Connecting multiple aquariums

[HewFoE]

Good afternoon r2r!

So I am slowly planning out a very far future build. Once I finish my basement I want a 300+ gallon tank. I currently have a 90 gallon on my main level and I really do NOT want multiple water changes, parameters to worry about etc. That part of the hobby just does not interest me, at all. It's extra house chores I need to do.

That being said, I want to connect both tanks to the same sump system and make it a total of roughly 450-500g water volume with sump and both displays. I know how to water bridge tanks near each other but does that same principle work if let's say one tank is one level up and halfway across the house? (Roughly 40 feet horizontal and 15 feet vertical).

I would block the bridge off using mesh so no fish would swim between the two.

The other way I was thinking was connecting the upstairs overflow to a PVC which would then overflow into the downstairs tank which would then overflow to a sump below it in its cabinet. The only down side to this method is I wanted the sump to be in a separate room away from the display.

Am I making this overly difficult and there is an easier way?

 

[Spieg]

Not sure if I fully understand the question, but I don't think a "bridge" would work as it would become a big siphon trying to drain the upper tank. I think that as long as you had separate overflow plumbing and return pumps for each tank, you could put the sump anywhere you want so long as it's below the level of the lower tank overflow.

 

[HewFoE]

The issue with that is I want the sump to be in a different room and up on a table if possible... I guess it is possible just as long as the plumbing is below the overflow water level. Would just have to make the table a little shorter... Yes?

 

[Spieg]

Yes, or you could possibly use a pump to move water from the lower tank up to the sump, but that gets a bit more complicated/risky than a traditional gravity feed overflow.

 

[HewFoE]

Ya I want to stay away from utilizing a pump up to the sump. Nothing like dumping 500gallons into your newly finished basement to make the wife happy

 

[RocketEngineer]

Pump up, gravity flow down.