Help Pumbing my sump/fuge

the inside stand for my 55 gallon is 45"X10" the only thing that could fit under it is 2 10 gallons or a custom sump since i want to work with what i have how could i make this work



how could i plumb these 2 tanks together drilling is not an option since there both 10 gallons and it could easly cracked

 

I would drill a hole, and have a bulkhead with a pipe attached, to let water pass through. Yes, they're easily cracked, but that also means they're easier to drill. You could also have one tank higher than the other by a couple inches and let it drain into the 2nd tank; again, a drilled option.

The best idea, though, is to figure out what you're doing first. Do you want a skimmer only? Fuge/skimmer/return? fuge/return/skimmer? Extra compartment for accessory pumps?

 

I would go with a custom fuge. However you could elevate the 1st 10 as a skimmer compartment connected to the 2nd lower as a wet/dry or fuge. Look up DIY sump by limpits reef on youtube for help with the fuge design

 

it's most likely going to be skimmer/fuge/return

 

Custom fuge cost money money i dont have right now

 

Yes, use a bulhead to connect the 2. If you want a custom fuge try bashsea they have your size for about 250ish

 

Why would you want the water skimmed before it goes to the fuge? A fuge feeds on quite a bit of the stuff a skimmer will take out.

 

yea but if i do fuge then skimmer it would skim out my pods

 

You are right but I have seen a lot of fuges layed out skimmer first. I was going to suggest an offline skimmer but I am guessing no extra space

 

The recent trend (and generally accepted best method) is to run skimmer/return/fuge, with a T on the drain line and and output into each compartment. You put a ball valve on the fuge side, that way you can control the amount of flow it gets. That way, you don't skim the pods out, nor do you stop gunk that gets to the fuge.

I would, if I were you, use one whole tank as the fuge, and have it overflow via the bulkhead into the return section. Then, I would use the other tank as a skimmer/return. Put a drain into each, with a ball valve on the fuge side of the T, and you've got a better setup than skimmer/fuge/return.