starting a wet dry
- Thread starter whiti9
- Start date
broomer5
Active Member
Need a little more detail to be precise - there are a lot of different wet/drys, each having a procedure for start up.
There are common things between most of them, but don't want to assume here.
What type do you have ?
What size ?
What size tank ?
Listing the major components would be helpful
There are common things between most of them, but don't want to assume here.
What type do you have ?
What size ?
What size tank ?
Listing the major components would be helpful
broomer5
Active Member
whiti9
I'll assume you have this wet/dry, a return pump of some kind and an externally mounted overflow.
Here's the procedure I've used on similar set ups.
Place the wet/dry under the tank, and hook up all plumbing.
Hook up the plumbing hose or piping to the overflow - but do not place the over flow on the tank yet.
Do the same with the return line.
Once everything is plumbed and fittings are secured, hang the outerbox of the overflow on the back of the tank. Install the inner box and adjust it to it's heighest position in the tank. You may need to submerge the overflow inner box, it will want to float.
Doing so will allow water to start rushing into the inner box through the slotted teeth of the box. No problem since you have not yet primed the U tube. Secure the inner box with the wing nut(s) at this highest position.
Hang your return spraybar or whatever you're using on the other end of the tank. This leads to your pump that is now in the sump.
Have some additional saltwater mixed up and aerated overnight before makes things a lot easier. You're adding volume to the system with the sump wet/dry, and you'll need some more saltwater handy.
Once everything is mounted, hose clamps secure, and you have some new saltwater handy, prime the overflow U tube.
To do this, you'll need a 3-4 foot length of airline tubing. Take one end of this airline tubing and run it up into the curved section of the U tube. Push it in a little past the curved sections works best for me.
Now carefully place the U tube with this airline sticking out into the inner and outer box, leaving the 3 feet of airline sticking out still. If the inner box is not full of water - fill it with a cup.
Fill the outer box with a cup too. When you pour water into the outer box, depending on the design of the outer box, you'll probably hear water start draining down to the wet/dry.
But the outer box and inner box must be full of tankwater before this next step. These boxes will not be FULL FULL, but there will be a point where they both have enough water in them to completely cover both ends of the U tube.
If you now have the inner and outer box full of tankwater, place the free hanging end of the airline tubing in your mouth, and begin to suck the air out of the U tube. Since both ends of the U tube are under water ( one end in inner box - one end in outer box ) water will begin to rise in the U tube as you evacuate the air with your mouth.
Try and position the end of the airline tubing at the highest point in the arched curved U tube. Suck out all of the air, trying to get the last little bubble.
Once done - bite the airline tubing and pull it out of the U tube.
The tankwater should now be in the U tube, inner box and outer box. Water will most likey begin flowing once you get the U tube full of water. This is natural, and how it works.
Your tank water level may start adjusting itself now, meaning water may start flowing down to the sump. Watch it close.
Don't let it overflow the sump. It may not even flow at all.
It all depends on how deep you have the inner box postioned in the tank. That's why I like to do a new start up with the inner box at it's highest position.
Okay - now you have everything hooked up primed and ready to go.
Look at the wet dry water level. If there is no water in the sump wet/dry yet, losen the plastic wing nut(s) on the inner box, lowering it more into the tank.
Now you'll see even more water begin to fall over the teeth of the inner box, up and over the U tube, into the outer box and down to the sump.
Let it do this until the water stops draining. Now you have a new level in the tank again. Look at the sump. See how full it is. If there is some water in the sump, enough to cover the return pump, then turn on the return pump and watch the sump level go down.
Once some water begins pumping back to the main tank, turn off the pump again and watch the tankwater siphon back to the sump. See how much siphons back.
If the sump's not full ( it shouldn't even be close to full yet ) add a little of the new saltwater to the sump. Maybe a quart or so.
Repeat this turning on the pump on and off and adding new saltwater to the sump until you get to a point where you've added enough saltwater that the pump will not run dry when you turn it on, and tankwater begins to fall through the teeth of the overflow. Once this starts happening - you're almost done.
Let the thing run for a couple minutes.
Notice how much water is in the sump, and where the water level is in the display tank.
If the tank water level looks good to you ( tank is full ) then you're done messing with the overflow. If the water level is too low in the display tank, and you want to raise it, again loosen the plastic wing nut and lower the inner box a little.
Each time you lower the inner box, more water will begin to flow down to the sump - so keep an eye on the sump water level too.
Each time you lower the inner box, you are establishing a new "normal operating" level for the display tank.
Once you're pleased with the water level in the tank, look to the sump. Where is the new water level in the sump now that you lowered the inner box ???
If is halfway up the sump ?
One third up the sump ?
Now you can add or remove water from the sump.
You want as much water in the sump as you can get, but here's the most IMPORTANT thing to do.
