how to conect three tanks

[joe]

hey guys

i might get three mini bow's for free the 5 gallon types and was gonna make them little nano reefs, with a small fish in each(gobies). i was thinking about using my spare aquacealr HOB and making them fugees like on me other tank.
but i figured since the three tank willbe side by side connected by one 48 inch light, whichh i already have also, i could somehow connect them all with one sump below.

1)how to get the water from each individual tank down to the sump (probebley a 10 pr 15 gallon)

2)how to get the water back to the tanks.

i dont think there are overflow boxes smalll enuf, and is there such thing as a product that will divert water from one pump into three sepreate return tubes.

this might be impposible and if it is im just gonna HOB fuge them, and do lots of water changes.

so let me know if you have any ideas


also btw do you think they could be drilled, even if theyre so small.

thanks

joe

 

[Deanos]

1. Drill all three.
2. Drain each to the sump.
3. Split the return pump's flow 3 ways to each tank controlled by ball valves.
4. Take pics and enjoy!

 

[House of Laughter]

I would do 2 as display and one as fuge above the 2 displays - I would make one goby pistol shrimp combo and the other LPS or SPS.

DSB's in both with good sifters

Like dean said, I would use a decent sized sump and plumb the returns into the tanks and one to the fuge - the drain from the fuge should be gravity fed.

House

 

[joe]

well i cant do SPS cause the lights i have are pc's but the lps i had in mind and the yashe has with candy stripe shrimmp is wat i was also thinking.

first off after drilling them(which i have no clue how to do and dont have the meens to) what do i do just put i bulkhead in the whole or do i need to make a whole over flow thing

second
i cant have the fuge above,
im gonna have 3 display and one sump below.

what kinda pump should i use,
how big should the hole be
what do i do once the whole is made
thanks
joe

 

[House of Laughter]

I would use 1/2 or 3/4 bulkheads and they screw tright with a rubber seal.

You don't nee to do the whole overflow thing, but you should use bulkhead screens so snials etc don't clog the plumbing.

The return choice is going to depend on how far up the tanks are from the sump. I think a mag 9 for all 3 would suffice at 4" - mag 7 would likely do as well.

House

 

[bad coffee]

Since the tanks are plastic, you can drill them with a regular hole saw. you could plumb all three tanks together side by side. have the flow come from the sump to one tank, flow through the second, and exit from the third. The only thing would be the flow rate through them.

B

 

[joe]

aite
so i really know nothing about drilling and pluming and return tubes and pumps and ball valves, and pvc parts etc

so i have a few questions

1) so lets a ssume i sonnhow drill the tanks and have a bulkhead screwed in tight , all i gotta do is attach a piece of tubing to it and the water will flow down. how do i make sure the tubing doesnt slip.
the drilled hole will be at the back of the tank, not the bottom, rite?

2)
how does the water get back to the tank with one pump, whats a ball valve.

arite sso here are my first couple of questions

thanks

joe

 

[joe]

Since the tanks are plastic, you can drill them with a regular hole saw. you could plumb all three tanks together side by side. have the flow come from the sump to one tank, flow through the second, and exit from the third. The only thing would be the flow rate through them.

B

what exactlly do you men the fow rate through them?

 

[Josh]

If you want to get creative you could drill them and have them overflow into each other, with the return on the lowest tank. Kind of like a waterfall.

 

[joe]

also do i drill a holle for the return
so 2 holes in each tank?

 

[joe]

If you want to get creative you could drill them and have them overflow into each other, with the return on the lowest tank. Kind of like a waterfall.

thats an idea but there all connected by one PC light which will be on legs, so the uneven ness would mes things up

ya know wat i meen

 

[DEEPWATER]

Joe ,,,here is the way ,,,