# wet\dry filter



## |Lurker| (May 10, 2003)

I want to build a wet\dry filter, but there is a problem , I already have a tank which doesn´t have a hole do drive water to the sump .

Is there any way of driving the water out f the tank with out making a hole and driving only the water replaced by the pump???

If there isn´t how can I make the hole at home??


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Purchase an overflow rated for your pump. It hangs off the side of the tank so no drilling is required.


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## InSinUAsian (Jan 3, 2003)

Yep if drilling is not an option then and overflow/prefilter box is your next best thing.

~Dj


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## Kalionya (Jun 18, 2003)

no need to spend that much money.

go to a home depot or anyother plumming store and use the plastic pvc pipes.

get some angled ones and put it together and just hang it on the side of the tank.

if you go to home depot just tell anyone in plumming what your problem is and what your planning and they should have some good suggestions for ya.

my 50 cents.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Kalionya said:


> get some angled ones and put it together and just hang it on the side of the tank.


What's there to prevent it from draining half the tank in case of a black out and how would you control the flow with such a setup?


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

DonH said:


> Kalionya said:
> 
> 
> > get some angled ones and put it together and just hang it on the side of the tank.
> ...


 yup..


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## Kalionya (Jun 18, 2003)

you hang it so that the inlet is about 2"-3" underneath the water surface. as soon as the water level hits the height of the inlet hole the pumping action stops. look at it like syphoning. as long as the inlet hole is submerged it continues to suck but as soon as air get's in it, it stops. incase of a power outtage your sump should be at least 1/10 of the gallonage of your tank.


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## |Lurker| (May 10, 2003)

OK but it stills almost impossible to take off the exact amount of water that is replaced by the pump!!


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## Hagen (Jul 12, 2003)

is your tank glass? it has to be acrylic.


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## |Lurker| (May 10, 2003)

it is glass!


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## Kalionya (Jun 18, 2003)

|Lurker| said:


> OK but it stills almost impossible to take off the exact amount of water that is replaced by the pump!!


 your absolutely right. that's why you get yourself a ball valve. to adjust for flow.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Kalionya said:


> |Lurker| said:
> 
> 
> > OK but it stills almost impossible to take off the exact amount of water that is replaced by the pump!!
> ...


 Your attempt to save money in this matter will result in a huge mess on your floor.

An overflow is designed to let in the same volume of water to the sump as the amount that is being returned. No valves necessary. It also cuts the flow during instances of a blackout, without losing the siphon.

Fine tuning a setup like what you have recommended is not safe due to many factors. Ultimately, your sump will run dry (too little flow going in) or even worse, your sump will overflow (too much flow). In case of a blackout, even if you consider a sump large enough to hold the excess water until the the pipes loses their siphon, what happens when the electricity kicks back on? The whole volume of water in the sump will be dumped back in the tank (even the excess that supposed to be in the sump). What are you going to do then? Keep the tank at a low enough level at all times to make sure that it won't overflow? Would you have to start the siphon again everytime you do a water change?

Invest in an overflow. If you are handy enough, build one. It saves the worries.


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## Kalionya (Jun 18, 2003)

DonH said:


> Kalionya said:
> 
> 
> > |Lurker| said:
> ...


 your right of course.

but.

i have seen this set up on other peoples tanks. i asked them if they've ever had a problem and they told me it works just fine.

i only suggested it cause it seemed like a good cheap way to go about it. it was a suggestion.

the system does work, i've seen it. other people have seen it too. i should've asked them more about it like you have but at the time i had little experience with d.i.y.'s and did not know the fine workings of it.

i am currently creating my own and this is the set up i was thinking of running. i have seen it work and i know it does. i may not have all the answers but i have seen it enough to know it works.

as for your questions i will ask my "consultant"







about it. i will post more info later.


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