Filtration/flow ideas for 370g setup?

[HillFish]

Hi there! I got a great deal on a custom made 370g all glass tank. It's 10 feet long and 3 feet high. It has one overflow in the back left corner and just the one hole drilled for filtration. Yep, just the one hole. A local fish store owner (whose knowledge I typically respect) seemed to think this would be a huge problem and that we'd have to drill more holes along the whole thing for proper flow, since one jet won't push water across 10 ft. I'd like to think the people who made it had something in mind, but since I got it second hand (although never been used), I don't know who they are to ask them!

I'd like to think that a Fluval 400g filter would be enough, maybe with a few jets set up across the back, but I'm open to suggestions!

I need ideas for filtration and water flow - economically. I'm expecting to spend a few hundred bucks, but the fish store guy seemed to think I couldn't set it all up for less than $1500. I'm skeptical.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice? Thanks!

Hopefully I can set it up asap, since my fish are outgrowing their 125g and 75 g tanks. I want to transfer them all to the 370.

 

[HillFish]

I had it wrong, actually. The LFS wasn't suggesting we drill more holes for drainage. The idea was to add 3-4 overflows using pvc. So we would have a pvc line along the bottom/back of the tank with 3-4 pipes coming up the back from that to a point where the water would overflow into the stand-pipes and drain together.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[iloveoscars702]

you should just add an overflow on the right corner and in the center

 

[Just Toby]

Surely the one hole can feed a sump. You can then chose to ad external cannisers if you want more drain.

You can easily add flow by using powerheads or the newer versions that are used for marines.

If you suck from one end using the hole and then return to the other it simply must flow from one end to the other, it cannot do anything else.

 

[Toby_H]

I had it wrong, actually. The LFS wasn't suggesting we drill more holes for drainage. The idea was to add 3-4 overflows using pvc. So we would have a pvc line along the bottom/back of the tank with 3-4 pipes coming up the back from that to a point where the water would overflow into the stand-pipes and drain together.

That approach could work if propperly planned... or could establish a siphon sucking water from the bottom fo the tank which would drain the tank completely if/when the power to the return pump is turned off...


I'm not sure how much it would cost your LFS guy to filter that sucker, but I could do it for a lot les than $1500...

I don't want to say anything against your LFS guy, but always be skeptical taking advice from someone who will profit off of you taking their advice...


Hydor Koralia powerheads work great at making flow in the bottom fo the tank... powerheads are generally an eyesore but place them logically to be placed behind decor...

 

[HillFish]

Hey all, thanks for your suggestions/help.

I actually talked to another guy out here that said the Fluval FX5 (for a 400gal tank) would work. That's originally the filter I was planning to use but had concerns about whether it would push the water 10 feet along the tank.

He suggested attaching black PVC as a return and running it across the top and drilling holes in the PVC, alternating the direction of the holes (one drilled to spray down, the next to spray out, etc.), and felt that should be enough.

What do you guys think?

 

[HillFish]

you should just add an overflow on the right corner and in the center

Do you mean drilling/building additional ones? If so, I don't think I can do that or even get it done.

If you mean using the PVC method then that's the idea my LFS had, but he suggested adding one or two in addition to one in the corner and one in the center.

Thanks!

 

[HillFish]

That approach could work if propperly planned... or could establish a siphon sucking water from the bottom fo the tank which would drain the tank completely if/when the power to the return pump is turned off...


I'm not sure how much it would cost your LFS guy to filter that sucker, but I could do it for a lot les than $1500...

I don't want to say anything against your LFS guy, but always be skeptical taking advice from someone who will profit off of you taking their advice...

Yeah, I hear you. I think the original $1500 estimate was something he mentioned at first, before really thinking about how it could be done more economically. By the end he was saying I'd be looking at about $600, including a strong pump.

Hydor Koralia powerheads work great at making flow in the bottom fo the tank... powerheads are generally an eyesore but place them logically to be placed behind decor...

Thanks for the recommendation. I was thinking powerheads would help with the flow. I may have to add some regardless.

 

[Toby_H]

I ran a Bio Force 2000 pressurized pond filter on indoor aquariums for several years and was quite impressed with it...

It gave me just over double the media capacity and just under double the flow rate of an FX5... for the same price tag...

If you search this forum (search function) for "bioforce 2000" you'll find many threads where I describe my experience with it in great detail

 

[HillFish]

Awesome thanks!