[Ratpack]

has anyone ever used two smaller tanks joined via bulkheads and pipe? I am looking at a 120 gal tank and for a sump, I would like at least 40 gal. However, I can get two 20 gal taks for less than one 40 gal. So I figured I could join them together. Has it been done? Any precautions I should think about? I am just trying to keep the overall cost down as much as possible.

[DonW]

Sure it will work. Just make sure the bulkheads are big enough to handle the flow.

Don

[Ratpack]

I am thinking a 2" bulkhead. Should I run them in tandem or perhaps split my overflow into two?

[Samper]

My other 75 gallon setup at home is like that. From the bulkhead in the overflow it's pvc plumbing down to the sump and refugium. There is a downward facing T on that drain line. Part of the water drains to the fuge and part drains to the skimmer compartment. The fuge sits to the left of the sump and is elevated about 6". It has a bulkhead in the right side of it that then drains directly into the return pump compartment. Hope that helps.

[Ratpack]

Originally Posted by Samper

My other 75 gallon setup at home is like that. From the bulkhead in the overflow it's pvc plumbing down to the sump and refugium. There is a downward facing T on that drain line. Part of the water drains to the fuge and part drains to the skimmer compartment. The fuge sits to the left of the sump and is elevated about 6". It has a bulkhead in the right side of it that then drains directly into the return pump compartment. Hope that helps.

Sounds like what I am looking at doing. Any chance of getting a photo of it?

Thanks!

[Samper]

Here is the only pic I have here of it. Hope this helps.

http://www.reefland.com/forum/attach...m-dsc00034.jpg

wait here's another

http://www.reefland.com/forum/attach...em-tank005.jpg

[Ratpack]

Thanks for the photo. What sizes are the two different tanks? I am thinking of using a 10 gallon fuge on top of a 20 gallon long for the sump.

[Samper]

The dimensions of the acrylic refugium are 1.5' X 1.5' The sump I believe is a 40 gallon long.

[Ratpack]

Cool. Actually at lunch today I ran across a good deal on a 30 gal that I picked up and will use that as my sump. My main tank will be a 120, so the 30 may be a little small but for me it should serve it's purpose. I may sit a 10 gal a little above it like in your setup for a fuge and let that feed the 30 gal and not split the overflow. If I feed the 10 gal via 1" line from overflow and feed the 30 gal sump from the 10 gal fuge via 2" line, I think I would be OK. Or should I definitely look at splitting the overflow?

Either way, now I just need to figure out how to divide the sump up. Any good places or drawings to look at?

[Samper]

Here is the problem that I ran into with it setup this way. There has a be a guard in the refugium compartment to keep macro algae from just running into the return compartment. Being in a fuge this guard tends to need a lot of maintenance in order to keep water running through it properly. If you don't tend to it regularly it will clog up and overflow. This can pose numerous problems for the system. If you are set on doing it this way make sure you put a ball valve on the refugium line so that you can regulate the flow to it.

Since yours will be split into two parts the refugium will be one and the sump the other. All you need to do is get glass baffles cut that you can silicone inside the 30 gallon. All you will need is 3 baffles...over under over. The first section is where the main bulk of drain water will empty. The skimmer will sit in there. The second compartment will house the return pump, heater etc etc. I have no drawings but if you search around building sumps you should get an idea of it.

[Ratpack]

Great info. I think what I will do is split the 30 gal into three compartments. The first will be 12x12x10 and that is where the drain will come in and the skimmer will sit. Next section, seperated by the baffles, would be 16x12x8 and I can put live sand, LR and use it as a fuge as well. The third section would be 6x12x8 and that would house the heaters. The pump will be external and pick up the water from a bulkhead in the small section at the end. I could then put a piece of egg crate over the center section to keep any macro algae from entering the pump pickup section. What do you think?

[wozza]

i would make the return pump section bigger as all of the evaporation from the whole system will show there and in a 120g that will prob need topping up daily or everyother day.

hth james

[Ratpack]

For a 120 gal, about how many gallons should the return section hold as a miimum? I went ahead and bought a 10 gal for a fuge that will be seperate and drain into the 30 gal, so space is not a concern except making the one section big enough to hold whatever skimmer I buy / make.

[Samper]

Your best bet is to build your skimmer section just big enough to allow you to remove components easily as needed. Like Wozza said the return should be the largest compartment if at all possible.