I've been stalking the classifieds in my area for a bit looking for a good deal on a tank and I found it - a 75 gal tank with stand for $60! I'm attaching a picture of the listing for the new tank, both to show what I got and to provide some context on my first question.
The tank previously housed cichlids and has some sand in it, so I'll definitely be cleaning out the sand, rinsing with ro/di and recaulking the seams, just in case.
My first question has to do with sump setup. I definitely want a sump, but the stand is not designed very well for that. There are 3 total sections, with the two sections on the end having doors. The interiors of those sections are ~14" x 15", which is smaller than even a standard 10 gal tank. From where I sit I can see two options.
Option 1: New stand
I can build a new stand myself out of 2x4s and the like with one continuous space underneath that would easily accommodate a 20 gal long tank as a sump. This would be the most straightforward from a sump design perspective, but would require some building on my part and convincing my wife who I think likes the looks of the current stand.
Option 2: Split sump
The other approach I could envision is a split sump design where the filtration happens on one side and there's a fuge on the other. This approach would require significantly more sump design work and finding containers to fit the existing footprint, but would not require building new furniture or convincing my wife.
If this was your tank, which approach would you choose? And do you have any suggestions for a container to use in the existing stand?
The tank previously housed cichlids and has some sand in it, so I'll definitely be cleaning out the sand, rinsing with ro/di and recaulking the seams, just in case.
My first question has to do with sump setup. I definitely want a sump, but the stand is not designed very well for that. There are 3 total sections, with the two sections on the end having doors. The interiors of those sections are ~14" x 15", which is smaller than even a standard 10 gal tank. From where I sit I can see two options.
Option 1: New stand
I can build a new stand myself out of 2x4s and the like with one continuous space underneath that would easily accommodate a 20 gal long tank as a sump. This would be the most straightforward from a sump design perspective, but would require some building on my part and convincing my wife who I think likes the looks of the current stand.
Option 2: Split sump
The other approach I could envision is a split sump design where the filtration happens on one side and there's a fuge on the other. This approach would require significantly more sump design work and finding containers to fit the existing footprint, but would not require building new furniture or convincing my wife.
If this was your tank, which approach would you choose? And do you have any suggestions for a container to use in the existing stand?