New tank clossed loop

[JKM]

Hi guys,
I'm looking to have a new tank built and the clossed loop method of filtration is very appealing to me. The tank will be 110cm x 55cm x 50cm, but I may change these measurements if you guys suggest better measurements to get a better visually deep looking tank.
With filtration, how many holes should I have drilled into the bottom of the tank and what size bulkheads? I want to run CO2 inline and a heater as well. I have an Aquamedic oceanrunner PH2500 needle wheel from my 120 that just cracked , I'm unsure if I could run this PH inline and whether I'd require another hole to be drilled for it. For filtration I'm thinking FX5 as they are readily available and the larger ehiem classics are nowhere to be found.
What do you guru's think about it? Any plumbing suggestions or overall suggestions?
Cheers,
JK

 

[Biollante]

Welcome! We are Not So Much Rude As Confused

Hi JK,

Maybe we should try another way; I do not think we know how to answer.


Can you elaborate on “visually deep?”

• There are all kinds of ways to get more depth, I am assuming you mean front to back,
• the obvious answer is to increase the width of the tank.
• Colors, texture, cork, rock, plants and lighting all affect our perception of depth.
  

As for physical size, it is hard to go wrong with a 1.6 height to width ratio. So perhaps if the tank width is 50-centimeters then perhaps a height of 80-centimeters works.

• The problem here becomes one of mechanics, can you reach stuff[SUP]1[/SUP].
• As an evil plant monster with odd size tanks[SUP]2[/SUP],
• I can tell you that figuring out how you are going to deal with routine maintenance,
  
  • sick, injured and generally uncooperative critters along with the unforeseen stuff, before you build is a good idea.

1. What kind of space do you have?
2. Are you also having a stand or cabinet made?
3. What about lighting?
4. Preferences on habitat, plants or critters?
   
   

An obvious answer to the holes drilled for a closed loop system would be two, but as always there are more variables.

• How much water on the floor can you tolerate? As a “for-instance.”

I avoid giving advice on aesthetics, as taking artistic design advice from an evil plant monster is a notoriously bad idea.


Biollante
[SUP]1[/SUP]According to a man named Pythagoras the reach will be around 94-centimeters.
[SUP]2[/SUP]Many built-in and/or “homemade” tanks to fit a particular space or use available materials.

 

[JKM]

Thanks for the reply.
By visually deep I did mean width, but I didn't want the tank to look "odd". I've decided to go with 120cm x 55cm x 45cm, I have a tank currently which is 80cm high, let's just say I've learnt my lesson lol. Any thoughts on these dimensions?

I will build a stand for the tank, I'm going to try to make a DIY ADA stand.

Lighting will be T5no's or T5HO's suspended to give me 40-60 umol at the substrate. After playing around with higher light, and taking recommendations to try medium-low light, I've gotten better results at lower light.

I'm starting to debate whether I should actually drill the tank, I can always drill it later, and drilling it now kind of forces me to build the stand and figure out the plumbing. Because I'm thinking of using an FX5, I've read that they don't do to well in closed loop systems because their impeller is on the bottom of the canister.

 

[Charles Crews]

I have a 140 gal which is drilled twice, with two 3/4inch bulkheads running to a FX5. Works perfect, after the FX5 the water is plumbed through a PVC reactor and back into the tank via a 3 foot long spraybar.

I say do it all exactly right the first time, half the fun of a new tank is all the planning and design that goes into it. Anyone can put water is a glass square its all the design and thought we put into our tanks that make them our own.

 

[Charles Crews]

One other thing, you might build an overflow box around where you drill. I know depending on how you do it it can look a bit unsightly but its a nice safety net. I know if something fails on my tank I'm only going to lose about 15-20 of the 140 gallons of water that are in there.