What would you do?

[Robdog]

With tank dimensions of 4m long x 70cm high x 60cm front to back, what would you do?
I guess this is more angled around hardware choices so here's the scenario. 4m in wall tank, only access is from a cavity above concealed by cabinet doors. No cavity behind or under for sump filtration.

What filter would you use?
What kind of lights would you employ?
Etc etc

Ready set go!

[Tommo]

14 meters ?
Holy crap !!!
Make a cavity for canister filters

Depending on what you want to keep , plants T5's min, only an opinion
3 canister filters eheim 2260. Or 1x2260 , then a fair few cheap ones !

Pics please

[Hassles]

I would employ as many cannister filters as required OR try to enclose a trickle-filter at one OR both ends of the tank and use water pumps for circulation.

A number of over-head light fixtures providing the desired light volume and spectrum dependent upon whether basic illumination or plant demands were a requirement.

A many heaters as would be required. hmm we're talkin' about 6000 litres so that would be a few - like about 2 dozen 300watt units

I'm assuming the wall into which this monster shall reside is on a concrete slab, if not, may I suggest frequent visitations to your local watering hole until such time as such lunacy has been well and truly forgotten

Oh yeah, I would also update my 'contents insurance'

Oh yeah yeah, and about six species of Apistogramma (from different complexes obviously)

Oh yeah yeah yeah, and I would find a very good divorce lawyer so I would at least be allowed to keep the fish

[boxters]

its far simpler than you think. I would plum a drain into the tank and cavity which would lead to a remote filter which could be a pool filter or trickle tower. I would use a pool heat exchange pump which is far cheaper to run that in tank heaters which are unsightly.

[swampy1972]

I have to say I agree with boxters. The thing is afterall equivalent to a plunge pool so if you have a space available for a pool sand filter and heat exhange pump I think that would be a good option.

[Robdog]

Cease all this madness!!
My apologies for the incorrect tank dimensions so I have edited the original post.

Correct dimensions should read 4.2 metres long by 70cm high and 60cm deep.

Same question applies but just without the extremely long and disproportionately wide tank dimensions.

For what it's worth, I agreed with the outside sand filter idea.

...and heaters are far from needed.

[Mickey C]

The issue with canister filters is that most I know of must be under tank, as they rely on gravity

So this would mean pumping water above the tank, but you could set up a really good wet/dry system - thinking like the Aqua One in-hood filters. I'm sure a 3 metre long "sump" would suffice!

Lots of electricity, maybe on two different circuit breakers so that if something blows you don't lose all your heat or all your lights or all your pumps, etc.

I'm a relative amateur, but those things jumped to mind for me.

[Robdog]

The way I see it going is with a river sort of biotope. Schools of local rainbows or angel schools, big, long driftwood, scattered plants, river sand substrate.
Filtration is dictated by the room in which it can be housed which means this tank will never realistically be a marine setup. With marine there are too many awesome gadgets and so much hardware but nowhere practical to house them like a sump.

So I see it going down the dual 2080 road and maybe some extra power heads strategically placed to move stuff around.

Lighting, I was thinking 4 or 5 pendant halides or two 5ft halide units. I'd be reluctant to do fluros as I think the glitter lines would really set this tank off.

[Robdog]

The issue with canister filters is that most I know of must be under tank, as they rely on gravity

That's something that I considered at first. But surely wherever the canister is fitted, either above or below, there is an element of siphon assisted by the canisters pump so I'm not sure it really matters as long as the canister is primed properly. Somebody correct me if I've cocked that up

[Doug Osborn]

So.. it's 17,640l? Why not treat it more like a pond and stick in (eg) 2 * FiltoClear 15000 coupled to internal pumps which provide the right flow rate?

Cheers,
Doug