Wet&Dry Filter

[Stewartandersonuk]

Hi there

I have read through the posts and topics on here and on other web sites that say a wet & dry filter shouldn't be used in a high-tech planted tank but this seems to be 50/50 on the subject.

I have a brand new wet and dry filter available to me which I was planing to run along side a Eheim 2028, should I be worried about the Co2 removal (Fact/Myth) in my wet and dry filter? or should I just give it a shot and see how it goes?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
Yes you should be worried about CO2 dissipation in the same way that CO2 dissipates from a bottle filled with coke when it's shaken or left open overnight. If the chamber is exposed to atmosphere or if the water splashes in the chambers CO2 is released. The solution is to minimize splashing by making physical changes to chambers, to seal any open chambers and/or to increase the CO2 injection rate to compensate for the CO2 loss.

This may only be critical for very highly lit tanks because more light causes a demand for higher Co2 concentrations. Less light give more margin of error so that might be another alternative control as well.

Cheers,

 

[Stewartandersonuk]

Thanks for the reply

I guessed as much I think I might run it on my fish only tank and run dual Eheim 2028's instead, not sure how happy I would feel about uping the Co2 over the recommend to keep it compensated.

I will play it safe, thanks for the advice.

 

[ceg4048]

Well, it´s not that you would be playing it safe. If the filter causes you to lose CO2 then you will have a low CO2 concentration level and will risk getting algae. If you then increase the injection rate this will bring the CO2 content back up to what your target level was in the first place. Judicious use of a dropchecker will help you to determine the nominal level regardless of filter configuration. In any case, I concur that conventional filters would eliminate this issue and make life simpler.

Cheers,

 

[fourmations]

hi all

i have the opportunity to get an eheim 2327 at a good price
but have read this thread about co2

i am obviously attracted by the integrated heater
but worried about the co2

can i bypass the wet-dry element to it?

i was going to buy a tetratec 1200 and a hydor
but can get this eheim for 100euro

what you think?

thanks

4

 

[ceg4048]

Well, as I said, this just means you'll have to up the CO2 injection rate to compensate for the loss. this is not a big deal really. I would not try to tinker with the system to bypass anything. you'll just give yourself more problems. There are other Eheim thermofilter models that are conventional but not at that price so I reckon you should go for it and just accept that you'll need more CO2.

Cheers,