Reef Tank AND Display Fuge/Seahorse Tank Possible? Why won't this work?

tablesalt

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So, I'm thinking of doing something different and I need someone to talk me out of it.

I am thinking of a 2 tank system running off of the same sump and need to know the pros and cons of this from the experts.

My last tank was very successful and up a few years before I had to take it down (everybody rehomed and friends happy with free coral). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mikes-45-gallon-zoa-garden-max-e-170.345012/page-5#post-9255377

I still have my Max-E 170, but not the equipment for it other than the auto top off (I switched it to breeding freshwater shrimp and have tons now).

I am thinking about getting a used Red Sea 350 (or similar depending on craigslist availability) and plumbing 2 tanks into the sump. One tank would be a mixed reef light on the stocking part. Probably just softies with a few torches and easier things mixed in. I'm not huge on stocking fish (mostly interested in inverts) and would be looking at a 6 line wrasse and maybe the odd fish. What I'm thinking of doing is... since I still have the Max-E 170 still, could I also plumb it into the same sump as sort of a giant fuge. I'm thinking of just having rocks, some calerpa, and maybe a seahorse or some other oddballs that would not normally suitable for a reef tank. I'm thinking that if I kept it as a strictly "planted" saltwater tank I could get away with just keeping the freshwater plant LED light that has been great at growing plants.

I'm still early in the research phase on this, but I'm thinking since I already have the tank that would be used as the fuge, so long as the sump is large enough to support a power outage other than more rock and an extra pump it wouldn't be all that expensive to set up and would increase water volume/stability/all that good stuff.

Honestly, the most interesting stuff for me (and for my kids) are the hermit crabs and little creepy crawlies. If the seahorses are a bad idea but the 2nd tank is not I could see leaving it as a giant exposed invert only no coral fuge with live plants.

Thoughts?

If this has been done before I can't find any relevant material. Please feel free to tell me this is dumb or to point me in a different direction. Also... is there a specific forum here for used tanks or setups and not just equipment?

Thanks!
 

MarineandReef Jaron

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You can do this and it is something I have done before at home, and it is widespread in commercial settings. The one thing that can be a little difficult is keeping both drains quiet. You should either use 2 return pumps or you can use a single return pump and valves to control how much of the flow is going to each return outlet. Just keep in mind that if you are running a herbie drain and you adjust 1 return valve all of the other tanks will be affected and you will have to adjust every other drain. Not a big issue with 2 tanks but it can get crazy if you have a lot.
 

Moomee

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You can do this and it is something I have done before at home, and it is widespread in commercial settings. The one thing that can be a little difficult is keeping both drains quiet. You should either use 2 return pumps or you can use a single return pump and valves to control how much of the flow is going to each return outlet. Just keep in mind that if you are running a herbie drain and you adjust 1 return valve all of the other tanks will be affected and you will have to adjust every other drain. Not a big issue with 2 tanks but it can get crazy if you have a lot.
I’m working on a project to run 30/50/65g all off one large sump and curious about your comment about adjusting all the drains. They will all be Herbie style and run off one large return. Is your comment related to sound from the drains? I’m not too concerned about sound since this is a basement setup.
 

Fish Styx

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So, I'm thinking of doing something different and I need someone to talk me out of it.

I am thinking of a 2 tank system running off of the same sump and need to know the pros and cons of this from the experts.

My last tank was very successful and up a few years before I had to take it down (everybody rehomed and friends happy with free coral). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mikes-45-gallon-zoa-garden-max-e-170.345012/page-5#post-9255377

I still have my Max-E 170, but not the equipment for it other than the auto top off (I switched it to breeding freshwater shrimp and have tons now).

I am thinking about getting a used Red Sea 350 (or similar depending on craigslist availability) and plumbing 2 tanks into the sump. One tank would be a mixed reef light on the stocking part. Probably just softies with a few torches and easier things mixed in. I'm not huge on stocking fish (mostly interested in inverts) and would be looking at a 6 line wrasse and maybe the odd fish. What I'm thinking of doing is... since I still have the Max-E 170 still, could I also plumb it into the same sump as sort of a giant fuge. I'm thinking of just having rocks, some calerpa, and maybe a seahorse or some other oddballs that would not normally suitable for a reef tank. I'm thinking that if I kept it as a strictly "planted" saltwater tank I could get away with just keeping the freshwater plant LED light that has been great at growing plants.

I'm still early in the research phase on this, but I'm thinking since I already have the tank that would be used as the fuge, so long as the sump is large enough to support a power outage other than more rock and an extra pump it wouldn't be all that expensive to set up and would increase water volume/stability/all that good stuff.

Honestly, the most interesting stuff for me (and for my kids) are the hermit crabs and little creepy crawlies. If the seahorses are a bad idea but the 2nd tank is not I could see leaving it as a giant exposed invert only no coral fuge with live plants.

Thoughts?

If this has been done before I can't find any relevant material. Please feel free to tell me this is dumb or to point me in a different direction. Also... is there a specific forum here for used tanks or setups and not just equipment?

Thanks!
I do this exact thing, if you want to check out my build thread. I don't keep seahorses in my display fuge though.
 

MarineandReef Jaron

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I’m working on a project to run 30/50/65g all off one large sump and curious about your comment about adjusting all the drains. They will all be Herbie style and run off one large return. Is your comment related to sound from the drains? I’m not too concerned about sound since this is a basement setup.
This is related to sound. In most commercial settings tanks have a single drain so adjusting the valve on one of the returns will change the flow into all of the other tanks but it doesn't matter for noise since none of the tanks have a full siphon drain. When all of the tanks have a full siphon drain then changing one of the return lines will also put all of the drains out of tune.
 

Bruttall

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I won't go into the pro's of what your doing, you already know the benefits of Sump and that is why this topic is here, I will discuss the CON's and there are a few you need to be aware of on Multi display tank sump systems.

1. this is the biggest, if a fish gets sick in one tank, all the tanks get sick, they are all on same water supply. So you Crash one tank, you Crash them all in that system.

2. Water Volume. The eshopps 300 sump on my 300g holds about 35 gallons of water, or approx 10% of DT. IF you make your SUMP large enough to keep that 10% ratio on all tanks you should be ok, but less water volume means faster build up of toxins in the water column. And to slow the accumulation of toxins thru added water volume is one of the Biggest Advantages to a sump system. When I make Home Built sumps I prefer to try and get 15% to 20% of DT volume in them, More Water is Better IMO!@!

My2cents!
 

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