if its hood space your worried about, you can always set up an overflow feeding into a DIY sump. adn even if you dont have room directly below the tank, im sure theres a spot you can plumb to. you would be amazed at the difference a skimmer can do.
if you really THAT tight on space, look into skimmers like the Aqua-C EV series, which can be used inline. all you would need is to plumb it through the skimmer and use a return pump to plumb it back into the tank.
or if you want a cheaper solution, just beef up your clean-up crew. some nassarius snails would do your sand wonders, and ive always like emerald crabs.
whatever you choose to do, let us know and keep posting pics. that is the best way to explain any situation as well as improve
