Filter intake/ideas would this work?

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Horsechick

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 9, 2015
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OK, first off I'm not a breeder or someone with 10+ tanks set up. I've had fish all my life though, when I was 5-6 I asked for goldfish for Christmas and have almost always had a tank since. I now have a 125 and 55.

That being said, I've never used anything but under gravel filters and HOB filters.

We are in the talking stage of turning our garage into living space due to our home only being 1800sq. In the discussion I've brought up and decided on a big tank. I was thinking 8x4x3 but that turned out to be a huge tank 6-700 gallons). I was hoping more for 400ish. So I think I decided on 7'x3'x30". Which is 392gal. Or 7'x4'x3' for 523 gal.

Either way, a HOB isn't going to filter that, lol.

If I do a sump or canister I was thinking of having the intakes in each rear corner and a spray bar in the middle. My idea was to have a hidden piping system that I will draw out below and see what you guys think. Is it a good idea, bad idea, over kill, or just pointless?

Also would a filter inside the tank be the best idea?

If you're still with me, thank you!! I'm going to upload my design options and would like some input on which is best and most coat effective. I will be stocking new world cichlids so good filtration is essential and I'm planning to probably over stock the tank a bit to keep the nastiness at bay, if possible.
 
OK, so the water would come in the bottom, travel up through sponges, and down into the pipe. If for some reason power went out, etc, it wouldn't drain the tank but would still be sucking water off the bottom at hopefully a fast enough speed to get a good bit of the poop, etc.

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At which point, is a sump or two canisters better? How big of a sump would I need for 4-500 gallons?
 
Would an intank sump work better? (I worry about the front looking wonky though with an extra foot of space to one side. Is 1'x3'x30" enough for a sump? (So footprint would be 8'x3x30" high. ). What is the most cost effective to build and run. I can get to FX5 for 299 each, so could I build a big enough sump for less than 600, all plumbing included?
 
Oh ya you could build a sump for under 600 with all the plumbing. My 125g sump is around 600 with 10g of bio balls, 25l k1, 7kg bio home and a quiet one 1600 gph pump.
Just look for used tanks for a sump and used 30-40 gallon tanks to make baffles.
I think you may be a little over 600 once you get a decent pump but you will have a way better filter
 
Finding used tanks seems to be easy around here. Price can sometimes be a bit iffy. We bought the 125 w filter, heaters, lights, hood, stand etc, for 300. I put in sand, bought new filter media, I think I replaced the heater for safe side, painted the back, and off we went... Needed a good cleaning but I've never been afraid of work and used a shark to steam clean it. Now I'm looking for same or bigger and seeing 550 for the equivalent. Not bad but still a big enough difference.
 
20160119_192831.jpg
This is my DIY, internal filter on my 75 gallon.
The fluidized sand bed canister will handle a huge tank with a very small foot print.
The one baffle holds bio media, and filter floss.
The sump pump losses no head , $30 pump will move 1200 gph.
 
I think I'm not confused seeing that... Do you have a link to a diagram? Also, what makes it 600 bucks? Can't you use polyester quilt batting for filter floss, and bio balls are just a spot for bacteria to grow right? So wouldnt something else work as well?
 
600 is a ball park number. Yes bio balls is just a surface for bateria to grow on a good alternative is plastic pot scrubbies and a alternative for ceramic rings is 100% natural charcoal (lava rock).
My break down for my sump was
150 for tank
140 for bio balls
150 for k1
120 for bio home
145 for pump
605 total give or take it has been a few years since I built it and I had a heater

My other sump is a trike tower
Free 60 gallon tank
40 pot scrubbies
45 bio home
28 plastic storage container
75 heater
145 pump
40 plumbing
373 for a complete sump

I prefer my trickle tower it is alot easier to maintain
 
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