Need Sump Ideas

[sargent1981]

All

I could really use some ideas on this I have two gallon tanks that I want to make as my sump and refugium I do not have a lot of space to work with so setting one of the tanks up higher than the other is out of the question. But basically I want to have one tank be my filtration section and one be the refugium. I just am not sure how to transfer the water from tank to tank. Should I just run two pumps and split the overflow or run two pumps but try and link them all together. Any ideas would greatly help thanks.

 

[eagle9252]

need some pics and measurements.

 

[sargent1981]

I am working on that right now I just picked up my second 5 gallon today and I am just spit balling it right this second more to come I was just seeing if some may have some ideas.

 

[eagle9252]

dont know what will fit if we dont know the size or location where you want to put it.

 

[sargent1981]

ok so I have the dimensions that I have to work with. the inside of the stand is 45.5L X 10" W and 14.5" H each 5 gallon tank is 16"l X 8.5" W X 10.5" H So I don't really think I have room to elevate one tank and still keep it hidden. This stand is not as great as the deal I got But I need to make it work any ideas?

 

[rhyerob]

Buy diamond hole saw. Drill both tanks. Put bulkheads on them with union valves...slightly close the valve on the side of the protein skimmer. Also you would want valves entering each sump to fine tune. Also. A pipe connecting the two tanks at the top would prevent miscalculations.

 

[rhyerob]

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The yellow boxes are valves

 

[rhyerob]

Blue are tanks. White is PVC drains and return lines

 

[rhyerob]

This is assuming an external return pump

 

[rhyerob]

The reason for union valves is that they tend to turn with less friction...considering you are using small tanks with thin glass, you need valves that won't stress the glass.

 

[rhyerob]

Not the best solution...but it will work. Best solution is two returns.

 

[sargent1981]

You may want to check you dimensions i was talking about two equal standard 5 gallon aquariums side by side in a 45.5" length stand

 

[rhyerob]

I'm sorry. I don't understand

 

[rhyerob]

The top on is your display tank while the bottom two EQUALLY SIZED SIDE BY SIDE tanks were your refugium and filtration tanks.

 

[rhyerob]

And I didn't give any dimensions. That's your job. You asked for ideas

 

[sargent1981]

I understand I only have one pump and it is a submersible pump in the sump side. I was thinking the same idea but I have never drilled glass, how hard is it to drill the glass I am worried I might crack it? But my Idea was drilling one hole in each tank and the water from the refugium and sump feeding the return pump while t-splitting the drain. Also what program did you use to make that design I have been looking for one and can't find one?

 

[djatl]

Drilling a glass tank isn't too hard. There are videos online with instructions. I did it the first time a few months ago. I clamped a piece of wood with a pre-drilled hole to guide the diamond saw, kept the glass wet, and took it slow.

 

[rhyerob]

Plus one on the above statement. Actually used a house plan app called Mark on call for my iPhone. I don't think that one hole would be sufficient to make the water flow from one tank the other even if you do the T return like I showed you. This is even keeping in mind that you would use the largest PVC that you could get
The problem is that a diamond holesaw costs about 40 bucks for one... And Beaucatcher about five dollars apiece. You would need four. PVC is negligible because you already need it no matter what. So that makes 60 bucks just to materials at which point it would probably just be cheaper to buy a second return. That is is unless you find a glass shop locally to Cut your holes for you

 

[rhyerob]

Beau catcher= bulk heads. Siri is dumb

 

[rhyerob]

Sorry to leave another post But even if you have two returns I still think you would need to connect the two tanks in case one of them decides to overflow. Then total return can be compensated between the two tanks, flooding therefore lessened, if not completely eliminated