From: marka@SSD.CSD.HARRIS.COM (Mark Ashley)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: wet/dry question
Date: 21 Aug 92 12:08:32 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harris Computers Systems Division, Fort Lauderdale,FL

After mulling over the responses to my previous post on the
same topic, I decided to just go for it and build my own
wet/dry unit. I am, just now, understanding the accidents
that can happen. Seeing the water overflow and controlling it
is a lot different from just reading the responses, even if
the responses were in fact correct. 

There was a mention about bubbles accumulating (over a few days)
in the siphon tube that goes in the pre-filter. Right now I'm
testing an Aquaclear 802 which a lot of people recommended.
The water level in the main tank (big bucket) is just enough
to trickle water into the pre-filter. The trickling causes 
turbulence which produces bubbles which goes into the siphon tube
and accunulates. Amazing ! If I stick my hand into the main tank,
the water level rises and the bubbles are pushed out of the siphon
tube. The water level is way above the "teeth" of the pre-filter -
I mean the smaller thing that goes inside the main tank.
And the water inside the siphon tube is clean, i.e. no bubbles.

However, I cannot maintain this high water level. After a while
the water level goes back to just trickling into the pre-filter
and I'm back to the same problem. It seems that my siphon tube
is stronger than my 802 so that output from the main tank is 
more than the output of the sump (small bucket).

With these observations, my guess is I need a stronger pump.
It has to be submersible because my sump tank is just a
15-gal fish tank that formerly was my FW tank. At this point
I might get an Eheim. Any thoughts on my conclusion about
getting a more powerful pump ?

I've also looked at Little Giant pumps but there's a warning on
the box about using it in anything other than fresh water.
I wonder if it's to ward off people from using it in salt water
tanks or nuclear waste. 8-) Anybody using a submersible Little
Giant with such a warning on the box ?

BTW, my references to big and small buckets are there because
that's my "test equipment". I'm doing all these in the bathroom
until it's stable enough. I lost a gallon on my first try.
It was perfect on my second try and onwards.

The next thing to solve is bio-balls. Or avoiding the high cost
of bio-balls. I'm looking into curlers. Yeah, those little things
that women have in their hair when they go out the door to
pick up the morning paper 8-). Another alternative is to buy a small
diameter pvc pipe and cut it at half-inch intervals. Any thoughts
on these ideas ?

thanks. e-mail your responses if you can. It's looking pretty well
at this point. If I can pull this stunt off and have a functional
wet/dry then perhaps I can post YADIYWDU - yet another DIY wet/dry 
unit. 8-)


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Mark Ashley                        |DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed
marka@gcx1.ssd.csd.harris.com      |here are my own; they do not
..!uunet!gcx1!marka               |reflect the opinion or policies
                                   |of Harris Corporation.
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Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria,sci.aquaria