Why canister filters and not a wet/dry?

[Steve]

I prefer canisters myself, but it's all personal choice more than anything. On one of my tanks I have a XP3 and XP4 canister, then on the other I have an xp3, and on the new 265g tank I will be getting shortly I plan to have probably two FX5's.

For me canisters are just simply much easier.  I have never built a sump, and with the canisters now a days they hold a huge amount of media. I have around 2-3liters of media in each of my canisters and could probably pack even more in if I wanted, and in an FX5 you can get even more media in those than my Renas have. So I don't see a need to have more media than you really need. My heaters are all Hydor inline heater so they mount on the canister and are out of the tank. And I like the fact that the canisters take up less room under the tank than a big bulky sump does.

But like I said I really think it is just a matter of what each person likes. They both have good and bad to them just depending on what you consider good/bad.

[Ron]

I guess I just dont see the downside to them and why more people dont use them?

For a single tank on a nice cabinet stand I don't see a good reason to not use them if you want to put in the work of getting it setup.

I personally only have one tank setup that I'll run a sump on. The other tanks site on racks and I'd rather a tank on each level rather than use additional space with sumps. As a result I use an air-driven system with large sponge filters.

[four_by_ken]

A couple good pro canister points brought up.

Both my tanks are on wood stands that will not allow another tank below.  But, if I had a metal stand or any other stand that is  open space... I would probably want to use that space for another tank.   

And speaking of space... a canister does generally take up much less space.

Good points.

[scifisarah]

Would this Berliner WD-125 Wet/Dry filter work better on my 65 gallon than an FX5 Canister filter? I found someone selling one for about half price.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18997

What other products would I need to purchase to get everything going? I assume it would need a pump, media and hoses but have no idea what size it would take or where everything would go. I suppose my main reason for not getting a wet/dry right now is that I am confused by them since everything I need doesn't come in one package.

[danielratti]

In my experience with this kind of wet/dry is that it is more aimed for saltwater than fresh since it has so many little things added on like the water socks and the fluidized bed reactors. What you would need for this wet/dry would be bioballs, a return pump and a filter pad for the drip tray.

The other problem you may run into with your thank is seeing as it is already drilled you will have to replace the bulkheads in your tank to 1" and re plumb the entire system with 1" pvc pipe or pool filter hose. The next step will be to hook up a return pump and run flex line up to the tank for a return.

[four_by_ken]

If I do a wet/dry... I will either buy the most basic one... or build one myself.

Salt systems have changed direction a lot on their sump set ups.  A salt wet/dry sump of 15 years ago is what a freshwater would use today.  Todays salt water is all about rocks, etc. set up in the sump.

[scifisarah]

In my experience with this kind of wet/dry is that it is more aimed for saltwater than fresh since it has so many little things added on like the water socks and the fluidized bed reactors. What you would need for this wet/dry would be bioballs, a return pump and a filter pad for the drip tray.

The other problem you may run into with your thank is seeing as it is already drilled you will have to replace the bulkheads in your tank to 1" and re plumb the entire system with 1" pvc pipe or pool filter hose. The next step will be to hook up a return pump and run flex line up to the tank for a return.

I have a cold right now and am camped on my couch with blanket and kleenex box - that sounds absolutely exhausting when I don't even want to stand, haha. I will just stick to a canister filter. Even if I could get this for $150, it would probably end up costing more than the FX5 after all the other things. Thanks!

[four_by_ken]

In my experience with this kind of wet/dry is that it is more aimed for saltwater than fresh since it has so many little things added on like the water socks and the fluidized bed reactors. What you would need for this wet/dry would be bioballs, a return pump and a filter pad for the drip tray.

The other problem you may run into with your thank is seeing as it is already drilled you will have to replace the bulkheads in your tank to 1" and re plumb the entire system with 1" pvc pipe or pool filter hose. The next step will be to hook up a return pump and run flex line up to the tank for a return.

I have a cold right now and am camped on my couch with blanket and kleenex box - that sounds absolutely exhausting when I don't even want to stand, haha. I will just stick to a canister filter. Even if I could get this for $150, it would probably end up costing more than the FX5 after all the other things. Thanks!

Wet/dry you can customize to your needs, completely... the above just isnt the best starting point for a freshwater tank.

[danielratti]

If I do a wet/dry... I will either buy the most basic one... or build one myself.

Salt systems have changed direction a lot on their sump set ups.  A salt wet/dry sump of 15 years ago is what a freshwater would use today.  Todays salt water is all about rocks, etc. set up in the sump.

When you see a setup like that you are in a whole new mess. People call them fuges but they are more of a mess than anything else. most of the time after someone makes one like this they regret it and want it back to how it was because it gets so messy.

[four_by_ken]

If I do a wet/dry... I will either buy the most basic one... or build one myself.

Salt systems have changed direction a lot on their sump set ups.  A salt wet/dry sump of 15 years ago is what a freshwater would use today.  Todays salt water is all about rocks, etc. set up in the sump.

When you see a setup like that you are in a whole new mess. People call them fuges but they are more of a mess than anything else. most of the time after someone makes one like this they regret it and want it back to how it was because it gets so messy.

What is so messy about them? 

I would think the opposite.  All the bio stays put and never gets touched.  The mechanical filter pad and floss is all that gets touched and you dont even have to turn the pump off to work on it.

[Ron]

What is so messy about them? 

I would think the opposite.  All the bio stays put and never gets touched.  The mechanical filter pad and floss is all that gets touched and you dont even have to turn the pump off to work on it.

I think Daniel was referencing adding a refugium to a sump, parlayed from your earlier comments about rocks in the sump.

[four_by_ken]

What is so messy about them? 

I would think the opposite.  All the bio stays put and never gets touched.  The mechanical filter pad and floss is all that gets touched and you dont even have to turn the pump off to work on it.

I think Daniel was referencing adding a refugium to a sump, parlayed from your earlier comments about rocks in the sump.

Ah, that would make sense. 

[danielratti]

Yeah sorry that's what I was talking about.