You must allow enough room in the sump for water to drain back to it from the main tank, when you shut off the return pump.
Turn off the return pump and watch the level in the sump begin to rise. Get ready to plug the return pump back on, should the water level in the sump look like it's going to overflow into the tank stand.
If the water level rises in the sump, and you still have enough "safety", where the sump will not overflow - you're really getting close to being done.
If you need to add a little more new saltwater do it.
Keep repeating this procedure. Turn off pump watch sump level go up. Add or remove water from the sump until it looks good and the sump will not overflow.
Once you get the proper amount of water added to the system - you're done.
It's a trial and error mostly. Hopefully no error.
I mark the side of the sump with tape or something where the highest point is when I turn off the pump. Then I mark the other level in the sump with tape to indicate where the water level should be under normal operation.
Then as water evaporates, you'll start to see the water level in the sump drop below this normal operating level. I mark the lowest level the sump will operate before the return pump starts to suck air.
This helps with top offs, and if someone is watching your tank for you while you're away .... all you have to do is show them how to add water and keep it at the middle piece of tape.
Pretty foolproof at that point
Sorry for such long post. I could show you easier than trying to type out the procedure - but of course that's not practical.
Good luck
I'll assume you have this wet/dry, a return pump of some kind and an externally mounted overflow.
Here's the procedure I've used on similar set ups.
Place the wet/dry under the tank, and hook up all plumbing.
Hook up the plumbing hose or piping to the overflow - but do not place the over flow on the tank yet.
Do the same with the return line.
Once everything is plumbed and fittings are secured, hang the outerbox of the overflow on the back of the tank. Install the inner box and adjust it to it's heighest position in the tank. You may need to submerge the overflow inner box, it will want to float.
Doing so will allow water to start rushing into the inner box through the slotted teeth of the box. No problem since you have not yet primed the U tube. Secure the inner box with the wing nut(s) at this highest position.
Hang your return spraybar or whatever you're using on the other end of the tank. This leads to your pump that is now in the sump.
Have some additional saltwater mixed up and aerated overnight before makes things a lot easier. You're adding volume to the system with the sump wet/dry, and you'll need some more saltwater handy.
Once everything is mounted, hose clamps secure, and you have some new saltwater handy, prime the overflow U tube.
To do this, you'll need a 3-4 foot length of airline tubing. Take one end of this airline tubing and run it up into the curved section of the U tube. Push it in a little past the curved sections works best for me.
Now carefully place the U tube with this airline sticking out into the inner and outer box, leaving the 3 feet of airline sticking out still. If the inner box is not full of water - fill it with a cup.
Fill the outer box with a cup too. When you pour water into the outer box, depending on the design of the outer box, you'll probably hear water start draining down to the wet/dry.
But the outer box and inner box must be full of tankwater before this next step. These boxes will not be FULL FULL, but there will be a point where they both have enough water in them to completely cover both ends of the U tube.
If you now have the inner and outer box full of tankwater, place the free hanging end of the airline tubing in your mouth, and begin to suck the air out of the U tube. Since both ends of the U tube are under water ( one end in inner box - one end in outer box ) water will begin to rise in the U tube as you evacuate the air with your mouth.
Try and position the end of the airline tubing at the highest point in the arched curved U tube. Suck out all of the air, trying to get the last little bubble.
Once done - bite the airline tubing and pull it out of the U tube.
The tankwater should now be in the U tube, inner box and outer box. Water will most likey begin flowing once you get the U tube full of water. This is natural, and how it works.
Your tank water level may start adjusting itself now, meaning water may start flowing down to the sump. Watch it close.
Don't let it overflow the sump. It may not even flow at all.
It all depends on how deep you have the inner box postioned in the tank. That's why I like to do a new start up with the inner box at it's highest position.
Okay - now you have everything hooked up primed and ready to go.
Look at the wet dry water level. If there is no water in the sump wet/dry yet, losen the plastic wing nut(s) on the inner box, lowering it more into the tank.
Now you'll see even more water begin to fall over the teeth of the inner box, up and over the U tube, into the outer box and down to the sump.
Let it do this until the water stops draining. Now you have a new level in the tank again. Look at the sump. See how full it is. If there is some water in the sump, enough to cover the return pump, then turn on the return pump and watch the sump level go down.
Once some water begins pumping back to the main tank, turn off the pump again and watch the tankwater siphon back to the sump. See how much siphons back.
If the sump's not full ( it shouldn't even be close to full yet ) add a little of the new saltwater to the sump. Maybe a quart or so.
Repeat this turning on the pump on and off and adding new saltwater to the sump until you get to a point where you've added enough saltwater that the pump will not run dry when you turn it on, and tankwater begins to fall through the teeth of the overflow. Once this starts happening - you're almost done.
