This is my first DIY post so please be easy on me. It may seem like a stupid idea but I liked the out of sight factor.

I was thinking about purchasing a Koralia to increase the flow in my tank but ultimately didn't want to spend the money and didn't want something large messing up the look of my tank. I like the Koralias and might turn to that later on if I find a good price on one in the forums but this seemed like a viable solution. It's not completely done yet and I plan on tweaking it a bit to get it exactly as I would like. I apologize for not having photos of the process of putting it all together, I was a little excited to get started and didn't think anyone would care to see until I was done and was proud of my simple accomplishment.

Tools:
Scissors (for cutting tubing and Foodsaver bag)
Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer (for sealing killswitch from water)
Wire cutters

Supplies:
2 1/2" vinyl T connectors - 2.50
2 1/2" vinyl threaded connector (to screw into pump for connection to hosing and cap off) - 1.30
1 1/2" brass threaded cap (to cap the end of the hosing, screws into previous purchase) - 2.40
1 10' length of 1/2" clear vinyl hosing (had about 3 feet leftover) - 3.20
1 320gph pump - Already had, probably 30 and up depending on brand you get
1 Electric killswitch - Already had, probably 2 or 3 at an electronics store
1 Extension cord (to wire killswitch into) - Already had
1 Roll of electrical tape - Already had
1 Box of wire nuts (only needed a few) - Already had
1 Tube of aquarium sealant - Already had but probably 3 or 4 at your hardware store

I started by laying out the hose on the top of the lid, knowing where the hose had to go by looking inside of the hood ahead of time. I then cut the hose about where I expected the T connectors to go and the cap. I have a pic I got off of the internet of the inside of a stock hood to give you an idea. If you have one, you probably get the idea from when you've looked under the hood or when you set it up.


A photo of the inside of the hood. The yellow is where the hosing is wedged, and white is where the vinyl T connector is slightly submersed in the water when the lid is on.


A photo of what it looks like from the front. I plan to get a different color later than white but it works for now while I have this setup initially.


View of left T connector looking down through the lid


View of right T connector looking down through the lid


A view of the hose coming out of the second chamber from the pump leading up into the left side of the hood


Shows the cap that ends the circuit of hose


Shows where the end of the circuit hangs over the wall between chambers 1 and 2 with all filter media removed. This is only hanging over temporarily until I make sure it isn't going to leak. I filled the end of the tube with aquarium sealant but to avoid that pushing out or in the case of a crack, the brass cap will keep it from moving or leaking hopefully. An annoyance originally was when water overflowed from chamber 1 to 2 it caused bubbles which occasionally got sucked into the pump and filled the tank with small bubbles. To avoid this I laid upright the media rack that generally would lay over chamber 2 and the water gently trickles down that. It is only temporary but thought I'd explain why it's there.


The only thing I don't have a picture of at the moment is the kill switch. Since it's electrical and I wanted to be safe, I vacuum sealed it in a Foodsaver bag (the bags pork steaks come in usually) and cut a small hole to put wires through and then sealed over the wires again to avoid leaking. I attached this between the hood and rim of the tank. This is incase I forget or someone else happens to raise the lid for whatever reason, it kills the pump to avoid a huge mess. Since the tubing is wedged in the lid (later to be attached), it would come up as well and presumably make a huge mess... not testing this theory since my tank is in a carpeted area. Incase you're wondering where it's wedged, it is in between the plastic covering the bulbs and the side of the hood, and thus far, heat hasn't been an issue.

Goals:
1. The tubing has a tendency to kink when not wedged away from the side of the lid above chamber 3 when it starts going between the plastic bulb cover and hood edge. Currently I have a turkey baster pump part wedging it away which was all I had right by my tank when assembling this. they make tubing runs that keeps hoses from kinking that I'll probably get. They only run around 2.50 each at my local hardware store.

2. Attach the hosing better to the lid. Although it stays wedged where it is at pretty well, I'd just like some more insurance on it staying where it should. If you noticed you can slightly see the hose in the water when looking at the front of the tank from a lower view, the second view I believe, this would also help that problem.

