Need a reliable filter

[SammieT]

Looking for a reliable submersible filter system for my fish tank coffee table. I don't have much room for anything to HOB (gaps are too small) so trying to find a way to convert my current fresh water table to salt water. I cannot add any coral due to the lighting being underneath.. so plan on going Fish and live rock only. Any suggestions?

Here's a picture of the table at the moment.

 

[ericarenee]

I would right in the middle of this tank. Build a internal sump out of Black acrylic You can have it water tight with a bottom to just sit in there. Inside have a heater water pump and bio filtration.. There may also be a way to add lighting there as well..
I Think it would look great by just stacking live rock around it to hide and it could surface skim all the way around... I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE Such a tank.

 

[SammieT]

I would right in the middle of this tank. Build a internal sump out of Black acrylic You can have it water tight with a bottom to just sit in there. Inside have a heater water pump and bio filtration.. There may also be a way to add lighting there as well..
I Think it would look great by just stacking live rock around it to hide and it could surface skim all the way around... I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE Such a tank.

Only problem is I get paranoid w/ cutting anything in the tank. Freaks me out if something goes wrong.. the top of the tank is glass and the rest of the tank is acrylic

 

[ericarenee]

Only problem is I get paranoid w/ cutting anything in the tank. Freaks me out if something goes wrong.. the top of the tank is glass and the rest of the tank is acrylic

You do not have to cut anything.. Just build a much smaller tank. JUST Like the one you have say 5 to 8 or 10-12 inches Out of acrylic (i would use black). YOU CAN DO it square or make it match your tanks curves.. Build it with sump chambers inside You may even want to build 3 sides of it to reach the top of your tank and only one side at the water level to skim the surface.. Built it water tight and Just Silicone it to the bottom of your tank when you empty the tank to convert it.. The silicone will hold it if you cover the whole surface lightly and weight it for day. just the suction alone will hold it. Once its up and running it will be more then half full of water..

I can see it in my head and would be Awesome Same as a small sump in the back of a bio cube or sump below a reef tank..
Your live rock and sand will do the bio filtration. the one you build will be for water movement and mechanical filtration. Surface skimming.

 

[ericarenee]

Ohh As far as lighting you could maybe find some type of decor that is hollow on the bottom to hide some led lights...that sit on the coffee table. You would have to hide the wires just have them all go across and inside some type of wire channel and down with the wires for the internal sump.. i have seen this before somewhere.

 

[SammieT]

Ohh As far as lighting you could maybe find some type of decor that is hollow on the bottom to hide some led lights...that sit on the coffee table. You would have to hide the wires just have them all go across and inside some type of wire channel and down with the wires for the internal sump.. i have seen this before somewhere.

Not sure if it would look nice lighting wise in the top of the coffee table. Ask for the equipment wiring, the bottom of the tank got a 3 inch gap to run underneath is that goes to a little hole on the edge of the tank

 

[ericarenee]

Not sure if it would look nice lighting wise in the top of the coffee table. Ask for the equipment wiring, the bottom of the tank got a 3 inch gap to run underneath is that goes to a little hole on the edge of the tank

aww the tank itself is acrylic. i should have known that from the rounded corners.. So yea i would build it in the center of the tank Drill a hole for wiring TO PASS threw under the tank . As far as lighting. You are kinda limited to some kind of led that is going to impede on your downward view of the tank. I see no way around that. Maybe some submersible lights but run them around the top rim of the tank somehow .

There is not going to be a Commercial product for this. will have to be custom made no matter what. unless you have a basement under the tank then put a small interneal over flow and sump below it..

 

[SammieT]

aww the tank itself is acrylic. i should have known that from the rounded corners.. So yea i would build it in the center of the tank Drill a hole for wiring TO PASS threw under the tank . As far as lighting. You are kinda limited to some kind of led that is going to impede on your downward view of the tank. I see no way around that. Maybe some submersible lights but run them around the top rim of the tank somehow .

There is not going to be a Commercial product for this. will have to be custom made no matter what. unless you have a basement under the tank then put a small interneal over flow and sump below it..

