Two tank and one sump

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I have seen a thread about this before but it didn't really went in depth in it. I am looking to have a 20-30 gal sump into my 60 gallon main tank and 5 gallon nano tank. My 5 gallon tank is a mixed reef with some sps, lps, and some softies and my 60 gallon tank is just a single lionfish just for display. I was hoping that i can connect them into 1 sump so i can get stability as well on my nano tank and less chance for it to crash. What are your guys’ thoughts on it.

 

[NavyR33f]

While a fantastic idea in whole it can go both ways to be honest. A huge benefit to the nano by giving large water stability, however if either of the tanks get any disease or unwanted algae, it'll make it much easier for it to travel between both tanks. If you're qt process is sound and you're confident in your other processes, it would be no problem at all.

 

[Rmckoy]

2 over flows , and 2 return pumps ....

It’s easy enough to do. .
As long as you have enough room in the sump for the volume of water if power outage .’

 

[ZoWhat]

I worked part-time at a Coral Shop fir 5yrs years and we had about 8 full size tanks tied into one large sump. The external Skimmer was about 4ft tall and cost $3000 or more

 

[dank reefer]

Depending on your current return pump, you should be able to T off from it and run both tanks from it. Extra 5 gallons of water will not hurt the tank at all IMHO.

Add a gate valve so that you can control the flow going to the 5g and you should be set.

I did the same before and added a 50g lowboy to my existing 90 DT.

But like @NavyR33f mentioned that if you get some sort of Alagae/disease in one tank, it will spread to the other.

 

[prdubois]

I have a 220 and a 60 using one sump and it works great.

 

[FortLivingRoom]

Your title gave me flashbacks.

 

[KrisReef]

I have seen a thread about this before but it didn't really went in depth in it. I am looking to have a 20-30 gal sump into my 60 gallon main tank and 5 gallon nano tank. My 5 gallon tank is a mixed reef with some sps, lps, and some softies and my 60 gallon tank is just a single lionfish just for display. I was hoping that i can connect them into 1 sump so i can get stability as well on my nano tank and less chance for it to crash. What are your guys’ thoughts on it.

If you have enough live rock in the system to handle the Lionfish bioload that should not be a problem. Having SPS and corals, the need to balance ALK, Nitrate, and Phosphate is also not necessarily a problem if you plan well. If done correctly you could end up with more stability of ALK, but I think it might be a bit more difficult to export nitrate and phosphate inputs from feeding a lion fish than a single nano alone. Still not impossible, just a bigger challenge. You might need a refugium, or algae scrubber to balance nutrients but it is all doable if you decide to step into the challenge.

Some would say it is easier to do larger systems. I agree if you discount the effort to change water if/when nutrients get to high.

 

[fachatga]

I think since your second tank is so small the issue of algae or something else spreading to both tanks is muted. If you had 2 large ones it would be a bigger issue. But it’s so easy for you to do ab100% water change and clean out the nano I think that shouldn’t deter you.