Filtering a small 300 gallon rubbermaid ideas

[Bgonz]

I need to set up my 300 gallon "cattle bucket" pretty quickly and I'm looking for some very efficient filtering ideas for a 3' RTC. I have made garbage can filters, rubbermaid bin filters,55/75 gallon wet/dry filters before, I even dabbled with acrylic and sand filters but I just want some ideas on something simple and efficient. I am thinking of just putting 2 - 1.5" bulkheads in the side and dump the water into another 70 gallon rubbermaid I have with some buckets of some sort of bio media, then just pump it back in. Is it easier to just buy a good pond filter and run that ??? Whatever I buy or build will also have to work when I upgrade the pond to around 800 gallons or so. I'm not afraid to spend money but i just want something simple. My fishroom is already out of control and I cringe at the thought of more pumps and heaters.


Dont be bashful......I asked for ideas. I have some ideas in my head but lets see what you have done.


Thanks much




bob

 

[gasser]

Since you are a DIY kind of person why not build you a nice stand just tall enough to put another 100 gallon tub under it. Then build you a PVC overflow pipe that extends up to the surface to surface skim through the bottom of your big tub. This would then spray via gravity to the tub below through a spray bar over some Wet/dry media into the bottom like a sump. Put a submersible pump in there and pump back up to the tank above. Simple, and if there is a leak, it will just leak into the sump below. When you want a bigger pond you can use the same spray bar wet/dry for the larger tank as it will be plenty big.
One note as I have been using these rubermaid tubs for years, be sure to put some silicone glue or grease around your bulkhead as they are prone to leaking for sure. The plastic is very slick and is not completly smooth and its hard to get a seal around the gasket. Its can be done as mine have not leaked for the last 5 years but you need the glue. I even have the bulkheads in the bottom sealed with silicone so don't forget that one if you use it.

Good luck with your DIY project and please post pics when done. There are a million ways to do this just use your imagination.

Right now I use two 100 gallon tubs for my sumps and I have a spare 300 gallon I am not using right now for future breeding projects for feeders if need be. It was my refugium in my old reef tank when I had it.

Jeff

 

[Bderick67]

Maybe consider building an overhead filter. This way you would not have to build a stand to elevate the 300g of the ground. You would howver have to build something for the filter.