Help!! 37g hex with bucket below

So I am pretty knowledgeable on FW and now ready to go to a SW reef/fish setup. I bought a 37 gallon hex from a buddy of mine. It came with an underground filter and a bio wheel. I think I am going to scrap the U/G filter, but now I have many questions on filtration. I was going to get an Aquapure Nitrate filter, it seems very easy to use. Well now I go and do more research and stumble upon this site, damn now what? My wife still thinks I should get the nitrate filter. But I think I want to try an algae scrubber setup, maybe a 5 gallon bucket setup? Problem, this tank has no overflow in it? Can I drill a hole, is it a good idea, any other solutions? Do I use a bio wheel with this setup? Help!!!!

Jason

No underground, no bio wheel, no aquaripure. Just rock, sand, and scrubber.

Your choice of scrubber/location is going to be based on your building skill. Best would be an enclosed vertical unit above the tank, but this is hardest to build. Look here for ideas:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=26

Ok so I have a pretty good idea how I am going to build this system. I am mechanically inclined and can handle just about any tasks, so that said we will see huh? First off I am limited on available space to do this so I thought that I would do a 1 container setup, 37 Hex. So I am going to drill a hole for an overflow, should I draw water from the bottom of the tank and return it on top? vice versa? does it matter? I know my overflow will be drilled at the top, now should I drill the return hole at the bottom? I have yet to find any info on that. Moving on, I measured the maxium width container I could fit under the stand and found a plastic tote on amazon.com. The volume of the container is about 9.3 gallons, so I thought that would be sufficient for a 37. Next, the size and style of the screen. I am not sure on what size I will make them, I was thinking of doing a 2 sided screen. Is it ever "too big?" My next question is, is it okay to put the pump at the bottom of this container? As far as plumbing it, I think I got a good handle on that, except where to drill return hole, or do I need one? But on the overflow side I will drill a hole in pipe to kill the siphon, in case of power loss. How about a check valve on the return side?

I have spent alot of time researching this weekend and I appreciate your help Santa Monica, any thoughts so far on my plans?

For filtering, does not matter top or bottom. For safety, keep everything at the top. Do not need a return hole; just flow it into the top.

Yes a 2 sided screen. Size it for 1 watt per square inch.

Must put pump at bottom of tote container; this is now your sump.

Don't depend on check valves.

Post pics of how you intend to place things before you glue or cut anything.

I will definitely post pics and or drawings b4 I do anything. I literally just stumbled upon a problem, maybe, but is there any truth to the glass on a hexagon being tempered? If so, then that changes things. I am not real comfortable with a overflow slash siphon system, what if it loses the siphon? Any thoughts?

Well first thing, I have scrapped the hexagon idea and I am going to go with a 55-70 gallon tall. I am going to keep my eye on craigslist here in Chicago and try to find a used one. I could handle drilling the tank if need be, I also will have many more choices for lighting, the hex was only 18" and their aren't a whole lot of choices out there. Plus I will have much more room under the tank to concel all the scrubber equipment. I think I will go with a 10 or 20 gallon sump, 10x10 screen, 700 or more gph pump. I have not figured the lighting quite yet. Thanks, any sugestions appreciated.