Coast to Coast on 300 gallon- Inside or Out?

[Tigé21v]

Looking to order a 300 (72x36x27), and I want to go with a Calfo overflow. I'd like it to be able to handle upwards of 3000 GPH, in case I choose to go with that high of a flow rate.
I can't decide if I should go fully external (and have the back glass cut the length of the tank) or build one internally out of black glass, maybe 1 1/2"-2" wide, with a couple of 1 1/2"holes drilled to the one side for drainage.
Either way, I'm planning on building a glass box and attaching to the outside of the tank to run the drain plumbing through, probably using Herbie/BeanAnimal layout.
While I'd prefer to go fully external with the back of the tank cut, I'm not sure how that would affect the tank's integrity. If it should happen to bow, even ever so slightly, it would break the plumbing box away from the tank and spell disaster.
Anyone with experiences and/or opinions?
Thanks

 

[jimroth]

Mine is inside and I now wish it was outside. It's very hard to keep clean since the overflow gets coated on both sides. It's 5" by 5" and it does cast a pretty good shadow. The best thing about it is I can grow frags in it, there's a huge flow which causes them to encrust rapidly.