3. Current redirection tubing to make my current a little more precise in where it's shooting, just personal preference. The way it's working now is pretty satisfactory... this isn't a big deal for me at the moment.

4. Move the pump to chamber 3 so I can avoid the bubble issue and reposition my media rack horizontally again. This is also so I can start on changing chamber 2 into a fuge soon after this is all said and done. The only thing holding me back is making sure the level in 3 will stay above where it would need to be and keeping the hose from kinking at such a sharp angle.

5. Add 2 more T connectors to have 2 more jets, each in the back corners hitting the back wall and back of rock formation that's currently in there. Not sure my pump is powerful enough to handle 4 releases.

6. Add Y connector coming from the pump so it is a round circuit making the pressure from each release more equal. The two current releases are slightly different in pressure coming out. Under 15gph difference if I had to guess... more of just a nit pick thing and not a big deal at all.

7. Add valves to be able to control the flow of each jet. This is mostly for later as I get different corals and inverts that might like a little lighter of flow.

8. I wouldn't mind making it out of a harder piping like PVC so it's more solid and no worrying about the kinks. The only downside I'm seeing with this is that many of the joints I've found for PVC and similar materials is that the turns are 90 degrees which would kill my pressure a lot, requiring a bigger, more powerful, and most concerning, more expensive pump. This might happen later on though, but would prove more difficult to attach to the lid without flexible tubing at the hinge of the hood and tank.


I am open to all comments, suggestions, and resources anyone out there might have for me to make this better. Let's just consider this more of an alpha build for me right now... not quite fully tweaked and ready and I have a feeling I might have forgotten something I'll probably have to edit in later. I also wouldn't mind any links to other examples of this in the AIO tanks. Thanks for looking and hope this inspires someone out there to make something great.

I first saw the idea of a manifold to replace the unsightliness of powerheads in tanks from Anthony Calfo.
I set up a 10 gallon tank using the idea and it's worked fairly well for several years. I used 1/2" PVC and threaded barbed fittings but it isn't really any different than your setup. Your challenge was fitting it into a hood, and quite a challenge that is!
One thing I found is that with too small of piping you either have to use an oversized pump to push the water or accept a reduced flow. Also, using clear plastic tubing will soon result in restriction of flow due to bacteria and algae growing inside the tubing.

Here's a shot of mine in construction

and 4 years, some neglect and some growth. It's the home of a goby shrimp pair emulation of an acro thicket.

Do you plan on removing the brass cap after silicone has set? Brass has copper = bad for tank

I also agree on the clear tubing = bad. It'll just fill up with algae.

I think you could do this pretty easy with 1/2" CPVC (smaller than standard 1/2" pvc). To avoid pressure differences between the nozzles, split it at/near the pump then feed sepperately to each nozzle, or just make a fully connected loop.

If not, most Home Depots & Lowes sell black vinyl tubing in certain sizes which you can run exactly as you have now.

+35254201654 on removing the brass cap ASAP, it will kill inverts PDQ.

+1 on brass = bad

I didn't read the entire thing but did notice that you are sealing a switch in a foodsaver bag. If this is long term than you will want to consider another option. A vacuum seal will only be water tight for "X" amount of months, it is not long term per the manufacture. What that time frame is depends.

I really like your setup yardboy, looks awesome from the front view.

I do think it will be difficult to fit the PVC in the hood since I have such limited space. The tubing barely wedges in the hood around the plastic light cover as it is, but I am going to try to find some rather small PVC that will fit and not obstruct flow.

For the suggestion of non-transparent tubing/piping, do you all think it will be an issue of algae with the water moving so much constantly? I hope to get non-clear tubing/piping soon, but this was more of a mockup/alpha to test to make sure it'd work just fine.

As far as the brass cap goes, the water isn't touching the brass AT ALL, it is only there currently for the purpose of keeping the pressure from pushing the sealant out the end of the tube. I have plans to remove it when I make a complete circuit of the tubing. I am only using the brass cap since it was all they had available at the 4 local hardware stores at the moment. Do you all think it will hurt the tank since it's not actually touching any over the water in the aquarium? Cap is hanging out the back hole that is for wiring above chamber 1.

Thanks again for all your replies and input! Keep it coming it you have any more advice!