Diy Wet / Filter

[Boomsling]

....(long time lurking never posted/registered)

Ive finally decided to make the switch from Malawi cichlids to a reef tank.

Ive got a spare 4ft tank too which I intend to knock-up into a trickle filter, I want you guys to look at its basic layout and advise me of problems etc with the design.

This is only my first draft of the design (be gentle) , I'll knock up more detailed drawing in CAD once the basics has been scratched out.

Thanks in advance!

Regards



Boomer

 

[simonbrown403]

You might be better off posting this in the marine section, they will probably give you a better reply.

 

[andywg]

The biggest problem with wet/drys in a reef is that they have the potential to become nitrate factories. In a reef the filtration is mostly handled by the Live Rock and the skimmer - often supplemented by a form of macro-algae.

Main problem with your design is that the bio balls will be under water (reduces their effectiveness) and that you have no mechanical filter before the bio balls which will lead to them clogging quickly and reducing their efficiency.

Ideally you want a drip tray above the ball chamber that has sponge and/or filter wool above it to prevent the balls getting clogged.

HTH

Andy

 

[Matty]

eyah, what he said, and you also dont want to rely on the skimmer to move water along inn the filter. If the skimmer were to fail, you would overflow your filter and just keep pumping water onto the floor until the tank were empty, or if the flow rates arent exactly matched, you will eventually run dry (thereby possibly breaking the skimmer) or overflow. Another thing is that you're going to want to put your heater in, possibly in the return section with the pump? Last thing is, you might want to consider a refugium and a live rock section, as they handle nitrates and most of your bioload when trying to get nitrate/nitrite free water. that is all.