Multiple tanks on one sump?

dweeb

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
I have a 120g display tank (mixed fish/reef), with a 40g sump below it.

I'm considering adding another tank close to it, and wanted to use the same sump.

Any advice? Clearly, the return pump has to be capable of running both (it is). But are there other thoughts on the complexity?
 
#2
I have 2 60g tanks plumbed to the same sump. Planning on adding another tank. Just make sure the plumbing from the return is always going down and never up.

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Sctip

Bat Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
#3
You can plumb as many tanks that your sump can contain. What I mean is, when you turn off your return pump if you ha e enough room in your sump to contain all the water that will drain back into it. Then your good. I ha e three tanks into one sump and love it.

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TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#4
I had my 150 tall running with a 75 gallon sump up for 2+ years before I decided to add a 40b next to the sump for my Anglerfish Edwardo. When I originally set up the system I placed a T in the return line that fed back to the sump with a ball valve on it so I could regulate the amount of flow heading to the 150. I just extended that offshoot line to the 40b and it seems to work fine. Frogfish/anglerfish aren't great swimmers so I didn't want a ton of flow in there (if I had to guess I'm sending 80% to the 150 and 20% to the 40b)....but as long as your return pump is strong enough I don't see why it wouldn't work. Very similar to how people plumb in a manifold off their return line to feed reactors and mechanical filtration without adding more pumps to the system.
 

SynDen

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#5
Ya if the pump can do it, go for it. I would make sure that when doing the plumbing, you add extra ball valves so that you can segregate a tank from the rest of the system if there is some sort of issue.
On a multi tank system, if one crashes it often means a full system crash. If you add the ability to separate a tank from the system temporarily you can minimize this drawback somewhat
 

fishguy69

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
IMO Check valves are a must on multi tank systems. Definitely doable since this is how my new fish room will be ran.
 

JZinCO

Goby
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
My secondary display tank is going online tomorrow and I cannot wait.I did as others and just tee-d off the return line.
 

dweeb

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
Do you think it's vital to have two overflow lines and return lines, or will just one suffice?

My current 120g has two overflows and return lines.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#11
dweeb;n661554 said:
Do you think it's vital to have two overflow lines and return lines, or will just one suffice?

My current 120g has two overflows and return lines.
I would always keep multiple overflows (from display to sump) in case one becomes clogged or obstructed the second (or 3rd) can kick in and prevent a huge mess on your floors. For the return lines (from the sump back to the display) I don't see why you couldn't go with just one. I don't really count my return line as flow, I'd use a gyre pump or wave makers or something along those lines to create the flow in the display. Your return lines are there for water turnover between the sump and display.....My opinion.
 
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