Wow cool didn't think of that. IMO. But I would have drilled the tank, got 5g tank, pump, pluming, and rock. Four around say $60 at the most.
But at least If you do get a sump for your tank, you got something to run carbon in.
Nice to hear It's coming along good then.
We REALLY thought about it, but we wanted to keep the chances of an overflow to a minimum. We're not planning on a huge bioload. I think it'll be a percula, bi-color pseudochromin, a small goby and maybe a flame hawk. That's pretty much it.
If we had more room in the apartment and could set up the tank further away from the $2000 Sony Bravia (), then we probably would have considered doing something with a 10-15 gallon sump. Of course, if we had more room, the tank would have been 55 gallons with a 29 gallon sump. But in our current living situation, there is a lot to be said about simplicity.
I also see that it has one with a Protein skimmer built in? What do you think about that skimmer?
LOL. Good thing you didn't go with the Aquafuge PS! I just saw this product pic today, where it is really evident that the integrated skimmer and fuge design allows microbubbles to escape back to the display.
LOL. Good thing you didn't go with the Aquafuge PS! I just saw this product pic today, where it is really evident that the integrated skimmer and fuge design allows microbubbles to escape back to the display.
Yeah. Like I said in another post, I just got a little concerned with the amount of weight an Aquafuge would put on the back of my tank. At 29 gallons, it weighs about 300 pounds or so. Having 40 hanging off the back seems a tad scary in the event of a small earthquake (I live in Cal). There were units available that were factory seconds for around $105 after s&h. That's not much more than the $50 I spent on my "mini fuge" when you take into account the total cost of the tank. But with all the live rock and live sand along with a protein skimmer built for a tank twice the size of mine, I figured a small fuge would be sufficient. The only downside is there is a ton of crap hanging in my tank. lol.
Would this light be enough to take care of my little mini-fuge (55-60 gallon powerfilter emptied out with live sand and rock inside instead)? I want to be able to grow some macroalgae and was wondering if this little guy is enough light for it.
Yeah. Like I said in another post, I just got a little concerned with the amount of weight an Aquafuge would put on the back of my tank. At 29 gallons, it weighs about 300 pounds or so. Having 40 hanging off the back seems a tad scary in the event of a small earthquake (I live in Cal).
I'm in SoCal, so I definitely know what your concern. If I had an Aquafuge, I would probably support the bottom using a 4x4 (or stacked 2x2's) laying across the back of my stand, using a piece of 3/4" plywood under the tank to create a 4" ledge in back. Lifting the Aquafuge up just enough to take the weight off . This assumes that you have a 4" ledge on the back of your stand, which you probably don't, and I probably wouldn't either unless I was planned to have an HOBrefugium.
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The only downside is there is a ton of crap hanging in my tank. lol.
Ideally, you would have a false wall or surface skimming tower/box to conceal the pumps. For example, you could place your Bak Pak on the left end so the output is in the left corner, your power filter refugium to the far right end so the output is in the right corner. In the center, to conceal the intake of both the Bak Pak and Aqueon you could have a long overflow troth (with teeth) that would double as a surface skimmer. If it was long enough, your heater could also be concealed in this troth.
Alternatively (if you had gone with an Aquafuge or similar), it may be possible to plumb the Bak Pak output into the Aquafuge, thus removing one pump and one outlet from the display.
Can a heater be installed into the left chamber of the Bak Pak? It would reduce display clutter, and would keep the heater from harming the more delicate inverts.
Yeah, but I just don't get the price of the EcoSystem. Same functionality as the Aquafuge, more wasted space (bio-balls?, and twice the price (albeit with fixture).
I really liked the Sapphire Aquatics fuge (even though it was small), complete with carbon chamber and light - but they went OOB. You could drop in their adorable skimmer (or not), or they even offered to custom build models without the skimmer compartment to enlarge the fuge. I was considering asking the owner to build me a custom fuge 50% larger.
I'm in SoCal, so I definitely know what your concern. If I had an Aquafuge, I would probably support the bottom using a 4x4 (or stacked 2x2's) laying across the back of my stand, using a piece of 3/4" plywood under the tank to create a 4" ledge in back. Lifting the Aquafuge up just enough to take the weight off . This assumes that you have a 4" ledge on the back of your stand, which you probably don't, and I probably wouldn't either unless I was planned to have an HOBrefugium.
Ideally, you would have a false wall or surface skimming tower/box to conceal the pumps. For example, you could place your Bak Pak on the left end so the output is in the left corner, your power filter refugium to the far right end so the output is in the right corner. In the center, to conceal the intake of both the Bak Pak and Aqueon you could have a long overflow troth (with teeth) that would double as a surface skimmer. If it was long enough, your heater could also be concealed in this troth.
