wet/dry filter help

[andrew001]

What is the secret to to keeping these properly adjusted? I am about to scrap the whole concept to to overflow, and constant maintenance.
Here is my setup
75 Gal tank..
Proflex wet/dry filter Model 1 - rated for 55 gal I believe
sump pump - again, I believe its the proper one for this filter (55gal)
Marineland Marine In-Sump Skimmer 100
Proflex Overflow pump for Model 1
I have a checkvalve on the return to prevent flooding
I have a a ball valve thing right above the return pump.
I need a constant 6 inch in the sump
Currently I am adjusting the depth of the overflow box, along with the ball valve and having to adjust the skimmer... like every 2 hours. The sump either overfills causing the skimmer to overfill, dumping all the garbage back into the sump, or the sump water level becomes so low the pump starts sucking air. I cannot find the happy medium between the depth of the overflow, the adjustment on the ball-vale to get the water level just right for optimum skimming.
Im not sure where the issue is. I cant see evaporation working THIS fast. This whole process has killed the enjoyment of maintaining a saltwater tank at this point. It's getting to the point where I'm about to kill it for the night, just so i dont flood the apartment out, or burn the pump.
How do you all maintain these wet/dry filters and feel safe leaving for 4 hours? lol
Thanks for any help in advane

 

[deejeff442]

all that needs to be done it the main pump flows slower then the overflow drains.there is no way the tank or sump can over flow if this is right.
is your skimmer in the pump section?it shouldnt be.my 250 dt and 75 sump evaporates 4 gallons a day.
is a pipe clogged up somewhere?

 

[geoj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew001 http:///forum/thread/384356/wet-dry-filter-help#post_3366562
What is the secret to to keeping these properly adjusted? I am about to scrap the whole concept to to overflow, and constant maintenance.
Here is my setup
75 Gal tank..
Proflex wet/dry filter Model 1 - rated for 55 gal I believe
sump pump - again, I believe its the proper one for this filter (55gal)
Marineland Marine In-Sump Skimmer 100
Proflex Overflow pump for Model 1
I have a checkvalve on the return to prevent flooding
I have a a ball valve thing right above the return pump.
I need a constant 6 inch in the sump
Currently I am adjusting the depth of the overflow box, along with the ball valve and having to adjust the skimmer... like every 2 hours. The sump either overfills causing the skimmer to overfill, dumping all the garbage back into the sump, or the sump water level becomes so low the pump starts sucking air. I cannot find the happy medium between the depth of the overflow, the adjustment on the ball-vale to get the water level just right for optimum skimming.
Im not sure where the issue is. I cant see evaporation working THIS fast. This whole process has killed the enjoyment of maintaining a saltwater tank at this point. It's getting to the point where I'm about to kill it for the night, just so i dont flood the apartment out, or burn the pump.
How do you all maintain these wet/dry filters and feel safe leaving for 4 hours? lol
Thanks for any help in advane
This is a bad design to run both wet/dry and skimming as you have already found out.

I think you are fighting a losing battle so if it was me I would pick either wet/dry filtering or skimming. You overflow should be all the way open and the ball valve can be used on the return to prevent the overflow from overflowing on to the floor, better way would be a T-fitting with the ball so the back presser does not damage the pump.
If you want to skim move the skimmer to the wet/dry chamber it looks like it has a constant water level?

What type of overflow do you have?

 

[geoj]

Set the filter up in the Berlin format if you want to skim. I will take back that this is a bad design because this is a system that can be used in three ways and is cool but you cant use the wet/dry and skim if your skimmer needs a constant water level like most in-sumps do.

 

[andrew001]

Ok, so Should I flip over to a refugium / skimmer setup? .. My final goal is to be heavy on corals / inverts and light on fish. I've seen some wicked nasty gunk the skimmer gets out of the water, and im not sure thats good to keep around with corals. Is skimming even good with a refugium? Like a hang on skimmer or something?

 

[2quills]

You're going to have to ditch the bio balls and move the skimmer to the middle chamber, or get yourself an ATO (automatic top off system) to maintaine a consistant water height in the return chamber. Or run the skimmer externally if you can.
Not sure why Aqueon would recommend running a skimmer like that in the return chamber. It would be a 24/7 job keeping it maintained at the correct water height to work properly without an ato system. That's just ignorant. Not to mentioned it could cause issues with micro bubbles being pumped strait up to the display tank.
I would ditch the wet/dry all together and go with a sump/refugium set up. Or build yourself a second smaller tank to run the skimmer in and rework some of your plumbing.

 

[geoj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/384356/wet-dry-filter-help#post_3366572
You're going to have to ditch the bio balls and move the skimmer to the middle chamber, or get yourself an ATO (automatic top off system) to maintaine a consistant water height in the return chamber. Or run the skimmer externally if you can.
Not sure why Aqueon would recommend running a skimmer like that in the return chamber. It would be a 24/7 job keeping it maintained at the correct water height to work properly without an ato system. That's just ignorant. Not to mentioned it could cause issues with micro bubbles being pumped strait up to the display tank.
I would ditch the wet/dry all together and go with a sump/refugium set up. Or build yourself a second smaller tank to run the skimmer in and rework some of your plumbing.
+1
The water has to go over the top of the last baffle wall. Just before the return pump.

 

[andrew001]

OK thanks, Now let me ask this. When building a refugium, is there a rule i should adhere to, as for the size/flow through it? I would imagine that if the refugium is too small, and flow to great, the benefits of it (the refugium) would diminish, am I correct in thinking this way?
I ask, because the sump I have currently is rated for 55 gal, and I have a 75 gal. tank. Would it make sense to go up to like a larger sump, to accmodate the size of the tank?

 

[geoj]

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrew001 http:///forum/thread/384356/wet-dry-filter-help#post_3366577
OK thanks, Now let me ask this. When building a refugium, is there a rule i should adhere to, as for the size/flow through it? I would imagine that if the refugium is too small, and flow to great, the benefits of it (the refugium) would diminish, am I correct in thinking this way?
I ask, because the sump I have currently is rated for 55 gal, and I have a 75 gal. tank. Would it make sense to go up to like a larger sump, to accmodate the size of the tank?
If you have not seen this www check it out http://www.melevsreef.com/
You can have a sump so water flows into the return chamber with the pump from the overflow/skimmer chamber and refugium chamber. By doing it that way you can control the flow in the refugium. check out melevsreef and you will see what I mean.