Setting Up Your Filter

**Note that the whole process of hooking up a wet/dry filter is shown pictorially on the 'Starting From Scratch' page.

The top level cover is now in place and the plumbing is attached.  This is where the water drains from the aquarium into the wet/dry filter.  The ball valve can serve as a shut off if need be.  It can also be used to create a small amount of back-pressure to prevent the slurping noises overflow boxes can make.  A union connector can be used here which actually makes the installation easier, and also allows you to get into the bio-media compartment if you need to.  The union should be place between the bulkhead and the ball valve.

*Before you start to set up your filter, wash it out with water to rid it of anything that may have settled in it during the shipping process.

Each filter has two bulkhead fittings which are used to connect the filter to the aquarium.  The bulkhead fitting on top of the filter is to be connected from the drain on the aquarium to allow water to flow into the filter.  The bulkhead toward the bottom on one end of the filter is where water gets pumped from the filter back to the aquarium.  The water pump can either be placed inside the sump of the filter (if it is a submersible pump) or just outside of the filter.  Either way, the pump will be directly connected to the bulkhead.  **Please note that we recommend you connect the pump to the bulkhead with some sort of soft (i.e. non-rigid) pipe/tubing to limit the vibrations from the pump. Everything else can be either hard or soft piped, which ever is easier for your setup.  The pipe from this bottom bulkhead (or water pump) is then connected back to the aquarium for return flow of water.

If your aquarium is drilled out in the bottom with an internal overflow box, this is where both drain and return flow from the filter will be connected.  In other words, the holes where the tank is drilled out will be fitted with bulkheads.  Then, simply put, all you need to do is connect these bulkheads to the bulkheads on the filter with pipe or tubing.  The bulkhead on the aquarium for return flow gets a piece of PVC pipe attached that goes straight up to the top of the overflow box.  At the top, put an elbow joint and extend a small piece of PVC out to the edge of the overflow box.  You'll need to break out 1 or 2 of the teeth at the top so the piece of pipe can rest there.  Cut this piece of pipe flush with the edge of the overflow box so that it is not visible from inside the aquarium.  It is the force of the water coming out of the pipe that shoots it out into the aquarium and does not allow it to simply turn around and fall back into the overflow.  The picture below shows the inside of an internal overflow box.  This may help give a visual of what this paragraph is talking about.

The white pipe with the slits cut into it acts as the drain to the wet/dry, and the sponge around it prevents debris from reaching the filter, thus acting as a prefilter.  The taller pipe behind it is the water return from the wet/dry to the aquarium.  At the top of this pipe is an elbow that directs the water into the aquarium.  Both of these pipes fit right into the bulkhead fittings in the bottom of the tank.  On the main page of this website is a front view of this aquarium, where you'll see that this overflow box is barely visible.  As you may not want to see the overflow box from either end of the aquarium, a 3-sided overflow box can be placed in the middle of the back wall of the aquarium.  This will hide all of the plumbing inside the box from view.

If your aquarium is not drilled out, you will need to use a hang-on type overflow box to allow water to be drained to your filter.  It will be connected in the same way as described above.

If your aquarium is not already set up, take the time to have it drilled out by a local dealer.  You'll be happier with this more professional approach I assure you.  And note that an internal overflow box usually costs less than the hang-on type.

If you are unsure about anything here, please feel free to email me with any questions you have.   Also refer to the 'Starting From Scratch' page for pictures and more details about setting up a wet/dry filter.

Back To Home Page