18' x 9' x 3.5' catfish tank build in progress.....

[necrocanis]

I don't really have any play on the sides of this tank. I've left just enough room to comfortably move around it, and that's all lol. I was going with barrel filters behind, but I would actually like to move the tank back a few feet if I can find about 10 people to help lol.

 

[ITHURTZ]

How about having a longer filter area on just one side of the tank and get the tank to flow to that one side?

 

[ITHURTZ]

maybe something like this? IMO it would work better as things would reflect off the other side of the tank and be sent back towards the filter. I have my 180 setup like that. Blows across the tank so it comes back with all the debris and gets sucked up into the filter inlet wrapped in floss pad.

 

[basslover34]

I'm thinking your going to hate those filter boxes if you ever need to chase your fish around in there to get them out for any reason ...Corners are our friends when it comes to capturing our little buddies... can you imagine trying to get one that keeps bolting from one hiding place to the other across there LOL

I'm thinking if your looking to save some space build an over head filter on the back of the tank... the entire length of the tank with it cascading down to both ends from the middle... Just a thought

 

[necrocanis]

maybe something like this? IMO it would work better as things would reflect off the other side of the tank and be sent back towards the filter. I have my 180 setup like that. Blows across the tank so it comes back with all the debris and gets sucked up into the filter inlet wrapped in floss pad.

I've toyed with this idea myself. I'm not sure on the logistics though. It would definitely be tough to build it all the way across like that.

I'm thinking your going to hate those filter boxes if you ever need to chase your fish around in there to get them out for any reason ...Corners are our friends when it comes to capturing our little buddies... can you imagine trying to get one that keeps bolting from one hiding place to the other across there LOL

I'm thinking if your looking to save some space build an over head filter on the back of the tank... the entire length of the tank with it cascading down to both ends from the middle... Just a thought

I've also tossed around the over head filter idea also, but then realized that I would have to pump the water up into the filter before it could cascade back down into the tank. I don't like the thought of having the pumps exposed inside the tank. Maybe there's a compromise! I could build a filter that sits on top of each side of the tank and make the filter boxes extend down into the tank where the pumps could sit in the water without being exposed. I'll have to do up some more sketches to see what you guys think. I don't really think the top is sturdy enough to hold a few hundred gallons though. I would have to add some 2x4s to the inside of the tank for some added stability for the top. I designed it to hold the weight of myself max. Maybe doing a very long thin filter on the inside back top would be a better solution. It wouldn't have to go as far down into the tank then!

 

[Eric A]

For the time being it will be the incredible trio! Going to be my fila, jur, and jau. Have to build several stands that should be interesting.

Sounds like it will be fun!

Here is a quick design I did, all I have is *** old paint, so the sides aren't perfect or in proportion.

The red is the pumps and outlets. The pumps are at the bottom of the box to draw water thru the scrubbies. The first bit is filter floss as well, it basicly like yours except this one is a tad larger.

Also the outlets on the pumps are crossed over, aimming at the oppisite corners, as directed by the arrows, I think this will create more turbulance and cross currents, to excersize the big units!

This should also get all the debris from the front to the back.

My $2 worth lol, just want to see this done and dusted, and try to help where I can.

 

[Eric A]

Forgot something

 

[basslover34]

Thats an idea as well to have it in tank right to the bottom of the tank so no one can hide under it but to have it on top wouldn't pose much of a problem as you could just center it over the back wall and build the bracing down to the cement floor (this will give you a storage crawl space to hide virtually anything you wanted to hide in the garage and it would also allow you to have the pump outside the tank and pumping up into the filter.

 

[nolapete]

If you're going to have an internal filter with overflow into it, you should put it across the center of the tank. It will help prevent any bowing, intake water from both sides of the tank, and provide equal circulation on both sides of the tank. If you have it on one end, you're going to get a bunch of crap collecting in the corners. The center allows the fish to swim under it and flow through as well.

 

[Sirspifalot]

Perhaps you could put the pump outside the tank on the floor sort of construct it like an above ground pool filter. Put a sort of overflow type hole in the side near the top and it would flow out and down into some sort of chamber or large pipe and then have an external pump lift it to a filter chamber placed above the water line and then it could cascade back down to the tank. Just an idea I thought might get the filters out of the tank and also not take up to much space outside around the tank where you would need to move about.