Let the thing run for a couple minutes.
Notice how much water is in the sump, and where the water level is in the display tank.
If the tank water level looks good to you ( tank is full ) then you're done messing with the overflow. If the water level is too low in the display tank, and you want to raise it, again loosen the plastic wing nut and lower the inner box a little.
Each time you lower the inner box, more water will begin to flow down to the sump - so keep an eye on the sump water level too.
Each time you lower the inner box, you are establishing a new "normal operating" level for the display tank.
Once you're pleased with the water level in the tank, look to the sump. Where is the new water level in the sump now that you lowered the inner box ???
If is halfway up the sump ?
One third up the sump ?
Now you can add or remove water from the sump.
You want as much water in the sump as you can get, but here's the most IMPORTANT thing to do.
You must allow enough room in the sump for water to drain back to it from the main tank, when you shut off the return pump.
Turn off the return pump and watch the level in the sump begin to rise. Get ready to plug the return pump back on, should the water level in the sump look like it's going to overflow into the tank stand.
If the water level rises in the sump, and you still have enough "safety", where the sump will not overflow - you're really getting close to being done.
If you need to add a little more new saltwater do it.
Keep repeating this procedure. Turn off pump watch sump level go up. Add or remove water from the sump until it looks good and the sump will not overflow.
Once you get the proper amount of water added to the system - you're done.
It's a trial and error mostly. Hopefully no error.
I mark the side of the sump with tape or something where the highest point is when I turn off the pump. Then I mark the other level in the sump with tape to indicate where the water level should be under normal operation.
Then as water evaporates, you'll start to see the water level in the sump drop below this normal operating level. I mark the lowest level the sump will operate before the return pump starts to suck air.
This helps with top offs, and if someone is watching your tank for you while you're away .... all you have to do is show them how to add water and keep it at the middle piece of tape.
Pretty foolproof at that point
Sorry for such long post. I could show you easier than trying to type out the procedure - but of course that's not practical.
Good luck
coral beauty
Member
one small thing to add to the previous post (which was excellent by the way).Check to make sure that you return line that is on the opposite end of the tank from your overflow box has a small hole drilled in it just below water level,this will allow the back siphon to break should there be a power failure,if theres not a hole there add one 1/16~1/8,if you dont do this your tank will drain until the water level goes lower than your return line.
richard rendos
Active Member
Or you can put a check valve on the return line to prevent back siphon.
jeepman3sk
Member
i put a small valve in my U joint from the part tha tis in the tank to the part that is hanging ont he back of the tank. A one way valve that u can suck the air out of the U joint it works amazing i will have to say THANK YOU DAD attach a small tub to the valve so that u dont suck in any salt water that stuff tastes bad
ill see if my dad can take a picture of it and where he got the valves im guessing home depot or lowes something like that. If you are anywhere near akron i would be willing to help you set up everything.
T
thomas712
Guest
WOW answering a post from 2002 !
quimax2k
New Member
hello all, once apon a time i used to have a 90gal saltwater tank set up, but had to get rid of and now many years later i am wanting to set up a sw tank again, ok here is what i have so far (please keep in mind i am on a very limited budget so i will be upgrading and or adding equiptment slowly along the way) i have 2-50gal tanks one i am wanting to setup as a sump/refugium, two 1" bulkheads already drilled and installed in back of primary tank, 4foot light hood (nothing fancy as of yet just a single bulb deal that came with tank) a couple of heaters (one is basically a redundant system incase the other craps out on me, that and i already had them
) and then the final peace of equiptment i have is a 1" water pump (picked it up at good ole harbor freight, yeah i know what you are thinking but like i said its all about the budget) oh yeah and i still havea bunch of bioballs from my previous sw adventure.. ok now here is my plan. i am thinking of going with pretty much an all around type of tank (if there is a such thing) basically i am thinking a few fish for some activity during the day, maybe some live rock and then for all around activity in the tank some inverts.. now my problem is pretty much a four part thing.
1. what other equiptment might i need to get before introducing live rock?
2. what might be good starter fish that i wont have many problems with (last adventure was with damsels and well like someone said in an earlier post they are bread in hell in vats of tap water .. big ole pain in my tank
3. how much live sand should one get got a 50gal tank?
4. are there any good , wait no.. great online resources for setting up sump/refugiums?
sorry for such a long post, but thank you for any and all help you can give me on this.
1. what other equiptment might i need to get before introducing live rock?
2. what might be good starter fish that i wont have many problems with (last adventure was with damsels and well like someone said in an earlier post they are bread in hell in vats of tap water .. big ole pain in my tank
3. how much live sand should one get got a 50gal tank?
4. are there any good , wait no.. great online resources for setting up sump/refugiums?
sorry for such a long post, but thank you for any and all help you can give me on this.