# So you want to make W&D?



## BiteMeNipMe (Apr 26, 2003)

This is for newbees.

I'm relatively new to fish keeping hobby and I have spent a lot of hours trying to figure out how the wet & dry systems should work and I came to the conclusion that a good W&D filter is the one that don't let the bio media, e.g bio balls, to be submerged completely in the water.

After getting so many inputs from senior members of this group and other groups as well, and carefully study pictures of their W&D filters, (this is the painfull part because pictures I was able to obtain are usually of tanks that are already set up and running with fishes and everything in and mostly taken at certain angle where you really can't see them clearly and to the beginners w/ no experience whatsoever to the hobby, these pictures could be very hard to study) so I decided to draw, with my so-so drawing skills, 2 different designs of wet & dry filter system that would be easy to understand for those who are new to the hobby.

I know there are a lot of great designs out there but IMHO one that RedShoal (pic #1) built is one of the most practical and economical way to setup and maintain. Economical because, it only uses 1 pump to run. Practical because among other things, it is built into the tank it self, so you won't need an extra space to put it. No complicated pipe settings etceteras.

Basically, this filter setup is best for people who already have their bare tank and stand that fit to support said tank.

The only drawback I could think of is that this filter design will take up space inside the tank itself. With that reson, I have also drawn an alternative filter design, which I call it waterfall W&D design. This one is basically use one pump to push water up into the top water chamber, which then spray water down to the bio balls, filtered down through other medias (e.g sponge/fiber, active carbon, ceramic ring etc) then out through the waterfall and out to the tank. Off course, you can adjust their size etc to your requirement. You can actually either put the tower outside the tank or you can glue the tower on to the top corner of the tank. But be sure to add support to the front and right side of the tower.

Comments or suggestion?
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PIC#1


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## BiteMeNipMe (Apr 26, 2003)

PIC#2


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

The only draw back to this system, and maybe I just missed something in the writting, is that water will not cycle trough this unless there was some pump in the bottom forcing water out. Since there are two openings on the top and bottom, water will come in and equilibrate, and just sit. There will be no movement of water. Did I miss something? If you figure out how to pump water out of the bottom, then that would draw water into the top.

The second design will work out great. Thats your basic overhead wet dry. Gravity in this case will return water to the tank, provided that you have a pump to get it out in the first place. If you dont mind the look of a filter above your tank, then that might be a good route to go.

~Dj


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## BiteMeNipMe (Apr 26, 2003)

InSinUAsian said:


> The only draw back to this system, and maybe I just missed something in the writting, is that water will not cycle trough this unless there was some pump in the bottom forcing water out. Since there are two openings on the top and bottom...


 Yes we need 1 pump on either designs as I mentioned. Maybe this next picture will better explain what I mean...


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## RedShoal (May 3, 2003)

That is beautiful.







I am speechless.


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## BiteMeNipMe (Apr 26, 2003)

Thanks


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## Croz (Jan 29, 2003)

yea really nice job.


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Yes very nice. I like the intank idea. Tru it might take up space, but it looks really nice.

~Dj


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## RedShoal (May 3, 2003)

Well, I think of it like this. A filter will always take up space. But with this design, you can stack two tanks together and not have a wet/dry underneath. Also, there won't be that ugly gap behind the tank for those power filters.

The internal wet/dry is my favorite for custom build tank. Easy to clean, secure, and if you make it so the pump don't pump through a hose too far away, it is more efficient. My pump just pump directly through the bottom through a bulk head.

It only have to push water through 2" of tubing. But the problem with that is that the sh*t gets pushed to the other side of the tank. But its okay since my goldfish will always eat it and keep the bottom clean.

Other people trys to get the sh*t stirred up and into the wet/dry so the coarse pad will catch it.

Just some ideas.


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