Best pico filtration

This won't be for some time, but I am trying to get ideas for a pico tank, SPS and LPS) when I go to college next year. Lighting will be a boostled par30. The tank will be approx. 2-4 gallons. What I am not sure about is the filtration. Will this AquaMedic surface skimmer box be a good choice? I would use it with a Taam Rio pump (69 gph).

Aqua Medic Skim Box - Surface Skimmer

If not this, what would be a better choice for filtration, aside from water changes. The tank is only a few inches deep (maybe 4"), so small dimensions are important on equipment.

 

Of all the pico's I've seen, most choose to do an AIO setup with a built in fuge and floss. along with some LR rubble tossed in. I'm not sure I should post a link to another forum, but google 5.5G pico and a ton of people have made them. Probably some very helpful info in there for ya.

 

Yeah, I'd put a false wall on it. Are you sure you know what you are getting to with a pico SPS tank? I'd think if you're at college something along the lines of the reefbuilder's ecoreef 1 would look awesome and be easier and cheaper.

 

On my 3 gallon pico I converted an Aquaclear 70 into a fuge. It housed filter floss and the heater as well. Its space saving and did a very good job. No need for any additional flow either.

 

Isn't the ecoreef just a single duncan colony? Interesting concept, but no thanks. I like the idea of an sps pico. Having just coral would be basically maintenance free (aside from WCs) SPS sps a slow growers, so the tank won't become overgrown too quickly. I've seen people successfully keep sps in picos, considering good lighting is provided.

I will look into the fuge idea. I like that it is simple ans self sustaining. Though that would require another light in a fairly small space.

Aesthetics are important to me. The tank is actually a bowl, a few inches deep, 18-24" in diameter.

 

Hmm. Using any HOB filter on a bowl could create some problems. As far as function goes I think an AC70 conversion would be your best call. How far away is your school from home?

 

Well, that changes things a bit... hehe. Not sure how you would do an AIO with a bowl... Course, you've now got me wondering and i'll probably piss off the gf trying to figure that one out!

 

The school will be 2 hours from here...if Dad stays here when I leave.

I could possibly do a false wall, but the ends of the wall would have to follow the curve of the bowl. Getting that curve might be a bit difficult.

I thought about making a cylinder (for filtration to go into) for the center of the tank, but that's also where the best light for coral would be...

 

I know how much you love this hobby man, but with that amount of time away from home I would really reconsider. I brought a tank to me with school and I took it down after a month. It was too much work on top of school itself and having a social life. Especially with such a small tank and touchy sps inhabitants. If anything is to go wrong you may not be there for it if you go home. Or you may not be able to get what you need to fix the problem. Thats what was the demise of my tank. Especially if you visit home a decent amount. Or think about holidays. Would you really bring your tank home for a week or so for certain holidays? Im not sure what your schools policy about winter and spring breaks, but for us the dorms were closed. No access at all. So that means bringing your tank home with you... I dont want to burst your bubble and if you think you can do it by all means go crazy man! But these are a few things that I wish that I would have considered before I set my tank up at school.