# wet/dry help



## jjtf00 (Nov 2, 2009)

right now i have a 29 gallon fowlr tank. i have about 4 inches of live sand and about 25 pounds of live rock. other filtration i have a top fin 30 hang on filter and an aqua clear 30 power head. i have one damsel right now. in the next week ill be getting more live stock. does any one have any suggestions for a small wet/dry?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

go to Google vids and check them out another option there would include DIY wet/dry.... they have tons and wow simple to complex


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

also forgot there are a bunch here search posts at the top of the page


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## jjtf00 (Nov 2, 2009)

bearwithfish said:


> also forgot there are a bunch here search posts at the top of the page


i would kind of want to just buy one and not build one. what size would be good for a 29 gallon tank?


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

I have an aqua pro. I really like it.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

jjtf00 said:


> right now i have a 29 gallon fowlr tank. i have about 4 inches of live sand and about 25 pounds of live rock. other filtration i have a top fin 30 hang on filter and an aqua clear 30 power head. i have one damsel right now. in the next week ill be getting more live stock. does any one have any suggestions for a small wet/dry?


A wet dry filter will not help to improve water quality on this setup. In fact, the addition of a wet dry will only cause nitrates to increase, phosphates to increase, and calcium / alkalinity levels to deplete. Your live rock and sand are much more efficient at processing waste, and will do so without the complications of nitrate buildup.

*http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...-filtration-101-how-differs-freshwater-31955/*


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

Very simple to keep nitrates down with a w/d filter. Just wash the bioballs in a bucket of aquarium water by agitating them, Then just put them back. You get rid of the junk while keeping the good bacteria. Once a year should be sufficiant for this. (From the local aquarium maint. guy.)


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

rsheets said:


> Very simple to keep nitrates down with a w/d filter. Just wash the bioballs in a bucket of aquarium water by agitating them, Then just put them back. You get rid of the junk while keeping the good bacteria. Once a year should be sufficiant for this. (From the local aquarium maint. guy.)


Sorry, I have to dismiss this comment as nothing short of wrong. This is simply an incorrect statement. Bioballs harvest nitrifying bacteria, which convert ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate. 

Not much else to say.


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

Pasfur - very good information about filtration on SW systems. I never knew that.


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

As far as I understand, from reading your information about filters, as well as what I already know about freshwater systems. A water change is the only way to get rid of nitrates. The bioballs will hold "Junk" and will cause the nitrates to go up, causing a problem just like gravel that holds "junk" until cleaned (or any other type of filter). The end result of any type of filtration will result in higher and higher nitrate levels until the water change. 
I'm sure you know more about this stuff than I do, but am I right so far?
I think Clean bioballs will produce nitrates the same as any other type of filter. What do you think? I'm interested in more ideas about this. If my statement was wrong I'm sorry. I was taught that by a pretty knowledgable guy at one of the local high end fish stores. I have a w/d filter w/bioballs. I felt that was the best kind of filtration that I could buy.


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## rsheets (Oct 25, 2009)

OOps! Sorry. I thought I was in freshwater world. I don't know much about SW. I just realized this is the saltwater section. I came across this post under the "new posts" link at the top of the page. Sorry again.


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