Mini Trickle Tower?

[CAC]

Just wondering if instead of, or along side a canister filter, would it be possible to make a mini trickle tower for a 125l tank? I have two 6x6x6" (1 US gallon) glass 'tanks' that I could fill will bio balls floss etc and use, but is it worth it? Would it work sufficeintly? Ive never used a wet/dry system/trickle tower so how would be best to do it? What equipment would I need?

Sorry its all abit vague, but if it would work and be efficient then id like to do it.

Cheers, Mike

 

[proton]

I'd say it is a good option, it's a sump that you talking about, it's used mostly in marine setups, but I see no reason to use it in a freshwater setup, just do a google on marine sumps, and you should get loads of explanations of what a sump is.

 

[CAC]

A sump is differant to a trickle tower proton...A sump is filled with water, and in a marine set-up is filled with LR which removes nitrates etc. In a FW set-up a sump is filled with water and has tropical, fast growing plants like duckweed, frogbit etc that remove/use nitrates.
A trickle tower, also know as a wet/dry filter (as I understand it) is a glass "box" filled with filter floss/media and bio balls. The water enters at the top and drips through the media and then is sucked back into the tank at the bottom through a pump. What I dont understand is how best to set one up.

Cheers, Mike

 

[andywg]

A sump is actually a container for water that sits under the display tank. Water drains into the sump from the duisplay tank and is pumped back.

What goes in the sump is entirely personal preference.

My FW sumps are just full of alfagrog from before I turned them into wet/dry sumps.

My SW sumps have no LR in them, but instead house the skimmers and heaters and wherever possible a Deep Sand Bed. I should have a DSB on my largest FW tank's second sump by the end of the year.

A wet/dry is usually a type of sump where the water trickles through the tower of media into a sump tank and is pumped back. It can exist above the tank and have the water pumped up to it and then trickling back to the tank.

I set up my wet/dry filters as sumps first, and build the trickle tower to go on top. Cheesey Feet has a post about a FW sump down in the Marine section somewhere. I posted pictures of my largest trickle tower in that post.

 

[CAC]

Ok cheers andy, thats confirmed my thoughts then
Do you think a trickle tower could be done then with one or two of these 1g's that I have? How would be best to try to make the water enter and exit the trickle tower? Because most pumps I can think think of would be too powerfull and the water would just flow through the media/bioballs rather than trickle...Any ideas?

Cheers, Mike

 

[andywg]

It will be hard, you wont' get enough of a resevoir to pump back to the tank from. Only way I can think would be to drill a hole in the bottom of one (or both) then install some slopes from about an inch from the bottom forcing the water to the hole and mounting the tank above the display tank and pumping to it.

Having water go through the tower quickly is not a problem, thje important thing is that the filter media is exposed to air, thus giving it somewhere in the region of 1,000 times more available oxygen than to submerged media.

 

[CAC]

Oh right, I get ya then...So the water would simply fall back into the top of the tank then?
Do you think one of those filled with bio balls and filter media etc would be sufficient to filter a 125 litre tank?
Also, hows the best way of cleaning the filter media, because the water will only be going torough one part of the media from the hose that goes from the tank.
Can you reccomend and particular makes/models that would be good for the job?

Thanks alot, Mike

 

[andywg]

Makes and models of what?

With a trickle tower you want a drip tray on top (essentially a condensation cover with holes drilled in it). On top of this you put filter floss. The water flows onto the filter floss which filters out most of the physical waste. The water then drips through the drip tray (ensuring it hits all the media, and not a small column) onto the media.

 

[CAC]

Makes and models of what?

With a trickle tower you want a drip tray on top (essentially a condensation cover with holes drilled in it). On top of this you put filter floss. The water flows onto the filter floss which filters out most of the physical waste. The water then drips through the drip tray (ensuring it hits all the media, and not a small column) onto the media.

Oh right cool. So do you make this tray from cutting some plastic to size?
Sorry, I meant makes/models of pumps...

Cheers, Mike

 

[andywg]

Ideally you want the water pushed up 3-5 times an hour, so work from there.

I always use Eheim or Tunze for my aquarium equipment.

I get condensation trays, cut to size and drill them. Makes a great drip tray.

 

[CAC]

Thanks alot andy, I think ill have a go at making one then
Ill probably use and external canister too, but a trickle tower would be ace...'

Thanks, Mike