Cool idea with no idea how to execute

My first post here, been enjoying reading all of your posts. There is some great info here.

I have a 125 and a 90 gallon set up next to each other. I have a 37 gallon I am currently not using and I thought it would be cool to put it under one of the tanks and kind of use it as a sump for both tanks. I could put one big skimmer in it, my heaters, and any other things I could get off the back of my tanks. Both of my tanks currently have wet/dry filters with bio balls. So how can I get both tanks to pour water into it and pump it back up to both evenly?

 

That is simple. Once you have it set up as your sump simply figuire the GPH of the two drains and match it with an appropriate sized pump. You can tee the return line and control flow to either tank from one valve.

 

I will be doing the same, 2 90g tanks, 1 sump, pump etc. Just bought a ReeFlo Hammerhead pump & a 50g tall acrylic sump. I also have a large EuroReef skimmer. Later, I'll hook up a dedicated refugium & dedicated Algae Turf Scrubber. You gotta have the gph for your plumbing floorplan.

Good Luck.

 

if you go that route, do you put UV sterilizers on the return lines of both tanks or do you just risk that whatever gets in one tank gets in both?

 

yea...... not sure if a 37 gallon is big enough. what if power goes out.... and all the water drains into the sump and overflows it? its not just one tank.... but two with some size...

 

Welcome to 3reef.

I agree with tatted on the overflow issue. You could use the 37 as a refugium and get a larger tank for the combo sump.

 

Yeah, true. You'd probably have to do some calculations. Also depends on the type of overflowtoo.

 

Between my 2 wet/dry filters and a 37 gallon I think I would be ok. My filters dont overflow when I lose power and they can each hold I would guess 8 gallons. Ive never tried anything like this before. Do I need a new overflow box for each aqurarium, or is there a different method for getting the water out and into the sump. I thought maybe to get some plastic pipe and some elbows and get a syphoon system pulling water from about an inch down in my each aquarium and going into the 37 gallon then having 2 pumps to pump it back to each. But I dont think this will this work. As soon as the water level drops then I have to start the syphoon again? Anyone have some details on how to make this work?

 

Seabass, I have a barracuda from reeflow for my 180. the hammerhead is a bit larger of a pump than the Cuda. I hope you plan on running other devices like a skimmer fuge and chiller of necessary with that pump. otherwise, you will have to throttle it WAY back as it flows a TON OF WATER. I have a 150 gal sump on mine and I cannot run the cuda wide open or I get microbubbles.


as for the original question, you can use the same overflows, and even use two pumps. it will all balance out.

FWIW, most LFS use a single massive sump with all of their tanks.