Ok so I have fallen in love with this tank I hate the hang on the back filters with a passion and canister filters aren't my favorite so I am wanting to drill this and put a sump on it. Only problem is where can it go. My only ideas are to have the sump pushed to the right of the tank and build a cabinet for it that will flow with the stand or build a tiny one inside the top book shelf area on the stand. Anyone else have a brilliant idea that doesn't involve pushing the tank away from the wall more than a few inches.
If you live near Hot Springs, I have a bit/drill and time in the evening. I have drilled all of my tanks and it is actually pretty easy, just takes some patience. How big of a space is that cubby hole under the tank? If it isnt a good size you might have to do the cabinet next to it, or behind. Â
This is one of those that you could likely get by with no sump attached. If I were looking at it for myself I would do a hang on the back skimmer and let that be it. prolly run it bare bottom or minimal substrate and try not to over load it with fish and stuff.... Weekly water changes or bi weekly should be enough to make it so that you dont have to worry with putting a sump on it. You really shouldnt need a filter, just more husbandtry... Make sure you have plenty of surface movement to take anything that would go to the top and sit to stir it up and put it so that the skimmer can get it.
You could cut out the back of the left section, and all but the first inch or so of the shelf on that side. In the place of these things, put a custom made acrylic aquarium. I would cut the acrylic to fit snugly directly behind the remaining part of the shelf, then use pieces of acrylic for the sides so that the bottom, sides, and front have no exposed wood on the water side and it extends 8 inches or so behind the stand. Coat the top with epoxy, or enamel paint to protect it from moisture and salt as well. Partition the tank however you see fit, most likely you would need to use flexible hoses for return lines and put your pump(s) in a middle section, maybe a thin fuge on the front so you have something to look at, you could have your skimmer sitting behind the L-shaped area of the right shelf. Drain lines going into the skimmer section, some type of auto-top off so the water level doesn't change and show a water line on the acrylic on the front. Maybe a fan blowing into the back of the sump area to get good gas and heat exchange. Maybe make a small cutout in the front of the top shelf to have access to drop food in for whatever critters go in the front fuge, if you do that. Instead of a fuge, maybe just a painted piece of glass on the front, that would take a lot of the work out of it, and it wouldn't mess with the structural integrity as much as hinging the top or cutting holes in it. Also no worries about changing water levels, other than salinity, because you won't be able to see it from the front. Wow... I started to just say put a tank in the lower left side of the unit.....
Maybe make the tank in an L-Shape as well to allow more room to change out pumps and clean the sump out...
There in lies the other problems, I have only seen pictures of the tank so far so no clue how big those holes are, and I'm going to wait till I get out of my apartment in a month till I get another one so I dont have to move four tanks. The tank is going to be for an octopus so the filter has to be beyond amazing for when/if it inks I heard a sump was the best way to go to get the ink out when it does happen. So I'm thinking a small sump might not cut it.
Wlyon, that is a nice tank, but Instead of buying that tank and taking a chance of messing it up get a stand built like it with the room you need and have the tank ordered reef ready. Theres a few cabnet builders in the club.
