Converting an old wet/dry

[Cosmo]

About a year ago I got a wet/dry sump from a friend that had been on a 200 gal saltwater tank, complete with media but no pump. I'm thinking about using it on a Discus tank but need some advice on a few things .. please :)

- the media was used in salt water, it's been sitting dry for almost two years. If I were to clean/sanitize it real well would be ok to use, or, should I just dump it and fill with new?
- The sump has a built in protein skimmer, which I obviously won't use. Thinking about drilling holes in the side (inside sump) so that water flows thru w/o a venturi. Figuring I could fill this space with added media
- There are two chambers that are only connected by a slot at the very top, almost as if designed for overflow from the media area. There are no other openings for water to flow out that I can find :confused: Have no clue what these were used for (anyone know?), but was again thinking of drilling holes into the pump area and using them for peat or some other media (heaters maybe too)
- There are two inputs for 1.25 in hose, I have the hose and overflow but probably won't be using them. Is there some specific pump spec that should be matched to the box, or, does the pump output simply determine the amount of flow back into the sump and thru the media ?
- Sump measures approx 27 x 14 x 9

Any input would be appreciate :)

Thanks,
Jim

[kingbashi]

hey jim--wet drys are great for discus tanks--i have been running wet drys on discus tanks for over ten years--i have been in the saltwater buisness for over 12 years and i know that there are several different designs for wet drys for different reasons--your idea for the skimmer is a good one--you can use it for peat or increase your bio-capcity--- if the media you have are just bio balls(plastic media) then YES-you can clean them and re-use them--i have done this several times with no side effects what so ever--
post a couple pics of the one you have so everybody can get a better idea of what you are working with---i am sure we can figure it out----steve :D

[Cosmo]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the feedback and the idea (the pic.. DUH on my part :) )

Most of the media is plastic, there are ceramic rings on the bottom that I have more than enough onhand to replace them.. NOt the best pic - something wrong with this camera, but.. you can see the skimmer in the corner and right next to is are the two mystery chambers... make any sense to an old salt like you ? lol

[Cosmo]

PS. The black media in the middle are plastic square bio "balls" :)

[kingbashi]

hey jim--i am pretty sure those are or were used as carbon or sponge chambers--depending on the skimmer design, it might also be where the water that has been already skimmed passes through to get rid of the micro bubbles that the skimmer produces so they do not get returned back to the main tank--was most likely was a combo of both--take a look at the skimmer design and determine where the water goes after it has passes through the skimmer--this will give you insight as to how best use those chambers to your advantage----that is a huge wet dry with a ton of bio media already--no need to add more-- so i would leave the chambers for whatever else you like to use--peat etc.----hope this helps jim-----steve :D

[kaceyo]

Hi Jim,
Thats one helluva nice wet/dry you got there. Many people use ozone in their skimmers to increase the efficiency as it helps break down organics into a form that will more readily "stick" to the bubbles and be skimmed out of the water. When you use ozone it leaves residual ozone in the output water that needs to be removed with carbon. The chamber on the other side of the skimmer holds the carbon. Many people don,t use ozone and either leave the chamber empty or add a polyfilter (resin pad) or carbon for it's own sake. The other chamber may be for a sponge to polish the water mechanicly or for some other option. You shouldn't do any drilling on it untill you run water through it and see where it flows and why. Most wet/dries have a weir design of overflows and underflows to seperate sump and the various processes. Just put any pump in it and let it run directly from sump into the duall inlets to trickle chamber to see how it works. You don't need an aquarium hooked up to check it out. It would be perfect for a central filter on a few breeding tanks as it may be overkill for any one of your tanks, but in a fresh water setup that aint bad either.
Kacey

[Cosmo]

Steve - Kacey..

Thanks much for the info guys :) The plan for this puppy was to hook it up to be fed by the overflows of the 4 breeder tanks and then use a low flow pump to push up thru a UV back up into the tanks... from what I heard from the guy that gave it to me, it did a great job on the 200 saltwater tank so it should be enough for 4/20's huh.. lol I looked at it a little closer and it looks like these chambers fed the skimmer... does that sound right? overflowed from the media chamber into the two, then thru the eggcrate on the bottom under the separater, and then into the skimmer. Only way out from there was thru the venturi :confused: ... OR... would the water enter the skimmer thru the venturi, then pass under the separator, thru the chambers, and then spill into the media chamber :D Don't know enough about these but it looks like one or the other :confused:

Only problem is, now I have to move the breeders again (another delay) so I can put this next to the stand, slightly lower than the tanks but still high enough so I can drill a bulkhead and pipe it into the drain. Figure that way, I can drip water into the tanks, and it'll oveflowl into the sump and then into the drain :) sound feasible?

Just what I need, another project :( ONE of these days I'll get this done.. everything else is ready to go.... (heard that one before haven't ya KC? lol)

Thanks again :)

Jim

[Cosmo]

One last question... when operating normally, how high should the water be in comparison to the media ?? There's one line marked on the other side that's not even half way up, would that be the operating level?

Thanks :)
Jim

[kingbashi]

jim--you can put 8 or more 20's on that and still not overload it---the water definetly enters into the venturi first---NO DOUBT-- then passes through what media you choose in the other 2 chambers--the media will work fine if it is above or underneath the water, but most wet drys are designed with the media above the water leval--this way the bacteria on the bio media uses the oxygen from the surrounding air and does not deplete it from the water itself----if ran correctly jim, your oxygen leval will be at the point of sateration at all times, even at 90 degrees---just keep the water leval high enough so your pump doesnt draw any air---make sure you dont have the water leval to high in the sump incase of a power outage--i always test to see what the highest leval i can keep it at and still not overflow incase of an outage--it will take some testing---fill it a couple inches above the pump intake and then cut off the power yourself and see if you have enough sump capacity to hold all the water that will flow back from your breeder tanks---find that leval and mark it right on the sump with a marker or piece of tape----good luck----steve :D

[kaceyo]

Hi Cos,
Sorry, I hadn't read the last Q's before I PM'd ya. If the skimmer is a venturi type it needs its own water supply. Either a dedicated pump (which is best) or a line t'd off from the main pump as venturi's need a high flow rait and pressurized water to work. You can ignore the skimmer and remove it if possible. You won't get it till you see it run, then you'll go "of cource!!!" The water level needs to be as Steve said. Below the "trickle" media and above the pump feed with enough room lef in the sump to hold all that drains from above when turned off. The level in the sump changes constantly as water evaporates (which is why it is separated from the media chambers by the overflow) and is replaced.
Hope that made sense.
Kacey

[Cosmo]

Hey Guys,

Thanks a bunch again. Didn't sleep real well last night tring to design the pump and return lines..:( What you both say makes sense and helps alot. Now all I have to do is figure out what pump to put on it that will be able to push the water hi enough while keeping he flow down for the breeders... worse case I'm thinking I can t a bleed off line back to the sump ??

I'll let you know how it progresses..

Thanks again,
Jim