Hooking up multiple tanks to a single canister

Rocketman

Rocketman

Detroit; proud of it.
Oct 24, 2002
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Detroit, MI
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Reid
Here is the situation. I have a Eheim Pro II 2026 canister on a 60 Gallon tank. The filter can handle a 92 Gallon, and I was wondering - is there a way I can hook up my 10 gallon beeder to this, and maybe have the flter intake water from both tanks, and output to both also? I would want to keep the water interchangable, because that way I wouldnt need a heater, (I've got more then enough in the 60 Gallon.) the 10 Gal. is currently set up downstairs, running off a spare whisper.
 
So I guess that means I cannot hook this smaller tank up to the larger one? Anyone have any other ideas? The Plumbing article specifys overflow of one tank as the problem, as water seeks its lowest level.
 
Sounds like a recipe for disaster (voice of experience).

If you hook them up in parallel (split the intake and return, a pair in each tank) you'll probably end up with 65 gallons in the 10g!

If you hook them up in series you'll need a giant _reliable_ siphon between the two tanks (intake from 65g, return to 10g, giant siphon from 10g to 65g). I say giant because unless your design accomodates a significant difference in the surface levels (head), you need a really big siphon. The head is dynamic with the filter efficency - turn off the filter and things level out again. Siphons fail. Also your 10g will likely be too turbulent (turnover rate) for a breeder setup.

Another downside is that you will be sharing any diseases between the two tanks.

I'd recommend you buy a second heater and a spong filter setup. That way you can set the right temperature for breeding and fry don't end up as bio-load in the filter.

Gumby
 
One way you could hook them up in series is to suspend the 10 gallon over the 65. Have the filter intake on the 65 and the filter output in the 10. The 10 will overflow into the 65; no fancy siphon set up needed -- but it's bound to be really noisy and the smaller tank is likely to be very turbulent.

I too recommend keeping the tanks separate.
 
Everyone's favorite fish store, Walmart, sets all of their tanks up on series filtration like you are thinking of doing. Ever notice how when one tank of fish is sick there, they all are?

If the tanks were closer to the same size, I would say give it a try. However, since there is a great possibility of disaster involved, I would recommend, like many already have, to keep them separated.
 
Originally posted by pinballqueen
Everyone's favorite fish store, Walmart, .....
Click to expand...
Now that is some clever sarcasm! :D > IchMart < LOL
 
Yeah, whoever mentioned suspending the 10 had a good idea... I already have the breeder set up, like I said, with a heater and it has been operational for a few months now, I was just wondering if I could think of a way to do it cheaper.
 
I think it would be a better idea to suspend the 60 over the 10 -- you're basically talking about a sump/refugium with a canister as the pump. I'm not sure if you're going to save anything after time and expense, but it makes sense to me as far as the plumbing goes. I'd check with Slip about the details. He seems to know a lot about sumps.

PBQ and Gumby7 also make a lot of sense to me, especially regarding the flow rate through the 10. More than 20 times an hour seems like a lot of water if you're going to keep fish in there.

The theory seems ok, not sure about the practicality.
 
Ok. I have an old 55 Gallon that has been used as a hamster cage since it busted 1 year ago. The Hamster recently died, (and he wasnt a chewer.) I've wanted to move the guppies into a larger tank for some time now, so I can expand the operation and get a larger yeild, (these are for feeders.) Could I attempt to re-seal the tank, and then do this?
 
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