reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 So, I am wanting to set up two tanks...I want to set up a shallow encrusting monti tank and a small frag tank... I was going to just build a creative shelf thing to conceal my chiller, but got to thinking that maybe I could make it a stand and have two tanks, one smaller one down below (for frags) and then one above it that would be my shallow encrusting monti tank...I know that my chiller, and skimmer are big enough to handle an extra 40-50 gallons of water...I have some ideas, but multiple heads are better then one, so I would like to get some ideas of others might do it...So lets hear the ideas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 How about share yours first and we all go from there? At least then the ideas coincide with each other. any pics of the existing system or how you plan to do the return? I personally would keep the systems separate but thats just me, I like to think of a qt as a place to put new items/frags and watch them, if they have parasites it would be easier to deal with in just a simple QT tank than have them leach into the main tank. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 How about share yours first and we all go from there? At least then the ideas coincide with each other. any pics of the existing system or how you plan to do the return? I was thinking of two ways... 1- Have the top tank drain into the lower tank and then the lower tank drain into the main display sump. The return line is split and returns into the top tank. 2- Just have the 2 tanks drain into the sump and then return the water via the return line. I am not sure if I should just use a separate internal pump to return the water... I personally would keep the systems separate but thats just me' date=' I like to think of a qt as a place to put new items/frags and watch them, if they have parasites it would be easier to deal with in just a simple QT tank than have them leach into the main tank. Just a thought.[/quote'] I am not a QT guy, never have been. I dip all corals before they go in my tank it has seemed to work for me. Plus I do not have want to purchase a bunch more equipment...If this is something that just will not work, then I will not do it...but if I can make it work, I think it would be awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Brandy Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 What size are your two tanks that you want to hook together? Could you draw a picture so I can see what your thinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 The prelim idea sounds decent, I wonder what the temp flux would be? To reduce tempurature flux you could t-off the return or just use two return pumps and go to both tanks and overflow both to one sump, this would make for a more balanced temp range as long as both your return lines to the sump are far enough away from the heater they mix well first to create an even temp. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 The prelim idea sounds decent' date=' I wonder what the temp flux would be? To reduce tempurature flux you could t-off the return or just use two return pumps and go to both tanks and overflow both to one sump, this would make for a more balanced temp range as long as both your return lines to the sump are far enough away from the heater they mix well first to create an even temp. Just a thought.[/quote'] Yeah my concern is temp flux...cause I will not be running 400w halide over the other tanks, probably 250's...so I am not sure how that would work out... so you think both draining into the sump with an extra internal return pump "t"'d going to the 2 tanks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 What size are your two tanks that you want to hook together? Could you draw a picture so I can see what your thinking? The monti tank would be 24x24x12h... and the frag tank I think would be like 18-20x18-20x10-12h... I will see if I can get a pic drawn up sometime today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 So three tanks on one sump? Where is the chiller inline at? on the return? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 So three tanks on one sump? Where is the chiller inline at? on the return? Yes 3 tanks into one sump...the chiller is "T" into the return line, to the tank, and the return from the chiller runs into the sump... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 OK that makes sense, if it was me and this was an experiment I would add a return pump for the two tanks and t-off, or you can gravity feed to the other and no T, there small enough as long as the water flow is decent you should not have an issue, leave the current system as is as long as your not expecting to do DRAMATIC chilling on the two small systems. more flow the better, it will help create a more even temperature through the three systems. This will work great as long as the smaller tanks are not creating to much heat, a little is fine and it will circulate to the sump and get caught into the chiller line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 OK that makes sense' date=' if it was me and this was an experiment I would add a return pump for the two tanks and t-off, or you can gravity feed to the other and no T, there small enough as long as the water flow is decent you should not have an issue, leave the current system as is as long as your not expecting to do DRAMATIC chilling on the two small systems. more flow the better, it will help create a more even temperature through the three systems. This will work great as long as the smaller tanks are not creating to much heat, a little is fine and it will circulate to the sump and get caught into the chiller line.[/quote'] So go with my first idea... Of draining the top tank into the bottom tank and then the bottom tank drains into the main display sump? and then an extra return pump that returns the water to the top tank? also what do you think a good number for flow would be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Does anyone else have any thoughts...Nyles help was great, but would love to hear other people's input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I have something similar in the works...just planning right now. The "second tank" is my mangrove section. I still need help deciding on how I am going to fill it with sand without the pipes getting clogged and backing up...leading to a major catastrophy. I might even have some critters in there to keep it tidy. Kinda like a deep sand bed. Care to throw in some input as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I would build a baffle with teeth where the return pump sits to keep the sand out of that section, very similar to what I built for my refugium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 I would build a baffle with teeth where the return pump sits to keep the sand out of that section' date=' very similar to what I built for my refugium[/quote'] I was just going to say the same thing...LOL.(clap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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