DIY AIO 40 Gallons - What do you this of this?

[Jessienzo]

Hello reefers!

 

I'm looking into upgrading my one year old Evo13.5 to a 40 gallons tank, even thought I said I would never need to go bigger.... Oh well. 

I would like to know what you think, and get some advices, concerning this project!

 

My current plan is:

- Seapora Crystal tank (30x18x18)

- Eheim CompactON 3000

- Tunze 9004

- 2 AI Prime HD

(And power heads and heater, of course)

 

This is de current design I made for the back chamber: 

 

 

[specore]

Think it needs to look more like this

 

[Jessienzo]

Thanks 🙂

But why only one wall? 

 

The first idea was to put the Tunze 9004 skimmer in the first chamber, heather in second, filtration media in 3rd, return pump and ATO in 4th. 

In the Evo, water comes from the bottom too.. 

[specore]

8 minutes ago, Jessienzo said:

Thanks 🙂

But why only one wall? 

 

The first idea was to put the Tunze 9004 skimmer in the first chamber, heather in second, filtration media in 3rd, return pump and ATO in 4th. 

In the Evo, water comes from the bottom too.. 

Because you design will allow the water level in the entire chamber to vary with evaporation.  You need a clearly defined return chamber so the wtaer level stays constant (even more than an ATO will provide, also have to plan for failure of the ATO) in the chambers holding the skimmer and heater.  Here is what happens with evap in yours vs mine

 

 

The key is this baffle, which determines the water level in the equipment chambers

 

 

 

[LogicalReefs]

8 minutes ago, Jessienzo said:

Thanks 🙂

But why only one wall? 

 

The first idea was to put the Tunze 9004 skimmer in the first chamber, heather in second, filtration media in 3rd, return pump and ATO in 4th. 

In the Evo, water comes from the bottom too.. 

I think he meant something like the Innovative Marine chambers.

[specore]

4 minutes ago, LogicalReefs said:

I think he meant something like the Innovative Marine chambers.

Which is pretty much like any AIO design I believe.

 

[Jessienzo]

Ok, I see what you mean!

I didn't really think of it mainly because my water level is constant with the ATO. 

 

I could maybe put filtration media right under the skimmer and the heather next to it and have only 2 chamber that way! 

[specore]

I would do this (baffles are in yellow, ignore the original walls) with media basket, skimmer, heater and return going from right to left.  ATO would also go in the return chamber, which I would leave as large as space allows. 

 

[specore]

[LogicalReefs]

18 minutes ago, specore said:

Which is pretty much like any AIO design I believe.

 

The EVO isn’t like that. Really poor design if you ask me. But pretty much like all the AIOs I guess.

[Jessienzo]

What about this? 

Specore, I like the last one you posted, I'll see if I can fit everything in like this! 🙂 

[mitten_reef]

4 minutes ago, Jessienzo said:

What about this? 

Specore, I like the last one you posted, I'll see if I can fit everything in like this! 🙂 

It looks like your definition is a bit different than what had been suggested...A "media (rack?)" would have a top shelf of filter floss to catch any large particulates.  Then other shelf/shelves can be added to provide some other filtration media/chemical absorber/carbon, etc.  

 

But in this design, it almost looks like your media is a bio-brick of sort.  

[Jessienzo]

Hmmm… yeah, this is more like a Microsoft Paint kind of brick.

 

I'll probably make a media rack to hold floss, carbon and phosphate absorber and make replacement easier.