# How to use my drilled tank for a low tech planted tank?



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You could set it up however you'd like- use the sump, set up a closed loop for the canister, or do both!

If you set up a closed look with the canister, I'd just be careful that the intake portion can't run dry as that would burn out the filter motor. Not quite sure how your overflow is set up, but that can be a risk with some designs.

You'll also want to take into consideration that planted tanks produce TONS of debris (especially in comparison with SW tanks)- so mechanical filtration is really, really important. It can be a good idea to run sponge prefilters on intakes, and make sure you keep those clean on a regular basis.

If it were me and it were logistically practical to do so I'd probably run both, I like filter redundancy on big tanks.

What will your lighting setup be for this tank?

Glad you unlurked yourself; welcome to TPT!


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Lauralee,

Thanks for the advice. One of the major problems that I have with running the canister filter as a closed loop would be how to join the ribbed tubing on the fluval with the bulkheads that are on the tank. Also, if I were to use the sump, i really don't know how to set it up as far as filtration methods in the sump. Bioballs, foam, carbon, etc, and where do I put them? In the saltwater setup I only use a protein skimmer in the sump and some live rock rubble. I was thinking that if I use the canister filter as a closed loop, I would remove the overflow box and just use a strainer for the intake which would be underwater and therefore not be prone to run dry. 

The lighting that I have is a 4(24w) bulb t5ho system that does not have individual reflectors. I know that this is too much for the size tank, but i only plan on running two bulbs at a time, and maybe the other two for a couple hours at peak midday. I got a really good deal on the fixture, so I couldn't pass it up. Still not sure on the bulbs I want to run in the fixture or the duration of the lighting period.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I think you should be able to work with 48 watts of T5HO given the bulbs don't have reflectors. 8-10 hours is an average photoperiod. My personal favorite bulb combo is a 10k paired with a pink bulb (Colormax, PowerGlo, etc). Just about any bulb in the 5000-10,000k range will support FW photosynthesis (the 18k PowerGlo is an exception outside that range that is still a good bulb), and the difference between them all really is a matter of personal aesthetics.

Could you just run the Fluval on a separate closed loop using the standard intake and flowbar return, and plumb the sump into the overflow and bulkheads?

Why don't you post up a picture of your sump? 

What I'd probably do with a sump is start off with a sock for mechanical filtration, a block of big foam or sponge (along the lines of the big AquaClear sponges) for some additional mechanical and biological, and some cheap poly filter floss with a bag of Purigen if there were a good spot for it.

I'd also have the heater either plumbed inline or in the sump.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Here's a picture of what my sump looks like:









It's a 20g high tank and currently up and running on my saltwater tank until I get everything in the tank sold and can clean it up. The tank drains into the chamber on the right, which overflows into the next chamber to the left, then over, under, and over the next three baffles into the return chamber on the far left which pumps the water back up to the tank.

I have a fairly large return pump now for lots of flow for the saltwater coral, so I would have to back that off a bunch with a much smaller pump.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Oh, and the lights I have do have reflectors, just not individual ones. They have one large one for all four bulbs. Just to clarify what I meant.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yup, I think you can make that sump work. I'd probably use some bonded media pads (the big rolls you can buy for ponds) for disposable media rather than floss with that type of setup. Then just figure out the best place for some sponges (I love using sponges b/c they're great for both mechanical and biological). Or you could use cheap nylon pot scrubbers... you have tons of options!


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

you can get that bonded media at home depot, but they call it something else, I buy it a roll at a time for my maintenance accounts, i also think jehmco sells it


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Where'd you see it at Home Depot? I need to check that out next time I need some. I bought a huge roll on Ebay (actually it may be 5 years or so before I need to buy more now that I think about it... :hihi


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Would it be advisable for me to re-configure my sump to act more like a typical wet-dry trickle filter, with the drain running through bonded media, down to bio balls or something similar, then over through a sponge media, then returned back to the aquarium?

