Do you NOT recommend bio-balls?


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> I'm setting up a wet/dry for my 110. What are pot-scrubbies? Do you NOT recommend bio-balls?


You'll find a pic of pot scrubbers here. Bioballs work great, I use them. It's just that pot scrubbers are cheaper, 
so some go with that. For a wet/dry you just need to be concerned with water disbursement. That'd be 
my only hesitation about the pot scrubbers. To illustrate what I mean, hold one under a running faucet. 
Does the water disburse and coat the whole surface area, or pretty much pour through the middle? I 
haven't tested because I don't use them, but I'd think that if you didn't pack them well enough, you'd get 
poor coverage of the surface area. Any areas that stay dry are not going to harbor the bacteria that you 
want. And that doesn't mean they wouldn't harbor enough bacteria to work well, it's just that if you're 
going to use them, take full advantage of the surface area they offer.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

low cel , tim you guys ALWAYS have great advice and great attitudes.. kudos.. the way things should be done


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## LowCel (Apr 6, 2004)

jfly said:


> low cel , tim you guys ALWAYS have great advice and great attitudes.. kudos.. the way things should be done


Thanks, I appreciate the compliment. I have made so many mistakes that I have had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about this hobby. I just don't want to see others have to make the same mistakes that I have made. I imagine that prov356's story is probably pretty similar.

With that said, I still have a whole lot to learn, I still have quite a few mistakes to make as well. I just hope to learn from each and every one of them.


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## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

Although I haven't used pot scrubbies my concern for them would also be that they can build up a lit of debris inside and add to nitrate problems. BioBalls are easy to rinse clean and would not trap as much dirt. For either though, as mentioned already, good pre-filtering is important.

My other concern with the scrubbies could be that they hold alot of water. What I've seen happen (although again not with scrubbies) is that it can take water so much time for water to start flowing through the media that the return pump in the wet/dry starts sucking up air because it sends back all the sump water before water flowing through the media catches up.

And agreed, definitely wet/dry over wet/wet. It's the mixture of air and water / oxygen rich environment that makes wet/dry filters so efficient. Howver, I always keep an inch or two at the bottom submerged to reduce the noise of the water dripping into the sump water.


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## LowCel (Apr 6, 2004)

I do the same as far as keeping some submerged. I have between 2" and 4" submerged at all times. Until I get around to making or buying an auto top off system it will always vary a little. I generally only top off about once a week not including water changes.

As for the scrubbies, I haven't had any problem but of course I have only been using them for a month or so. I have researched them quite a bit though and I haven't read anything negative about them from people that have been using them. I very well may have a different response / opinion a year or two from now though. I don't believe I will but I can't predict the future.

As of right now I can't even hear my overflow or my wet/dry. Vibrations from my pumps are another story. I've almost got them all though. :dancing:


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## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

LowCel, when you do the auto top off, check this out....after all, I know you're a gadget guy!!! 

http://cgi.ebay.com/REEF-FLOAT-VALVE-LE ... 7C294%3A50

I replaced my cheap float valve with this for my auto top off. This works great and has an electroic solenoid to shut itself off if water rises to high.

And no drilling required to install it. My cheap kent one developed a leak within months...no worries with this one.


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## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

You won't have a problem with detritus in pot scrubbies. They make horrible mechanical media - so that is a good thing if you are looking to use them for bio. Also, in any filter you would normally have your mechanical media polish the water before passing through the bio media.


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## LowCel (Apr 6, 2004)

fishyfishyfishy said:


> LowCel, when you do the auto top off, check this out....after all, I know you're a gadget guy!!!
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/REEF-FLOAT-VALVE-LE ... 7C294%3A50
> 
> ...


Thanks, the only one I have experience with is the Tunze Osmolator. I will probably go with two float valves hooked up to the Reefkeeper Lite 3. One of it's many functions is ATO. I'm just waiting to see someone else do it so I don't have to make as many mistakes figuring it out. I've also got to find room for my reservoir. I think I am going to have to put it under my 210, There is no more room under the 300 for anything with much of a footprint.


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## LowCel (Apr 6, 2004)

boredatwork said:


> You won't have a problem with detritus in pot scrubbies. They make horrible mechanical media - so that is a good thing if you are looking to use them for bio. Also, in any filter you would normally have your mechanical media polish the water before passing through the bio media.


Good to know, it's what I was thinking but I have been wrong before. I am using Jap Mat and polyfil matt (aka quilt matting) as my mechanical media as well as four 200 micron media socks. After the scrubbies (and bio balls) I have a sponge filter. That should cover most of my basis.

I'm not sure if this will help the OP but I guess it couldn't hurt.


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## sselraven (Jun 17, 2007)

as always you guys been great !!! thank you !!!

Do you have any pictures of 10gal tank set ups that i can take a look at ?
some links please


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## dreday (Oct 12, 2007)

i use the lufa sponges, you know the ones used in the shower. they work great. cheap too. shove as many as you can in the sump.

plolyfill or mattress batting works well too as a prefilter. cheap stuff that will do the job.

i stay away from bioballs since they dont have enough surface area and do not make it very easy for bacteria to grab a hold of. i have a 30g rubber maid diy sump with a 5g bucket as my media tower. it is 3/4 of lufas and its filtering 2 75g with over 80 fish total. i have no problems with ammo or nitrate. i do weekly wc at 30-40%. i will be thinning out the stock now that i finally got me a 125g. :lol: :lol:


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> i stay away from bioballs since they dont have enough surface area and do not make it very easy for bacteria to grab a hold of.


You make it sound like bioballs don't work as biomedia. Very misleading. They work great. They have 
plenty of surface area, and the bacteria adhere to them just fine.


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## dreday (Oct 12, 2007)

well not as good as a sponge or similar material. i dont see nearly as good bacteria growth on bioballs as on sponges or pot scrubbers. not saying they dont work, they do. just compared to the other stuff it is less effective to me.


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