PICO plumbing

[Sammy470]

So I am on a super tight budget but am determined to go all out on a reef tank, I've got a 30cm cube lying around from my old freshwater fish and a fluval 207 from another tank, any ideas on how I could plumb this filter into the tank with a random flow nozzle and bulkhead fittings etc? I tried to do it before on another glass tank with the same filter and just couldn't find bulkheads that wouldn't suck the fish in because they were just open holes or have a laser cutter to build a tiny AIO sump/ weir.

Appreciate any help, first post here guys!

 

[MnFish1]

So I am on a super tight budget but am determined to go all out on a reef tank, I've got a 30cm cube lying around from my old freshwater fish and a fluval 207 from another tank, any ideas on how I could plumb this filter into the tank with a random flow nozzle and bulkhead fittings etc? I tried to do it before on another glass tank with the same filter and just couldn't find bulkheads that wouldn't suck the fish in because they were just open holes or have a laser cutter to build a tiny AIO sump/ weir.

Appreciate any help, first post here guys!

welcome to R2R first. There are overflow boxes you can buy - that prevent this. However - No offense - if you can't afford the equipment - perhaps start simpler?

 

[Sammy470]

welcome to R2R first. There are overflow boxes you can buy - that prevent this. However - No offense - if you can't afford the equipment - perhaps start simpler?

No I can afford the equipment, my limitations are that I am going for a nano setup, so if I wanted to I could go for a spec red sea max nano and splash 1.5k on it, but I would rather make use of my fluval and go slightly overkill for a smaller tank than just standard for a slightly larger tank if that makes sense?
When I say tight i mean that I can't go over, poorly worded

 

[Tathamet]

You could possibly install something like the image below inside your tank over the bulkhead holes. Should also help with surface skimming. As long as the filter doesn’t pull too fast I think it could work.

I’ve also seen little cup cover type things that you can screw right into the bulkheads. Can’t remember what they’re called but they look like little net cups for hydroponics if I’m remembering right. they’d probably keep the fish out fine as well.

 

[Sammy470]

You could possibly install something like the image below inside your tank over the bulkhead holes. Should also help with surface skimming. As long as the filter doesn’t pull too fast I think it could work.

I’ve also seen little cup cover type things that you can screw right into the bulkheads. Can’t remember what they’re called but they look like little net cups for hydroponics if I’m remembering right. they’d probably keep the fish out fine as well.

Yeah the cup thing I saw for sale on amazon once but it was a nightmare getting the right bulkhead to fit it and then they stopped selling it, I can only get one of those on ebay for $60 + $25 for shipping to the UK which is a joke.

 

[Tathamet]

Yeah I don’t know why they’re such a pain to find lol. Maybe you could make something similar with a piece of abs pipe capped over and fill with holes or slats cut into it. Then just glue it onto the bulkhead.

 

[MnFish1]

No I can afford the equipment, my limitations are that I am going for a nano setup, so if I wanted to I could go for a spec red sea max nano and splash 1.5k on it, but I would rather make use of my fluval and go slightly overkill for a smaller tank than just standard for a slightly larger tank if that makes sense?
When I say tight i mean that I can't go over, poorly worded

All good - then my recommendation would be - for a couple reasons - don't use the fluvial. Buy a different filter/system. there are hang on the back overflows - and you could do a simple sump below the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I am on a super tight budget but am determined to go all out on a reef tank, I've got a 30cm cube lying around from my old freshwater fish and a fluval 207 from another tank, any ideas on how I could plumb this filter into the tank with a random flow nozzle and bulkhead fittings etc? I tried to do it before on another glass tank with the same filter and just couldn't find bulkheads that wouldn't suck the fish in because they were just open holes or have a laser cutter to build a tiny AIO sump/ weir.

Appreciate any help, first post here guys!

While you can utilize a mini overflow as pictured, youre still looking at $60 plus plumbing plus sump and in the sump you will want at least filter socks or skimmer and necessary return pump.
I believe it was MnFish who made mention of budget.
In all honesty and preparation, tis is Not a hobby for tight budget or getting by as it rarely ends well. You will have surprises such as component failure, disease and with disease you must be prepared to purchase and setup a hospital tank and obtain needed medication(s) on the whim not to mention cost of livestock, need for proper lighting-water flow-testing and maintenance requiring salt, RODI water and cost of foods.

Best recommendation- Save up, acquire components as can be afforded and then prepare to fire up your system

 

[MnFish1]

While you can utilize a mini overflow as pictured, youre still looking at $60 plus plumbing plus sump and in the sump you will want at least filter socks or skimmer and necessary return pump.
I believe it was MnFish who made mention of budget.
In all honesty and preparation, tis is Not a hobby for tight budget or getting by as it rarely ends well. You will have surprises such as component failure, disease and with disease you must be prepared to purchase and setup a hospital tank and obtain needed medication(s) on the whim not to mention cost of livestock, need for proper lighting-water flow-testing and maintenance requiring salt, RODI water and cost of foods.

Best recommendation- Save up, acquire components as can be afforded and then prepare to fire up your system

It is still unclear to me what the OP's actual goal is - which makes a good answer somewhat difficult - but That was the type of overflow I was talking about.

So I am on a super tight budget but am determined to go all out on a reef tank,

 

[Sammy470]

It is still unclear to me what the OP's actual goal is - which makes a good answer somewhat difficult - but That was the type of overflow I was talking about.

Haha yeah, I have worded it very poorly tbf, so ignore the budget thing, I actually don't really have that tight a budget, but I basically would rather have a really well set up PICO tank that I could grow some decent LPS and maybe SPS with some inverts and maybe a goby or something, I have a 10 gal tank and am really just tryna workout how to plumb in a fluval filter so I can use some different media in there, I might end up using glass lily pipes in the end!