FILTERS FOR SALTWATER TANKS AND FOR LARGE FRESHWATER TANKS WET DRY FILTER
Most aquarium keepers know that wet dry filters also known as trickle filters are the standard for saltwater aquariums, including those housing fish only, and those set up as reef tanks as well, however larger freshwater aquariums often make use of a wet dry filter as well. Looking to buy a wet dry filter click here or go to the bottom of this page.
They are the way to go for any large aquarium, look inside the cabinets under any freshwater tank that is 100 gallons or more and you will likely see a wet dry filter. This is not required is smaller or medium tanks.
The wet dry filter provides water that is super saturated with oxygen. This highly oxygenated water trickles down over the filter media balls that harbor countless nitrating bacteria colonies. These beneficial bacteria break down waste in your freshwater tanks water just as effectively as they do in marine aquariums. The large amounts of oxygen allow more bacteria to rapidly multiply and metabolize waste products.
When choosing a wet dry filter remember to measure the available space in the cabinet under your tank to make sure the filter will fit. Also consider the size of your skimmer to make sure it will fit in the wet dry filters water reservoir. Many of these filters come with various accessories such as but not limited to bio balls, and hoses, but they may not come with other needed equipment such as a sump pump to pump water back into the aquarium from the filter. Typically you will want a pump that can pump all the water in your aquarium about 5 times per hour. So keep all this in mind when considering wet dry filters.
Above we have seen the that yes you can use a wet dry filter in fresh water aquariums so now you can visit one of our recommended sites and look for a recommended wet dry filter for your saltwater or freshwater fish aquarium.
Eshopps Wet Dry Filter Dual for 200 gallon tanks.
Eshopps is known for producing good quality wet dry filters. This particular wet dry filter is great for larger fish tanks up to 200 gallons. Beside being able to service larger tanks this unit comes with the overflow and a one inch bulkhead, as well as an egg crate grid to support the bio balls, the bio balls, a drip tray, filter media pad, a return nozzle and vinyl tubing. All you will need is the pump, as stated above you should consider an aquarium sump pump that will circulate all the water in your tank about five times per hour.
Measurements 30″x 12″x 16″ inches.
Eshopps Wet Dry Filter for 150 gallon tanks.
This E Shopps Wet Dry filter is similar to the above unit, it is also for larger aquariums as it is rated for 125 to 150 gallon tanks. It includes bio balls, drip trap egg crate, as well as a filter pad, a return valve, and a 1 inch bulkhead along with clear vinyl tubing and a 3ft x 1″ flex hose. It does not include a return box so you will certainly want to include one.
Measurements are 24x12x16
Pro Clear Aquatics Wet Dry filter trickle filter
This filter is rated for fish tanks up to 125 gallons and a pump flow rate of 500 gallons per hour.
It has a very unique and convenient slide out pre filter tray, thus the hose returning water to the filter, and the lid that the hose attaches to do not have to be removed if you want to remove the drip tray for cleaning, or if you want to add any other media in this tray such as chemical media or carbon.
Like all filters these units, work for freshwater or saltwater tanks.
It includes Bio-Balls, a polishing block sponge that the water must pass through before it returns to the aquarium, a return hose and siphon hose, as well as the return valve.
All required tubing is included, however a pre filter pad is not included but this is not that important as it has a polishing block sponge that serves the same purpose.
Dimensions: Dimensions: 24inL X 10inW X 18inH. Bio-media area is just under two and a half gallons and the sump water reservoir holds eight and three quarter gallons.
Recommended Protein Skimmer: MOTORIZED 75.
Recommended Return Pump: CA/CAP1800 or CA/CAP2200.
PPR Wet Dry Filter CPR is a very well known manufacturer of quality reef tank equipment. Rated for aquariums up to 150 gallons this trickle filter has a total capacity of 5 gallons and includes as it’s biological media no bio balls, but instead bio bale strips. It does not come with many of the accessories needed for a wet dry, just the filter itself.
Measurements are: 20 inches long x 12 inches wide X 15 inches high.
The units bulkhead inlet is one inch and the bulkhead outlet is three quarters of an inch.
Sump area for protein skimmer placement is 7 inches wide X 11 inches wide.
Koller Kraft Tom RP 90 with UV Sterilizer
This is a very unique filtration system, people are saying lots of good things about this revolutionarily new system. It is a wet dry filter with built in 18 watt UV sterilizer. The Koller Kraft RP 90 trickle filter is rated for aquariums up to 90 gallons and the pump moves 495 gallons per hour. Reported to be very quiet it includes the overflow box, all required hoses a 18 watt UV sterilizer, sintered glass media beads for biological filtration, as well as bio-balls for biological filtration, and filter media for mechanical / bio filtration. This system is great for removing unicellular algae and bacteria from the water column that may otherwise cause a milky white or a greenish discoloration in the water. The UV sterilizer also helps to lessen the likelihood of the spread of infectious agents through the water from one fish to another.
Measurments 16 x 9 x 16 inches
TOM Aquatics Auto Fill System
This is an optional auto top off system or auto fill system (AFS) that gradually introduces fresh water back to the tank replacing water that is lost through evaporation. The replacement water it provides is gravity fed into the wet dry filter from this optional accessory so it has to be propped up above the level of water in the filter to work. This can be accomplished with it’s included legs, but the legs are a bit short so that the unit can fit inside the tank stand under your tank. If the units legs are too short blocks of wood may be needed to help elevate it a little bit higher. Follow the links and check Amazon for prices.
Measurments 18 x 10.5 x 23.5 inches
Seems that most people have no problem fitting the two above items, the TOM brand UV / Wet Dry filter and the matching auto fill system together under a 55 to 90 gallon tank. Remember that the auto fill does not come with the filter. The auto fill, or automatic top off system, is a separate optimal item sold at an additional cost. It may be well worth it, especially for people who go out of town for weeks at a time, because the unit will replace water lost to evaporation for you automatically.
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