To Modify Or Not. . .

[Rynofasho]

I'm picking up a 75 gallon today with stand and everything and it's in good shape. It currently has an Emperor 400 for filtration which isn't enough, and I have planned on getting an external.

The problem is in the stand design - there is a shelf on the bottom and when the actual closed in cabinets begin, there is only 14" of space (height) which pretty much gives me no options on canisters.

I personally am not a fan of Emperors due to the inflexibility of media options, and I really wanted to go canister. My other option was to put either two AC70s or two AC110s on it, but I will have floating plants as well as others, and some fish that won't dig a large splashing current (fish are in sig), plus they are a lot more work because you have to clean them pretty much weekly.

Do you think I would be ok with using two HOBs like I said above, or would you modify the stand? The bottom shelf gives about 8" more height, and it is the entire depth of the stand (about 20"). My wife likes the idea of being able to put artsy stuff on the shelf as it will be in our living room, and I can't say I disagree, but we certainly don't need 20" so I was considering modifying it and cutting part of the middle shelf out (the piece that resides within the cabinets). I would then be able to fit an external in there, and I can create a false backing on a hinge on the bottom shelf so that I can open it up and remove the canister if I need to for maintenance.

That all said, it would be a considerable amount of work for an uncrafty person. Do you think it is worth it, or would I be ok with two of the above mentioned HOB filters? I just kinda wanted an external for the ease, less maintenance, no splashing of water trickling in, etc.

Here's a pic of the stand if it helps:

http/stlouis.craigslist.org/for/2477573796.html

Thoughts?

 

[waterdrop]

Feel for ya! That's a bothersome decision as one can see it both ways - the cannister being obviously a bit better but mucking with the woodwork being a bother too. You might make less work for yourself if you simply cut a hole in the shelf in one side or a big U-cutout, letting the cannister then sit on the bottom level and reach up behind one of the doors but then also making a simple U-shaped wall of 3 boards (darkly stained or whatever would make them disappear mostly) that would block the view of the cannister bottom (just thinking this might be less work than your lower door with hinges idea.)

It's a hard call whether 2 HOBs would be just about as good. I tend to be like you and really like cannisters (my Eheim is one of the most awesome pieces of machinery I've ever owned.) HOBs are just noisier and generally less generic with media.

Good luck with it - jealous of a 75G, that's a wonderful size!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Rynofasho]

Thanks for the input. Now that I have the stand, the more I look at it, it would be impossible to modify it without hacking it up pretty good. I think I'm going to start with an AC110 and an AC50 and see how it works out. Unfortunate I can't get a canister, but life goes on I suppose and I'm still happy overall with the way the stand looks. I'm going to start cleaning the sand tomorrow and clean the tank out really well and start to get it up and running. Need to find a new light and plants and more driftwood too. Fun fun!

I had to put all the fish from the 10 gallon into the 36 for now because the tank I got came with an Albino Rainbow shark, a Bala Shark, and a Striped Raphael cat. I had to put them in the 10 gallon for now and am running an extra filter on it, but I threw the fish on Craigslist for free so hopefully I can move them fast.

 

[waterdrop]

I would think a 75 would take a pair of ACs at each end pretty nicely. WD