Bio Filter...Wet or wet/dry

[Dan Ponton]

I'm an old aquarium guy and when I had larger (over 50 gallon) I began using a wet/dry filter because of better performance (very good at converting).

Is anyone using this type of setup?

[Ron Thompson]

I too am an "old aquarium guy" and used wet/dry systems on my larger tanks (90 - 175).  I thought about it but then the light bulb came on and I realized that my system is essentially a giant wet-dry filter.

By using verticals into my system - they essentially act as the wet/dry since the water enters the top and trickles down through and then drips into a grow bed (also filled with media) before returning to the fish.

So my short answer upon writing that is add some verticals to trickle into your bed or raft-tank - you then have what is essentially a wet-dry.

[Bob Campbell]

Ron Thompson said:

I too am an "old aquarium guy" and used wet/dry systems on my larger tanks (90 - 175).  I thought about it but then the light bulb came on and I realized that my system is essentially a giant wet-dry filter.

By using verticals into my system - they essentially act as the wet/dry since the water enters the top and trickles down through and then drips into a grow bed (also filled with media) before returning to the fish.

So my short answer upon writing that is add some verticals to trickle into your bed or raft-tank - you then have what is essentially a wet-dry.

I too have notice that a wet/dry sump is especially helpful compared to a letting the water flow through all of the media.  

It's not real pretty,  but this is my bio filter.  I used a couple baskets filled with new Hydroton, you can see it is still floating.   One basket is submerged while the other is above the water level  (wet/dry sump).

My aquaponic system uses ebb and flow, but I've seen better results when I duplicate a wet/dry sump by not completely draining the grow bed.
.  

[Lonnie Kirkman]

I  am using grow beds w/grow media and added some Larger bio-balls to my sump area not like  a wet dry there always wet but ever little bit helps the process also the flood and drain helps allot w 02 up take dot you think

[Scott Bartlett]

Greetings, I also keep an aquarium. I wouldn't use bio-balls in an aquaponics system. I wouldn't use them in an aquarium, either.With my reef. I use a refugium. Bio-balls are going to compete with your media in the nitrification process. and when you pull them out the system, the system will have to readjust itself. I wouldn't bother with them. It just adds another thing to worry about and maintain. Good Luck.