simplest way of connecting two tanks

[maleks.reef]

Hello everyone. I've been thinking lately of using the small 10g cube as a frag tank. However, i do not want to run it as a separate system. I would like to connect the main tank to the small cube. Ideally, i would get another white stand so that it is not so low, but that is not the point of this post. I have zero experience when it comes to plumbing or sumps in general since my tank is an all in one and i say sumps because this frag tank, in a way, is like a sump.

So what is the simplest way of connecting the two together? (Im not interesting in hard plumbing or drilling either tank)

 

[A Young Reefer]

Following along to see if it will work!

 

[Greg Gdowski]

Is there currently a sump under your display tank?
That makes a big difference.
If there is, then the 10G is best placed above the cube. You would route the return from the sump to 10G frag tank and then use an overflow to flow into the display tank. Then a second overflow in the display tank down into the sump.

 

[maleks.reef]

Is there currently a sump under your display tank?
That makes a big difference.
If there is, then the 10G is best placed above the cube. You would route the return from the sump to 10G frag tank and then use an overflow to flow into the display tank. Then a second overflow in the display tank down into the sump.

Nope my tank is an all in one so the sump is in the back.

 

[maleks.reef]

Sidenote: I was thinking of somehow running a gravity-fed flexible tube from the main into the frag tank and then some sort of return to pump water back into the tank. I don't know if this would work, or if the frag tank could potentially flood, or vice versa, plus it would look messy as heck.

 

[Dburr1014]

There are hang on overflows you can buy.
Then you need a return pump.

 

[Greg Gdowski]

You only want one overflow per tank. You don’t want two overflows going to different places. Given that you have one as part of your all in one, then want your frag tank to drain into your display tank. The frag tank would have to be higher than the display tank.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Sidenote: I was thinking of somehow running a gravity-fed flexible tube from the main into the frag tank and then some sort of return to pump water back into the tank. I don't know if this would work, or if the frag tank could potentially flood, or vice versa, plus it would look messy as heck.

The biggest issue you will run into is balancing the flow between the drain and return sides. This will take a lot of fiddling to get it balanced. Then there's the possibility of a pump failing but the syphon continuing to drain to the lower tank.

 

[maleks.reef]

You only want one overflow per tank. You don’t want two overflows going to different places. Given that you have one as part of your all in one, then want your frag tank to drain into your display tank. The frag tank would have to be higher than the display tank.

Well having the frag tank higher than the display is not really an option because the stand would be very tall and absurd, unfortunately. Also can you elaborate more on the two overflows thing? Why is it an issue if i had 2 overflows?

 

[maleks.reef]

The biggest issue you will run into is balancing the flow between the drain and return sides. This will take a lot of fiddling to get it balanced. Then there's the possibility of a pump failing but the syphon continuing to drain to the lower tank.

Wouldn't the siphon stop once the water level reaches a specific level in the frag tank>

 

[maleks.reef]

There are hang on overflows you can buy.
Then you need a return pump.

Good suggestion but these are very expensive. I'm trying to do this on a budget so that the only big purchase is a second light.

 

[mdb_talon]

I dont see a scenario where this works well and looks good. I mean in my mind the best alternative is add an overflow from the current tank to the frag tank which would have to sit lower and then a return pump back to the main display. However in that scenario you could never have the frag tank full of water you have to leave room for pump failures/power outages/etc and the draining of the overflow.

 

[Dburr1014]

Good suggestion but these are very expensive. I'm trying to do this on a budget so that the only big purchase is a second light.

You can always make one with pvc pipe.
Just be sure to have recovery in place. (a pump sucking air at the top)

 

[Projects with Sam]

The king of diy has a pvc overflow that doesn’t need a backup pump. I’ve ran the full tank-height pvc overflows for over two years without issue on my FW setup before I sold it.

 

[BrianAnthony]

I was wanting to do something like this too. Best I could come up with was 2 pumps, 2 float switches

 

[Dburr1014]

I was wanting to do something like this too. Best I could come up with was 2 pumps, 2 float switches

No no no, if one float fails....

 

[BrianAnthony]

Yeah.. I know.

No no no, if one float fails....

Yeah.. I know. Frustrating.

 

[Tamberav]

Just drain the AIO part and connect a sump. Then your DT and frag tank share that sump. So your DT drains into your AIO part... which drains into a sump and returns back to the DT. The frag tank shares the sump with its own overflow box. No flood risk... its just same as any standard sump. Your AIO part is just acting as a giant overflow box.

 

[Eric R.]

I guess my question is, is it worth the hassle or the potential consequences if something goes wrong? Might be easier just to run them as two separate tanks, considering you don't want to buy a return pump or drill either tank. What benefits are you specifically hoping to gain by connecting them?

 

[Greg Gdowski]

Well having the frag tank higher than the display is not really an option because the stand would be very tall and absurd, unfortunately. Also can you elaborate more on the two overflows thing? Why is it an issue if i had 2 overflows?

There is a lot of risk in having two overflows on one tank that goes in multiple directions. It is theoretically possible to balance the system but a lot can go wrong.

Best to just point you to this thread.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...the-same-horizontal-level-as-the-sump.884667/

There were some options that we discussed there. There are probably many threads on this here in R2R. A lot of us have thought about it. I suspect many have tried. RickVan did have some good ideas in that thread.