What type of tank is this?

[Tarazzl]

Hey guys! 

I rescued a 55g tank from my neighbor. It has been sitting in her garage for a few years, never cleaned it out either, so there are a lot of calcification spots. Her tank is a little different than the typical ones, from my understanding by cleaning it today, there is self-draining system as well as a pvc pipe for refilling the water, but I could not seem to figure out the idea of it. Please see pictures below:

(This is the overall of the tank, pretty decent I would say.)

(This is the front side of the section where there are self-draining and filling systems.)

(This is where it boggles my mind, how come the water level from the left side is not synchronized with the right? Is there anything that I'm missing?)

Not sure if anyone out there would know what type of tank this is and how this works. I hope to figure this out before adding a few cichlids in.  Thank you so much! 😊

[Ken Burke]

It a marineland.

https://www.marineland.com/products/aquariums/corner-flo-black-rectangular-aquarium.aspx

they are set up for a sump.  
 

 

[Fish Folk]

Is it drilled through the glass? Bottom? Looks like a standard overflow system to connect with a sump.

See if your neighbor has another tank that night have been the sump.

[Ken Burke]

On 5/8/2022 at 6:08 PM, Fish Folk said:

Is it drilled through the glass? Bottom? Looks like a standard overflow system to connect with a sump.

See if your neighbor has another tank that night have been the sump.

Good thinking.  
 

Even if they don’t, the worst part of setting up a sump is done.  And it would be amazing as an African cichlid tank.

[Tarazzl]

On 5/8/2022 at 7:08 PM, Fish Folk said:

Is it drilled through the glass? Bottom? Looks like a standard overflow system to connect with a sump.

See if your neighbor has another tank that night have been the sump.

 

On 5/8/2022 at 7:15 PM, Ken Burke said:

Good thinking.  
 

Even if they don’t, the worst part of setting up a sump is done.  And it would be amazing as an African cichlid tank.

Yes, @Fish Folk, it's drilled through the glass in the bottom. 

 No, I don't think she has a sump. She said she couldn't figure it out and that's why it's been sitting in her garage for a few years. I don't have a sump either. What do you guys recommend I should do? 

[Fish Folk]

There are many resources. I’d start easy with s video like this…

Then check out some older videos from Corvus Oscen…

Key is getting it set up correctly. Basically, it drains down to a sump tank, goes through a bunch of filtration steps — including particulate catching, bio rings, planted nitrate sucking, etc — then gets pumped back up the lift  return to the main tank. 

[Tihshho]

This is what's sold as a "Reef Ready" tank. These tanks have the overflow built in with the bottom of the tank drilled for the overflow piping. Looks to have some custom piping setup. 

[Ken Burke]

On 5/8/2022 at 6:21 PM, Tarazzl said:

 

Yes, @Fish Folk, it's drilled through the glass in the bottom. 

 No, I don't think she has a sump. She said she couldn't figure it out and that's why it's been sitting in her garage for a few years. I don't have a sump either. What do you guys recommend I should do? 

I’d get a 20gallon tank and make that the sump tank.

Joey at king of diy has a couple videos on actually making a sump 

 

 

 

[Tarazzl]

On 5/8/2022 at 7:41 PM, Fish Folk said:

There are many resources. I’d start easy with s video like this…

Then check out some older videos from Corvus Oscen…

Key is getting it set up correctly. Basically, it drains down to a sump tank, goes through a bunch of filtration steps — including particulate catching, bio rings, planted nitrate sucking, etc — then gets pumped back up the lift  return to the main tank. 

Wow...thank you so much! I will definitely check these vids out!😊

On 5/8/2022 at 10:24 PM, Ken Burke said:

I’d get a 20gallon tank and make that the sump tank.

Joey at king of diy has a couple videos on actually making a sump 

 

 

 

Awesome! I will start with the vids you guys recommended! Thank you so much for your help!😊

On 5/8/2022 at 8:06 PM, Tihshho said:

This is what's sold as a "Reef Ready" tank. These tanks have the overflow built in with the bottom of the tank drilled for the overflow piping. Looks to have some custom piping setup. 

That's pretty awesome! I might have to clean it up a bit more and make a sump for it. Thank you for your help! 😊

[Flumpweesel]

If you don't fancy or have the space for a sump I would expect you just connect to a canister filter my fluval tank has very a very similar pipe system inside the tank and the canister connects below ( or it would but I have a low tank ). 

Obviously there are some advantages to a sump just throwing in an option 

[Ken Burke]

On 5/9/2022 at 10:19 AM, Flumpweesel said:

If you don't fancy or have the space for a sump I would expect you just connect to a canister filter my fluval tank has very a very similar pipe system inside the tank and the canister connects below ( or it would but I have a low tank ). 

Obviously there are some advantages to a sump just throwing in an option 

I was wondering if that was possible 

[Flumpweesel]

Forgive the rubbish screen print best I can do on my phone but this is how mine connects up. 

[Brian]

What kind of aquarium you ask?

Does it hold?  Was it free or cheap?  Then I say it is the great kind…. 
look up reef ready, or aquarium overflow, or aquarium overflow weir.   Also plenty of videos how to plumb them

Nice find

Good Luck

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

Any time I've found a tank like this that has a walled off "filter/sump" area, I just put pothos and houseplants in there. I have them hanging out the top. This has worked especially well in tanks that have fish that will eat the roots. I also throw an air stone in there too. Those tanks were the best because filter wise that's all they needed. Even with heavy fish loads the houseplants always kept my nitrates at or near zero.