Cannister filters for saltwater

Actually I still have this same tank at home that I used for freshwater. I just hadn't thought of testing it out. I will try it when I get home 2night.

Sounds like a good plan! Is the tank good to use for salt if it fits (i.e., never had copper or anything in it?)

I don't recall ever using copper medications. .

Ok just thinking outside of the box....so you can go taller the wide? So....bear with me I going off the cuff...the bottom section would be the return pump, then above that a shelf of eggcrate, that would be divided in two sections. For the sake of discussion left side would be cheato with a eggcrate wall. Right side some rubble or open. Skimmer could hang on the side ........something like this....
In ....... Out
.|0000 | 0000|
| 0000 | 000 |
| 00000| 000 |
|_____|_____|
| 000000000 |
| 000000000 |
|0000000000 |
|___PUMP__|

The Pump would be internal and the return line would go through the right side up to the tank. Basically a canister with out the downside of a canister. Sooooo Upper left is intake from tank with Chaeto in there Right side could be rubble, nothing or even the skimmer. Then a shelf of eggcrate with the internal return pump under it. Or if there is enough room hang the skimmer on the right side. Would need to make sure you have enough empty space to take any back siphon water in case of power outages...I dunno just a idea...

Edit ignore the 0 it kept collapsing without them...:(

That setup would be a nightmare when you had to take the return pump down for maintenance, you'd have to tear down the whole entire sump to get at the pump if it were internal like the diagram. You could probably use that setup with an external pump though, with unions servicing the pump wouldn't be an issue

Ah good point....Funny I dont need one but now I want to build it to see if it can be done...

EVEN THOUGH MY 5 GAL HEXAGON HAS ROOM FOR MY SKIMMER, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS LAYOUT (LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE DOUBLE CHAMBER SUMP) TO GIVE ME A BIT FEW INCHES MORE OF SPACE & WATER VOLUME.
_____________________
I INTAKE &
I SKIMMER
I
I___________________ _I
IxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI <<<< BUBBLE TRAP & CHEMICAL MEDIA WHERE X'S ARE LINED UP
Ixxxxx
Ixxxxx OUTAKE
Ixxxxx___PUMP_______ I
^
^IN THIS LOWER LEFT CORNER OF X'S EGG CRATE TO CONTAIN CHAETO

Just remember that the water level is going to change with evaporation. You will also have to have enough room to contain back siphon in a power outage.

Ted said:

Just You will also have to have enough room to contain back siphon in a power outage.

Click to expand...

One option would be adding a check valve to the return line (go for a true swing check valve), though they do make the return line louder and have failed several people in the past. I had initially had one on my return line but couldn't stand the sound of it - sounded like a train! I've used loc-line at the end of my return line and have the nozzles just at the top of my water, which very quickly breaks the siphon.

On my return I have a adjustable u tube I drilled two holes just below the water line to limit back siphon.

Yeah, I tried the drilled hole thing and failed miserably LOL - water shot up out of the hole and soaked my ceiling! Apparently I did not know that you are supposed to aim upwards when drilling the hole and had to create a sizable hole. I covered the hole with epoxy to stop the carnage and eventually threw away the j-tube! But yes, if you do it correctly the hole just below the water line is the easy way to go :)

I just drilled above the bulb part. Parallel to the water level.

What can I use to "waterproof" the inside of my wood cabinet in case of water spills? It's starting to warp from previous spills and I should have taken care of it beforehand.
Maybe something that isn't stinky since we're in the middle of winter and I can't open the window in 5 degree weather.

Something like Thompson water seal would work just not sure on if there are fumes its been a while since I used any. Like 10+ years...the biggest concern I would have is not the smell in the house but if the fumes would poison the tank.

OK guys.....What do you think about my layout so far? This is the best I could do as far as size for a sump 15"x11.5"x11 3/4" (6 gallons). fits almost perfectly...just have to cut off the handles of the plastic bin. I will put two baffles in the middle for a bubble trap. The plastic soap holders above the skimmer pump will hold the chaeto

That should work. Have you tested it with water yet. Sometime plastic bins bow out when full of water will make a bubble trap hard to keep in place.

I'll test it after I put the baffles in. Or do you mean test it before I do that?

I have a 125 watt Eheim Jager thermostat heater with thermo shutoff. Do you think I need a reef keeper lite to shut down the power to the heater in case it breaks?

Honestly, I'd spend money for a better skimmer before I'd spend money on an RKL. That skimmer you have is really a pretty terrible skimmer (I'm sorry :( )

Otherwise it looks like your creativity is being put to good use - I'm liking the design so far! I'm not sure you need baffles though, and given that plastic bins do bow it might be hard to really secure the baffles in place. With a plastic bin, I think I'd use egg crate instead to make a separate refugium compartment.

without baffles or bubble trap, would I have problems with microbubbles?