I can't be the only one who's ever thought about doing this, but I've spent a good hour or so looking online and haven't seen anything yet.

Browsing though the plumbing section at the hardware store today, I was trying to come up with a way to run multiple tanks, from the same filter without having to drill them. I was thinking they could all outflow into one of the livestock tubs, and then using valves and splitters one could run it all out to the tub. Well, not all of it, since if there was a power outage to not have the tanks all completely drain into the sump. So maybe a quarter of the way into the tank..

Something like the way the Rena filters work on a more elaborate scale..

Hey Saint, I'm on my way up to the hills to do some rock hunting with my dad, but I've been brainstormin' similar schemes. I'm thinkin' of tryin' somethin' usin' HOB overflows like ya see in a lot of SW set-ups, the gravity kind. Ya wouldn't have to worry 'bout drainin'a tank as yer only gonna dump until the tank loses suction on the pipe to the overflow, Get back to ya a bit later with my scheme.

WYite

Hmm I am sure it has been done but...seems like the idea would be pretty easy actually.

I was looking for ways to run two tanks together and allow fish to travel between both and found this article Aquarium Water Bridge.

That looks neat, CW. Different than what I was looking to do but is cool.

Wyite, I saw the overflow boxes you were talking about. Seems like that solves the water getting out problem, but then how to handle it getting back in.

My first though is to do it as a gigantic gravity system.

So if there's two shelves of tanks, the top shelf overflows into the tanks on the lower shelf, the lower shelf then overflows into the sump, and the sump pumps it back up to the top shelf.

I'm guessing some sort of ball valves or something would regulate flow into the top shelf tanks so each top shelf tank would get water. That being said, I'm sure I could run pvc with valves in such a way that all the tanks would get refilled with valves.

Kinda wish I knew a plumber that I could run this by.

Do ya wanna set 'em up for fish to swim back and forth as well or just for filtration? If ya wanna mingle fish, then the link that CW posted would be the way to go.



Seen variations of this set-up numerous times, and it could be another option to HOB overflows. It's onre idea I'm playin' with.

The white lines are 1/2" PVC pipe, tees and and elbows. They flow into the gray outflow header, also 1/2" PVC. The header would be slightly tilted down to the filter or sump. I was planning on using a sump/refugium, but now I'm wondering if a canister filter may not be the way to go and skipping the refugium idea. The return from the filter would come back to each tank via a return header, and each PVC discharge into a tank would have a ball valve for controlling flow distribution to the tanks. A screen or sponge covers the siphon tube in the tank to prevent material from clogging the pipe and/or siphoning out small critters, like fry.

The thing I like about this set up is that the tank wouldn't drain below the top of the second up-flow if yer usin' a sump, where without it the tank would drain to the level of the bottom of the siphon tube, potentially overflowing the sump if multiple tanks are in parallel for one filter. It also takes up less space than a HOB overflow.

On the other hand, if ya want some mingling of small critters, yer gonna limit that action.

Myself, I'm lookin into usin' HOB overflows as 1) I have a bunch that I picked up a while back, and I already have 'em available, and 2) I'm lookin' at tryin' a freshwater refugium for inverts that would be tied into the system. An attempt at breeding the inverts in system to maintain a steady supply of live food .

Pretty tired. Hope this all makes sense.

WYite

Saint, ya'd have to pump the water back to the tanks on a return header, or send it back via the discharge of the canister filter. I was typin' up my explanation as ya were askin', it appears. The ball valves are dead on to maintain consistent water return to all tanks in the system.

WYite

I have no interest in mingling critters on a large scale. Maybe two tanks at some point, but I'd want to plan out what's in those tanks. This is going to be for post quarantine fish, so they all have a greater volume of water, and to help cut down on the number of water changes that need doing every week.

Your diagram makes sense. It seems like the return header was the key to the puzzle that was missing. Looks like I'm going to need a lot of valves though to make it properly get back in.

Those hob overflows are kinda expensive, so you should definitely put 'em to use.

Never priced the HOB overflows. They were in that estate sale stuff I bought, thats why I have 'em.

WYite

Cheapest I can find HOB overflows, are around $35 a pop for the up to 75g models.

If you decide on not using them, lemmie know. I'd be interested in pokin at 'em.