Also, if I run such a large area of filtration with this sump, would I still use the canister filter? I know it wouldn't hurt, but would I really need it? I'm trying to keep this as maintenance free as possible!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

No, you shouldn't really need the canister with the sump set up properly. You may need some powerheads inside the main tank to boost flow, though.

Yep, I think you could run your sump that way just fine.

You'll want to make sure the main tank has plenty of flow, and that you've got plenty of mechanical media to remove debris- those are really the 2 points you want to hit, and however you want to do it is up to you.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Does anyone know of any DIY links that show how to make a wet/dry trickle filter? Does the bonded media pad go under the water or does the drain flow through the media then down into the sump water like a bio-wheel that is exposed to the air? Or, does it even matter? I know i'm probably making too much out of this, but I'd like to set it up right the first time and not worry about it later. Does anyone have any pictures of their DIY trickle filters or sumps that are used on a low tech planted tank? 

I see pictures of ones like this http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/468/AquaClear-Aquatics-Wet-Dry-Trickle-Filters and it appears that the bioballs and media pad would be out of the water. Is that correct, and if so, is that the best way to set this up?


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

I've been searching more about this wet/dry filter and it appears that the idea of it is to add more oxygen into the tank. Isn't that what I want to avoid, to keep this low-tech? I'm getting really confused by this whole thing. Someone please shed some light on this for me.


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## Minsc (Jul 9, 2006)

elmatth1 said:


> I've been searching more about this wet/dry filter and it appears that the idea of it is to add more oxygen into the tank. Isn't that what I want to avoid, to keep this low-tech? I'm getting really confused by this whole thing. Someone please shed some light on this for me.


If you are injecting CO2 into the tank, a set up like the one you linked would definitely outgas the added CO2 and be a headache.
However, if you do not plan on adding any CO2, it shouldn't be a problem at all.

The idea is the water hits the filter pad, and drips down through a trickle plate onto the bioballs. It is a great set up, and the easiest maintenance of any filter I've seen. Just rinse the pad from time to time.

Another option with your current sump, you could have the water enter through a bag filter, and place biomedia in the second chamber. It would mean the bio would be fully submerged instead of a wet/dry set up, but I don't see why that would be an issue.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

That makes me feel better,Minsc, cause I am certainly not using any CO2 on this setup! Now to decide which way to use that sump.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Is there an inherent benefit from running a "wet/dry" filter with the biomedia exposed to air in this type of setup vs. having the biomedia submerged such as in Minsc's second suggested option above?

Sorry for all the questions, but my knowledge base is in reefs and this is a whole different ball game for me.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

IMO there's no advantage or disadvantage either way. Mechanical filtration is a more important consideration than biological filtration in a planted tank since the plants themselves become a huge part of the tank's biofilter. So I'd take the pragmatic approach and do whichever encourages more flow/more opportunity for debris to become trapped in your mechanical media.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Lauralee, thank you. 

Now, on to the next question. In reefkeeping, it was a must to use RO/DI water for filling and topping off the tank. Do I want to keep using the filtered water to fill and top of the freshwater planted tank, or should I use regular tap water?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

To top off it's always a good idea to use RO water if you've got access to it.

Not quite as important with FW tanks as it is with SW tanks, though. I use just tap for my topoffs since my RO unit moves at the speed of the last Ice Age LOL


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

That's good to hear, because I've already got an automatic top off system that runs through my R/O setup!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You won't want to use straight RO water for the tank, since both the livestock and plants will need some trace, but it's easy enough to reconstitute it.


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## elmatth1 (Jun 26, 2007)

So, fill the tank initially with dechlorinated tap water and top off with R/O water?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

That would work.

You don't have to shoot for any set "ideal" pH, kH, and/or gH, but you do want to maintain stability in your parameters over time. If you're going to be using tap water for water changes then you won't want your tank to be able to shift away from your tap parameters, so you'll just need to develop a water change regimen that maintains that.


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