Wet/Dry Filter Questions/ DIY

[Hernandezj11]

Hello everyone,
I'm slowly preparing myself to step into the saltwater world of fishkeeping and had a couple of questions.
What are the benefits of wet/dry filters and would a converted 10g be an adequate size for a 44 hex?
If so any advice one how to get this project started? Or refer me where I can find some helpful reading material?
Thanks in advance,
Joe H.

[rayjay]

I personally consider them to be bacteria farms when used for seahorses due to the high nutrient load.
They are VERY effective as far as ammonia and nitrite go, but beyond that they trap too much detritus in my opinion and are not easily cleaned.

[Hernandezj11]

Cool thanks for the imput. So for a 44 hex would i be okay with a canister filter? What about an addition of a protein skimmer or UV sterilizer?
Thanks in advance,
Joe H.

[rayjay]

Again, a cannister filter is a breeding grounds for bacteria but if you religiously clean it out at least once a week it should be OK.
I know that speaking for myself, I would eventually let the cleaning slide and end up loosing livestock because of it, so if I used one, it would be for a temporary situation with maybe carbon in it to polish the water.
Protein skimmers while not absolutely necessary, will certainly help as they remove dissolved organics from the water before becoming a problem.
As for UV, that is a contentious issue but in my case I wouldn't use it because the UV only works on pathogens that pass through the UV. Bacteria colonies growing on trapped detritus and uneaten foods do not go through the UV and in my experience, that bacteria is the unseen killer of most seahorses.
Number one thing to remember is that seahorse tanks have a much better success ratio when kept extremely clean, cleaner than a reef tank even.

[Hernandezj11]

O sorry for being repetitive. So what filtration do use/ recommend for seahorses?

[rayjay]

My personal choice is live rock for the biological filtration with power head and quick filter attachment to remove food remains from the water column after feeding, and a mini power head to move food around when feeding. I also have an air line in each seahorse tank to aid in surface motion. (no airstone)
I have bare bottom tanks also to make it easier to siphon out the detritus each day.
For a more mechanised method you will have to ask others to contribute their ways.
Don't get me wrong, there are people using the methods you have described. It's just that as I see it, the problems they can create just isn't worth it.
However, many would say that vacuuming out the detritus each day isn't worth it.
Once you decide on a method, just look at it objectively and ask yourself if you might slack off on any part of the husbandry required for the method. If the answer is yes, it's not the method for you.

[Hernandezj11]

Thanks for all the advice, it has been very helpful. I would like to give myself the benefit esp with the amount of money that I would have to invest in this project.
Quick question, why no airstones?

[jeff@zina.com]

First, think hard about starting in saltwater with sea horses. They are not a beginner item. As for air stones, they're relatively unused in salt water due to the spray contributing to salt creep. For sea horses, they can cause other issues if you're not careful with them. Do a lot of research before committing to sea horses.

Jeff

[Hernandezj11]

I def don't plan on jumping right into it. The plan is not to get them until my tank is well matured and established. Thanks for all the info. This will the first of many research attempts

[namxas]

A sump is the absolute best way to go...hands down. What rayjay is referring to is an actual "wet-dry" with bioballs or whatever the flavor of the month for bio-media is. However, a sump doesn't have to be a wet-dry. They boost your water volume and give you a spot to chuck all that ugly equipment (heaters, skimmer, etc).

The whole airstone/SH thing is kind of an old wive's tale (it was once believed it caused puch emphysema (PE) in males). If you need a bit of extra circulation, I'd drop a piece of open-ended rigid airline into the area in need. The SH can hitch to the tube if they want, and the larger bubbles minimize salt creep.

HTH

[Hernandezj11]

So how many gal would the sump have to be in order to be effective? the space uder my 44 hex is not very big

[rayjay]

Sump size is determined the same way you determine tank size. Go as big as you can!!!
Yes, a sump is a definite plus as long as there are no bio balls to make it wet dry.
As for air line use, the air stones basically cause more salt creep in the show tanks.
Now if you are raising fry, the small bubbles from air stones can play havoc with the fry.
If you are culturing brine shrimp, again, the small bubbles can kill off the nauplii, or, at best, reduce the yield of the culture.
Many people want to use air stones figuring it helps oxygenate the water.
In fact, the only way it helps that way is to cause surface agitation where the real gas exchange occurs. Larger bubbles do a better job of agitating the surface than the small bubbles.
Even skimmers don't really oxygenate the water because first of all there is a surface tension on the bubbles and then too, the bubbles get coated with dissolved organics making it even more impossible to have any exchange take place in the skimmer column.