Re: Another Sump Question

[Eric McGlohon <eric at dekard_com>]

On Wed, Apr 24, 2002 at 03:44:49PM -0500, Matt Wassenhove wrote:
> Is there a difference between a sump and a wet/dry filter?  Or are the two
> names interchangable?  

Definetly not.  A wet/dry is a type of filtration system.  A sump
is just a place to keep all your stuff (heater, filter, CO2 reactor,
etc.) that's out of the main tank.

> Which do you want on a planted tank?  

It's totally up to you.  Since you're going to have a sump, why
not put the wet/dry in there too, but you could just as easily have
a hang-on-back/canister/whatever filter *and* a sump.  Many people
(excluding Chuck) don't like wet/drys becasue if you're injecting
CO2 you'll loose a lot of it in the W/D (but you can always just
crank up the CO2 to compensate).

> I picture
> something under my tank with bio balls and maybe my heater and a large pump
> to send the water back to the tank above it.  

Basically.  Check out these links:

http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/
http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/wetdry.html
http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/trickle-blackford.html

> Has anyone made a filter like
> this out of rubbermaid and army men before.  

Rubbermaid, yes, many prople who keep reef tanks (like me) prefer
them as a sump, because it's far easier to iinstall, drill them,
and you don't have to worry about breakage.  Get the clear type,
much easier to see what's going on.

Army men?  Uhhh, sure.  They probably don't have as much surface
area as a bio ball, so filtratrion will be poorer, but that usually
isin't as big an issue in a heavily planted tank.  I wouldin't try
it in a Oscar tank though.  You do know that bio balls are usually
around $8/gallon, right?  IMO my fish are worth that...  But if
you'r crazy enough to try it why not.

-Eric