AIO Return

[KreativJustin]

Hello,

I am doing a 3D underwater cave build for my pea puffer in a 20g tank. I am buildling an AIO sump style filter for it before I do the 3d background. However, I am not familiar with returns. I am used to the return that hangs over the back like this https://www.amazon.com/Return-Assem...58&sprefix=aquarium+retur,aps,194&sr=8-2&th=1

The pump that I am using on this build is a 1/2 return line. I do not have the option on going to 3/4 directly off of the pump. So I am not really sure on how to do it.. do I need to use a bulkhead or then a round nozzle?

Any help is appreciated, any links is helpful too.

 

[Andy Sager]

It's always safest to have the return close to the top of the tank so that should you have a power failure, you won't have a flooding issue. The key is if your tank is glass, it's not tempered glass because you would need to have the tank drilled if you don't want an overhang return and tempered glass is near impossible to drill through. You'd really have to have the glass panel made with the hole already. If this is a plexiglass tank, the hole can be drilled anywhere.
The next this is you need to have the drain line larger than the return line and you'd need to have the flow rate of the return pump in order to know how large the drain line needs to be. Depending on the size(s) of the lines, you may need to do bulkhead fittings or a PVC male and female connector with rubber O rings.

 

[KreativJustin]

I'm actually doing an AIO. I did find a bulkhead and loc-line setup that I think will work out really nice. I will do a thread for the build as soon as I start getting all of my pieces in

--edit--

since it is an AIO, there is 0 possibility of overflowing the tank, but the hose will be attached towards the top and will semi-disguised with the 3d background.


This is for a pea puffer, who really only needs 5 gallons, he will have about 50% (10gallons) of the original volume in the tank once I have the 3d background done.

 

[Andy Sager]

I'm actually doing an AIO. I did find a bulkhead and loc-line setup that I think will work out really nice. I will do a thread for the build as soon as I start getting all of my pieces in

--edit--

since it is an AIO, there is 0 possibility of overflowing the tank, but the hose will be attached towards the top and will semi-disguised with the 3d background.


This is for a pea puffer, who really only needs 5 gallons, he will have about 50% (10gallons) of the original volume in the tank once I have the 3d background done.

Okay, so to make sure I'm following, you are going to separate a section of the tank to make into the filter. Correct?

 

[KreativJustin]

Okay, so to make sure I'm following, you are going to separate a section of the tank to make into the filter. Correct?

Yes, separate section.. by the way, do you know why they also put slits at the bottom? (see picture/link) My first guess is because it may not have enough flow at the top to accommodate a higher/faster flow rate, so you can adjust the bottom as well.

https://ibb.co/fn8cq3q

 

[Andy Sager]

Yes, separate section.. by the way, do you know why they also put slits at the bottom? (see picture/link) My first guess is because it may not have enough flow at the top to accommodate a higher/faster flow rate, so you can adjust the bottom as well.

https://ibb.co/fn8cq3q

Yes, that bottom one is for in case you have too much water flow up top, more water can go in through the bottom. You have to be really careful that you don't block up that bottom section and that it stays clean and not get built up algae or " gunk" that it inhibits the flow.