DIY Sump question

I am wanting to build a sump/refugium for my 55 gallon which is in the process of being set up. I can only fit 2 -10 gallon tanks underneath in my stand. Will this work? I am a member on another forum and i can't get any help there. yall's opinions are much appreciated ;D

 

why only 2 10's nothing bigger will fit?

 

no unfortunately. the braces underneath the tank are too big that anything longer than a 10 gal wont fit.

 

I have seen you set up work like that before. Don't forget that your drain line to the sump needs to be more of angle or you will get no water flow. Not a T adapter but a Y.
If you can make this why not make a custom acrylic sump to go under the tank? save money on the 2nd return pump and build one bigger than 2 10's.


John

 

I'm planning on something similar for my 75. Except the fuge is going to be out of a rubbermaid container on a stand so it sits higher than the the sump. I'm gonna drill it with a bulkhead and plumb it down so it drains into the return section of the sump. That way both the fuge and sump only need the one return pump. If that makes any sense...

 

only problem with this setup is tuning the sump drain and return to each other. That might be pretty hard to impossible.

 

Like Blue was saying. What is the gph of your overflow?

 

i know about the Y adapter, i just got lazy when drawing it. The way the stand is made prevents me from putting anything longer than a 10 gallon underneath. the middle braces are so wide that there is only a 6 inch clearance in the middle. So, i am stuck with few options.

 

I don't think I would trust that system like mentioned before getting your drains matched to your return pumps will be extremely hard, if not impossible.

I would look at drilling the 2 10 gallon tanks and putting bulkheads in and connecting them via PVC or vinyl tubing. Otherwise you could just drill one and have it gravity drain to the other one, you would just have to raise the drilled tank slightly higher than the other.

 

the tanks i have are made by topfin and they say to not drill

but i dont think they are tempered either.....