See, that was the issue.. drilling the tank... always think something will go wrong on that..

the top part of the tank is the only glass piece which is 1/4 thick

 

[Sk8r]

You don't have to alter the tank in any way. Some equipment can fit in a pile of rocks. I would advise lowlight corals, really, with a topoff line marked: salinity varies with evaporation, and critters don't like bouncing salinity. You'll evaporate slowly with that lid, but it will evaporate. My advice would be some very, very small fish, like blennies, gobies, that won't poop much and that will partly nosh on stray algae. Shrimp would be ok. And install a couple of recirculating pumps, one aimed at the surface. Anything with a heavy protein diet is not going to work well: the water would turn to toxic soup.

 

[SammieT]

You don't have to alter the tank in any way. Some equipment can fit in a pile of rocks. I would advise lowlight corals, really, with a topoff line marked: salinity varies with evaporation, and critters don't like bouncing salinity. You'll evaporate slowly with that lid, but it will evaporate. My advice would be some very, very small fish, like blennies, gobies, that won't poop much and that will partly nosh on stray algae. Shrimp would be ok. And install a couple of recirculating pumps, one aimed at the surface. Anything with a heavy protein diet is not going to work well: the water would turn to toxic soup.

And concerning a skimmer?

 

[ericarenee]

See, that was the issue.. drilling the tank... always think something will go wrong on that..

the top part of the tank is the only glass piece which is 1/4 thick

Then i would say your best bed is a simple internal center filter so to speak. If your tank has lighting under the center in the bottom you would need to move it or just let the box black it out. or make the bottom of the sump clear and use it to grow chato micro algae ..

 

[billdogg]

Because it will be FOWLR, the lighting really doesn't matter too much - the fish certainly won't care. How about a string of LED's around the perimeter, just under the glass but outside the tank itself?

I agree completely with making a central "sump" area. Because the tank is acrylic, you can just use weldon to fuse it to the existing bottom of the tank so that it will be watertight. Wires for heater and return pump can be run through a hole inside the sump area and out the bottom. This is one instance where I can see bioballs actually being put to good use!

 

[SammieT]

Then i would say your best bed is a simple internal center filter so to speak. If your tank has lighting under the center in the bottom you would need to move it or just let the box black it out. or make the bottom of the sump clear and use it to grow chato micro algae ..

Originally the tank does not have lighting at all. All it is basically is clear underneath and a LED light with a timer that flows light from under the tank to inside

 

[SammieT]

Because it will be FOWLR, the lighting really doesn't matter too much - the fish certainly won't care. How about a string of LED's around the perimeter, just under the glass but outside the tank itself?

I agree completely with making a central "sump" area. Because the tank is acrylic, you can just use weldon to fuse it to the existing bottom of the tank so that it will be watertight. Wires for heater and return pump can be run through a hole inside the sump area and out the bottom. This is one instance where I can see bioballs actually being put to good use!

You could actually use a string on the outside of the tank, but the lighting won't exactly cover the entire tank. Might just throw off and light everything behind it.. here are the choices

 

[SammieT]

You don't have to alter the tank in any way. Some equipment can fit in a pile of rocks. I would advise lowlight corals, really, with a topoff line marked: salinity varies with evaporation, and critters don't like bouncing salinity. You'll evaporate slowly with that lid, but it will evaporate. My advice would be some very, very small fish, like blennies, gobies, that won't poop much and that will partly nosh on stray algae. Shrimp would be ok. And install a couple of recirculating pumps, one aimed at the surface. Anything with a heavy protein diet is not going to work well: the water would turn to toxic soup.

What kind of filter exactly though?

 

[SammieT]

No update? Lol.

 

[ericarenee]

i see you have a 1 1/2 inch gap there. A Hang on the back filter might fit. But not sure how it would look with a 360 deg view able tank...

 

[SammieT]

i see you have a 1 1/2 inch gap there. A Hang on the back filter might fit. But not sure how it would look with a 360 deg view able tank...

Wouldn't look that great, and the the glass top sticks out a 3-5 inches over the tank

 

[ericarenee]

Wouldn't look that great, and the the glass top sticks out a 3-5 inches over the tank

yea that is why Internal in the center is the best option. A Mini sump if you will.. From the measurements you just posted you could do this with maybe a small octigon tank ..

 

[SammieT]

yea that is why Internal in the center is the best option. A Mini sump if you will.. From the measurements you just posted you could do this with maybe a small octigon tank ..

On the inside, right? No other way?