[Orion]

I was thinking of something pretty much along those same lines cable guy, thanks. The only problem with that is that's just one more hole to take care of. Still, I think it would be worth it.

For a return to the tank I made a small spray bar from the different pipes and connections that I had laying around from other filters. So far it's doing well. Hopefully get some pics of it tonight.

It's been running for over 12 hours now with no apparent problems, and no leaks. I may go ahead and replace the glue with silicone, and then let it run on an empety tank for a week or so with full media just to see how well it will hold up and preform under 'real world' conditions. I expect a good outcome from this.

I'm already thinking of a bigger DIY canister. I have a few pumps that have 1/2" MTP conections on them, so it would be super easy to rig these up because I can use all 1/2" PVC, which is a lot easier to come by localy than the small pipes used for filters. Some people have tried using a 5 gallon bucket, but have had trouble getting the seal on the lid to stay. Other's have used 4-8" PVC pipe for the main container. Either way, they all work on the same principal as the smaller version more or less.