# Wet/Dry filter versus sump for FW?



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

I've been considering sometime in the far distant future going to a sump system for my big freshwater tanks. Would a sump or a wet dry filter be better, and what is the actual difference? What size sump/filter would be needed?

The tank size I'm thinking of would be about 265g (7' long x 2' wide by 30" high) and fresh water rather than salt. I'd probably be running a big canister filter on the system as well.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Elle said:


> I've been considering sometime in the far distant future going to a sump system for my big freshwater tanks. Would a sump or a wet dry filter be better, and what is the actual difference? What size sump/filter would be needed?
> 
> The tank size I'm thinking of would be about 265g (7' long x 2' wide by 30" high) and fresh water rather than salt. I'd probably be running a big canister filter on the system as well.


Elle,
Wet Dry filters are still one of the most efficient forms of biological filtration out there. A sump is great for increasing your overall volume but a Wet Dry will add volume as well as a great filter. Size of the unit depends on design really, brand etc. They all have individual ratings. Wet Dry filters are also very easy to maintain and if you ran a filter sock at your first stage of your filter, you would not need a canister.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Thanks for the info! Any brand recommendations? Could you fit a heater in a wet/dry?


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Elle said:


> Thanks for the info! Any brand recommendations? Could you fit a heater in a wet/dry?


Normally yes, might have to put two smaller heaters depending on brand. We carry Aqua Nova wet dry but waiting on the next shipment arrival.


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## hondas3000 (Apr 22, 2010)

They both good but I rather go with sump instead so you get more volume of water.


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

If you have a tank that size, I would recommend a sump instead of a canister filter. Wet/dry is good and more suitable for freshwater. Depending on your budget, you could build your own sump using an old tank you have or you could buy one of those aftermarket ones.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

It'd definitely be freshwater. I like *looking* at other people's reef tanks, but have no desire for the maintenance and $$$$ of owning one! Doesn't a wet/dry increase the volume anyway? I'm assuming that the "wet" portion would be where you stuck heaters etc. I think we could fit a 75 g tank under the current stand, so would that be a decent size for a wet/dry / sump? 

I kind of like having a canister...well, just because I'm used to them, I guess, and as a backup. We do have a LifeGard fluidized bed filter lurking in a corner of the basement, but haven't set it up yet.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

do them both , have your tank exhaust to a wet dry them go through the sump system, i just re did all my sumps and now that im not half assing it , i love it, and since the revamp it is silent, i love it the key is a pump that matches your max gph on your overflow box and always have shut off valves , and dont forget a siphon break on your return line


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

You can do both in the same sump; not two different tanks. There is only a small different in desgin.

First, have your outflow comes down through a sock, then baffle the water through the next chamber on top with a plexi glass with about 100 holes or so, then the water rain on the bio-balls which should be above water, now you can either put bio-media underwater right under the bio-ball or have another chamber for it, choice is yours, then you can do another two chambers which can be used a planted section and a refugium, then follow by a return pump chamber.

For a tank your size, I would not want to do it with canister. You can hide all your heating unit in the sump, as well as a UV unit. And you can get the benefit of a small planted tank underneath. If you plan this well, you can even grow small shrimp in the planted tank, and the shrimplet will be flowing through to your main tank and become food for your other fish.

Just my 2 cents.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

I have oscars. That's a lot of shrimp to feed!!!


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## mitchb (Apr 27, 2011)

Just a bit confused, a wet dry can be a sump can it not? I understand what charles is saying how you have a baffle that then goes to a drip plate which would create the wet/dry part of the sump?

Isn't it just required to have bio media above water line in a sump, with water dripping onto it to be considered a wet/dry or am I not getting what it actually is?


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Yes, a properly designed sump can have a wet/dry section where the display water enters and then the water flows into other sections separated by baffles filled with different media, like filter pads or sponges.

Elle, if you already have a canister filter, I would fill it with really good media, like substrate pro or Seachem Matrix, since these biological media work best with a canister. However, I would also add a big sump and do the wet/dry and mechanical filtration as well. Best of both worlds.


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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

In my sump, water comes down from the 75, and enters the first chamber. Water has to go under one baffle, and then over another before it gets into the 3rd chamber, where my filter is. The I have an AC110 return pump that blasts the water back up to the 75 and the cycle continues.


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