New Planted Tank Construction Advice

[Chris Fellows]

Hi....I am in the planning stages of ordering my first tank for aquascaping. It will be 100cm x 55cm base, 30cm deep at the front sloping up to 46cm at the back. The idea is to have a mainly planted aquarium ( freshwater tropical ) with a very low density of small shoaling fish added at a later date when the tank is mature.
Lighting will be from above, with no tank cover. Some of the plants will grow out of the water at the back.
Specifically, my question relates to any possible glasswork ( for a trickle filter or anything like that ) that I might request internally? Otherwise I will just order it bare. I know I will be using CO2, but I have not looked at what I might best use for filtration? Any ideas gratefully received. Chris.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Sounds like your referring to an AIO tank ( all in one) with its own built in filter. These are convenient and easy to maintain. You could either request that be integrated or easily fabricate it yourself later on if your not dead set on the idea just yet. I love them because it hides all your media and you get good surface skimming.

 

[alto]

As it sounds to be custom made, you might also consider having the bottom drilled for filter inlet/outlet - you can see some of the glass filter pipes in this Green Aqua 90cm x 90cm aquarium

(Note Aquaflora also uses this method in some of their exhibition tanks so there are no external hoses going to the canister filters)



For the glass filter tubes I’d contact Green Aqua and Aquaflora for details

Of course once a tank is drilled it can’t be “undrilled” 😉