looking for all-in-1 ideas for 120

[treesprite]

I never got my 120 finished and set up, because I was just too busy. So busy that I decided to go fishless, because I have no time for the extra maintenance that having fish creates. Now that the fish burden is gone, I'm actually more motivated to deal with the big tank, but want to stay on the track of keeping things more simple, without stuff plumbed outside of the tank.

So now I am wondering if I should just make it into an all-in-one. It is 120 gallon tank with a footprint of 48x24. Your ideas, suggestions, and info would be great to have.

Other than the divider and plumbing, my main issue is in regards to use of a protein skimmer. If I plan to put a skimmer in there, I will have to take up more footprint. However, I think that without fish food going into the tank, I can skip the skimmer altogether. If I do want to use a skimmer later, then I will just have to plumbing it outside of the tank.

I have considered maybe having either a built in ATS, or a big section of macros possibly behind a clear wall (have done it with other tanks, one was a 42 he with the back wall, another was a 38 with columns on the ends, another was just a 16 with just one end column).

As far as the plumbing goes for returning water to display area, I have a lot of thinking to do. I don't want to have to use power heads other than pumps behind the divider. I saw some advertising for a 120 all-in-one (was longer and shorter), which used 3 pumps each being something like 350gph, and had maybe 6 returns (I might be a little off on the numbers).

The divider would be acrylic/plexiglass. I don't know how thick or thin to use, and consideration can be given to the fact that the section walls will act as braces. I would probably order the stuff pre-cut into all the sizes I need, then bond them myself; I would do too crappy of a cutting job.

Holes would have to be drilled for returns; I have done a lot of glass drilling, but have never done acrylic, so I don't know what to do at the moment. I don't know how I would make the overflow holes/slots/whatever, I just know that I don't want waterfall noise.

That's all I can think of right now. I really hope some of you have some good ideas, suggestions, info, and even design plans if you have them.

Thanks.

 

[treesprite]

Seriously, no one has ideas for such a thing?

 

[Sharpimage]

I had a red Sea max, which had pumps in the rear section for water movement. They were more or less stationary powerhead. I would look at those tanks for some ideas

 

[treesprite]

How big was it?

I have had little luck in finding anything this big. There is a longer shorter 120 made by a company, but there aren't any good pictures of the compartments. I am also thinking more creatively than the standard AIO

 

[Sharpimage]

It was the red Sea max 500. 120 gallons or so. 4x2. It wasn't all aio, it had a sump. Just thought it might give you ideas

 

[treesprite]

I like the idea of being able to chose between using a sump and not using a sump, as the use of a tank changes over time. That brings up the debate I have with myself about skimmer space.

 

[treesprite]

The issue behind this, it that I am eventually going to have to move to a shared place, and will not have space for the extra containers. I may not even have space for the tank, but my chances with that are much better than if I have the other stuff separate.

 

[Gorgok]

A sump in a stand will not take more space than the tank with stand sans sump though...


To get a skimmer in an AIO you probably end up going external, which means plumbing and that probably will take up more room (at least if not pre-planned for like with a sump plan) or a hang on (which definitely take up more space).

A long narrow AIO also seems like a bad idea, to me at least, as all the compartments will be really thin to keep the tank from getting crowded. If i had to make an AIO out of something like that i'd make it a peninsula tank. Basically just a tiny 2 section sump tacked on the end (one with constant level, other not; size them as you see fit).

 

[treesprite]

I have tons of tank junk taking up space that I would put under the stand, which is currently scattered around between 2 closets and 6 large drawers; where I live, plus a couple bins in a rented storage unit. When I eventually move, I am not going to have this much space.

I was thinking not more than 5" for the back space, which would basically give me the dimensions of a 90 gallon tank (roughly 48Lx18Wx24H). My 1500gph pump will fit in that amount of space, and I can drill the inner wall for a closed loop for that pump (the tank is drilled for a CL, but I would feel safer this way). I would then use a smaller pump for returning water to the display area. I can always make stands for pumps.

I am planning to minimize fish bioload, so I may not even need a skimmer. Definitely not doing a HOT skimmer. I think I could find a skimmer to fit that space if I really need to have one.

My problem is, I keep coming up with tank ideas that mean having external components.