2-tank sump/fuge?

When PetCo started there $1 gal sale I called around to see who had a big tank or who would order me one, and I found a guy who admitted to me that they had some 10gal tanks thqat were ringing up wrong, to the tune of $1.20 per tank. So I went out there and got 2 of them, no idea why 2 but I did.

The stand I just got with my 55gal tank is not a typical stand, it is more of like an old school entertainment cabinet turned fish tank stand. It has 2 doors on the side (about 1/3 of the length each) and an open middle. There is room for both of the 10gal tanks to be stacked on top of eachother and enlosed behind one of the doors.

My thought was to either drill the tank or PVC overflow down to the first tank. In there have either a HOB skimmer or small internal one...then PVC pipe down to the other tank which I was hoping to be able to have at least 5 or 7 gal for a fuge, baffled to a return pump back up to the 55gal tank.
What are the thoughts about this? Is this a viable option or should I come up with something else?

 

Sounds like fun. Don't forget to take pictures.

 

I will take pictures, just was hoping for a little advise as too what to do before i jumped in

 

Show a quick sketch if you can. From what I am picturing though, it seems like it should work fine. Gravity down to first tank, gravity to second tank, pumped back to DT.

 

Sounds like it would work.

Only thing to think about is that it sounds like all of your flow will be going through your fuge, so you'll not be able to fine tune the fuge's flow without changing the flow of your entire filtration.

Though, I'm guessing you wouldn't have room for a skimmer if your fuge was on top would you?

Just be sure that the bottom tank has enough room to hold all the water from the top one, and the plumbing in the case of a power outtage

 

When you say gravity down...are you talking about drilling the top 10 gal?

 

My thought was a skimmer in the top tank, low water level in the tank....then head down to the fuge which would be prolly like half full or so....then pump back up

 

Gravity meaning not pumped So either overflow or drilled.

 

So is all this set up yet? How sound is the entertainment stand turned fish stand??? Is it braced, are any of the shelfs supported with anything???

And when you say 2 ten gallon tanks stacked on top of each other... you don't mean that litterally do you?

And you will need at least 6-8 inches in the skimmer section. 8" for the 160 I think?

 

Here is my 2 tank Sump/Fuge. I drilled a 10 gallon tank, put a small baffle in and have it gravity draining into the sump. The return is "Teed" off and valved to have slow flow through the fuge.