New tank idea

[Cliff Puckstable]

I had the idea of stacking two 40gb on top of each other in a stand. Then have a mag 7 return feed the top 40gb, and have the top overflow into the bottom 40gb, bottom 40 overflows into the sump. Is this a stupid idea? My concern is will it create too many bubbles in the bottom 40g? These tanks will be mainly for lps/nems/clowns if that matters.

[Rosco's Reefs]

As long as you have good gravity flows from all your returns this will probably work. I tried something like this with pumps and float valves and I kept dumping water all over the floor. I just could not get it synchronized. Good luck!

[flooddc]

Why not just do this: top 40G overflow to bottom 40G, then bottom 40G overflow to sump, mag7 in sump feed back to top 40G?

[Supernova26]

just make sure you have a sump big enough to handle power outages.

[Cliff Puckstable]

Why not just do this: top 40G overflow to bottom 40G, then bottom 40G overflow to sump, mag7 in sump feed back to top 40G?

 

Lol, that's what the idea was.

 

You don't think the bottom 40 will get too bubbly?

[Almon]

I had this setup for years....and never had a problem It worked really great. The overflows stop on all tanks when power was out and fill the sump, but did not overflow the sump. Power would return and flow would continue.

 

Having one on top of another does present the challenge of bubbles. Try adding a U, or trap, in the flexible tubing going from top to bottom.

 

Single Pump Design

 

Almon's Reef is located in the basement of my house. There's plenty of room so I have added multiple aquariums over the years. The newest addition is a 55g aquarium for non-reef friendly fish. Each time I add a new aquarium, I add it to the existing system because I believe there are several advantages to this approach.

• Only one system to test for water quality
  
• Only one system that requires water changes
  
• Connecting the systems together takes advantage of the biological filtration already in place
  
• The total volume of water for the system increases which provides additional benefits of stability
  

The disadvantage is that if something really bad happened to the water in one aquarium, it could affect all aquariums (more reason for quarantine).

 

The Single Pump Design uses one pump to return water from the sump to the main display tank. Gravity siphon overflows are then used to move water from aquarium to aquarium and back to the sump. I considered splitting the return pvc pipe from the sump with tees and valves and return water to multiple aquariums but decided that it might be beneficial to have the nutrients from the reef only aquarium flow into the refugium and have the output of the refugium flow into the frag tank.

 

I invite your thoughts comments, and criticisms.

 

[Cliff Puckstable]

Thanks for posting that diagram, Almon.

 

I was going to use the overflow as powerheads. Same with the return.

[Almon]

The overflow will be insufficient to produce enough current in the lower tank. You will need powerheads.

[MBVette]

Shouldn't the flow from the overflow match what the return is in the top tank?

[monkiboy]

i had two 40B with one sump and just had the return pump in the sump feed both 40B with returns in each and drains in each. worked really nicely and no problems with bubbles. just another option that may be easier for you.

[Cliff Puckstable]

What kind of overflows were you using?

[Almon]

I used typical U-tube overflows that were purchased going from tanks to the sump because there was several feet to drop.

 

I used homemade DIY overflows between tanks because there was only several inches to drop. The best was a collection box with teeth cut in the top and put inside the tank, a U-tube from that into an unused Aquaclear filter which then overflowed into the lower tank.

 

Look at the on on the very bottom going from the fuge to the frag tank.

 

[monkiboy]

What kind of overflows were you using?

one was BRS overflow that work really well with street 90s. the other just had a drilled 2 1.5" drains. one for emergency.

[flooddc]

Lol, that's what the idea was.

 

You don't think the bottom 40 will get too bubbly?

sorry, missed read your post. duh!

Edited March 31, 2013 by flooddc

[Origami]

I basically do this, also, with two 15-gallon tanks, a 50 gallon frag tank, and my sump that I keep in my fish room. The taller of the first two is set 4 inches higher than the adjacent tank and the second tank is 3-1/2 feet higher than the next. Rather than using a siphon box, all overflows use internal skimmer boxes leading to drilled holes (two per tank for redundancy). this stair-stepping is by no means unique. I've seen it in several books over the years. The biggest concern that I'd have is the somewhat large drop that you have between the two tanks which may lead to some bubbling and salt deposits near the entrance into the second tank. You can deal with this using a box or some other silencing / bubble trapping device on the end of the drain into the lower tanks.

[monkiboy]

I basically do this, also, with two 15-gallon tanks, a 50 gallon frag tank, and my sump that I keep in my fish room. The taller of the first two is set 4 inches higher than the adjacent tank and the second tank is 3-1/2 feet higher than the next. Rather than using a siphon box, all overflows use internal skimmer boxes leading to drilled holes (two per tank for redundancy). this stair-stepping is by no means unique. I've seen it in several books over the years. The biggest concern that I'd have is the somewhat large drop that you have between the two tanks which may lead to some bubbling and salt deposits near the entrance into the second tank. You can deal with this using a box or some other silencing / bubble trapping device on the end of the drain into the lower tanks.

tom. can you post a couple photos of this please? sounds like what i'm going to have to do with my larger setup and a couple separate tanks. thanks!