[adnelsondb623]

I have been wrestling with the idea of putting in a filter in my tank stand so I can put the protein skimmer and all that down below, I wanna have the biological filtration as well as chemical and UV sterilizer. Im kinda confused about the difference between a sump and a wet/dry filter. Like what they do for a tank and which is a better buy for my tank
46g bow
small fish
ricordea
mushrooms
polyps
clams
inverts
I have liverock and sand but Im very lost on what is the right thing to buy
thanks
Tony

 

[Geoff]

a wet/dry filter is just a sump with a dripping section. for most tanks a wet/dry section is not recommended and will cause more harm than good. they can raise the nitrate levels in a tank. they can also catch detritus which can lead to phosphate problems.

adding a sump is a good thing to do if you have the room. they are great places for hiding skimmers, heaters, and other electrical uglies that could go into a tank.

G~

 

[adnelsondb623]

Thanks, I have ben wondering about that, would any of you happen to know what a reasonable price and size would be for a sump set up in my tank?

 

[Geoff]

sumps can be free, it all depends on what you have lying around. most of us just use old fishtanks we have around. the 20long is a very popular sump for tanks. lots of people even use rubbermaid containers for thier sumps. pretty much anything that will reliably hole water and fits in the space you have allocated to it is fine.

getting water to the sump will take either a HOB overflow or a drilled drain. these can cost around $100. there are several combo deals where you get a sump and the overflow together. they tend to be at least $150.

G~