Alternatively (if you had gone with an Aquafuge or similar), it may be possible to plumb the Bak Pak output into the Aquafuge, thus removing one pump and one outlet from the display.
Can a heater be installed into the left chamber of the Bak Pak? It would reduce display clutter, and would keep the heater from harming the more delicate inverts.
Yeah, but I just don't get the price of the EcoSystem. Same functionality as the Aquafuge, more wasted space (bio-balls?, and twice the price (albeit with fixture).
I really liked the Sapphire Aquatics fuge (even though it was small), complete with carbon chamber and light - but they went OOB. You could drop in their adorable skimmer (or not), or they even offered to custom build models without the skimmer compartment to enlarge the fuge. I was considering asking the owner to build me a custom fuge 50% larger.
I went through all sorts of ideas in my head to reduce the clutter, but they all involved various tricks and gimmicks so to speak that would leave my tank in a position of vulnerability I wasn't comfortable with. I suppose I could put my heater in the left chamber of the Bak Pak. My only concern is if the bak pak goes out for some reason, the fish freeze. At least with the heater in the tank, it would HAVE to be the heater going out.
I also considered the Bak Pak output into a fuge. My idea was to hang it on the right side of the tank so it would flow right into the fuge. I worry about plumbing the Bak Pak into the fuge in a way where it requires an upswing in the pipe to get it to the fuge. Not sure the water would make it. If it was a simple hanging on the right side of the tank and right side of the fuge, it'd probably work well, except that I'd have to prop the skimmer up real high to get it to drop into the fuge seeing as it's already raised above tank level.
The ideal situation would be if I was handy with creating plexiglass boxes. I would create a box that was about 3 inches taller than my tank and about 8 inches less on the length. Make it about 3 inches wide and put some clamps on it to hold to the tank up top and a hole at the top to let the water flow back in. There's about 2 inches behind my tank on the stand that could at least support the weight.
The ideal situation would be if I was handy with creating plexiglass boxes. I would create a box that was about 3 inches taller than my tank and about 8 inches less on the length. Make it about 3 inches wide and put some clamps on it to hold to the tank up top and a hole at the top to let the water flow back in. There's about 2 inches behind my tank on the stand that could at least support the weight.
An alternative may be to get an opaque Polyethylene or Polypropylene container from a company like Tank Depot. They sell just about any dimension, with lids (minimum 4" width), such as 18"L x 4"W x 18"H (5.6g). Runs about $43. They have a cool calculator where you just punch in the dimensions and it finds a tank for you.
Drill two holes for bulkheads just above display height, and your good to go.
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I also considered the Bak Pak output into a fuge. My idea was to hang it on the right side of the tank so it would flow right into the fuge.
We're on the same page. I was thinking of that too...
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I worry about plumbing the Bak Pak into the fuge in a way where it requires an upswing in the pipe to get it to the fuge. Not sure the water would make it. If it was a simple hanging on the right side of the tank and right side of the fuge, it'd probably work well, except that I'd have to prop the skimmer up real high to get it to drop into the fuge seeing as it's already raised above tank level.
Again looking at the last page of the CPR Bak Pak document, it appears as if the outlet pipe and bulkhead can be dissasembled. If so, I'm thinking that the outlet pipe can be rotated 90 degrees to point to the left, and then the skimmer output could simply be routed (with 2 elbows and a two short straight pieces of pvc) into a fuge inlet bulkhead without having the water go down and then up.
Just throwing out ideas in case you determine that the Aqueon isn't cutting it...
An alternative may be to get an opaque Polyethylene or Polypropylene container from a company like Tank Depot. They sell just about any dimension, with lids (minimum 4" width), such as 18"L x 4"W x 18"H (5.6g). Runs about $43. They have a cool calculator where you just punch in the dimensions and it finds a tank for you.
Drill two holes for bulkheads just above display height, and your good to go.
We're on the same page. I was thinking of that too...
Again looking at the last page of the CPR Bak Pak document, it appears as if the outlet pipe and bulkhead can be dissasembled. If so, I'm thinking that the outlet pipe can be rotated 90 degrees to point to the left, and then the skimmer output could simply be routed (with 2 elbows and a two short straight pieces of pvc) into a fuge inlet bulkhead without having the water go down and then up.
Just throwing out ideas in case you determine that the Aqueon isn't cutting it...
Allow me to give you a big THANK YOU! Those are some terrific ideas.
), then we probably would have considered doing something with a 10-15 gallon 
But in our current living situation, there is a lot to be said about simplicity.
You could drop in their adorable 