4 55 gallons with a common sump?

[leroytigerjohnson]

I'm thinking about setting up 3 or 4 aquariums side by side. Using a common sump and splitting the return from a mag 18 between them, have a psk300 skimmer, a mag 18, and 4 reef radiance dm155e lights. I have 3 55s already (still in cardboard). Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions ? I can build most any diy item I want and have some spare tax money I can dump into it. I have about 200 lbs of live rock and about 120 lbs of live sand. Thinking some corals and some fish. Has anyone done this that has insight? I will drill the tanks as needed. Initially my plans were 2side by side with a third as a sump. Now I might go crazy and do up to 4 side by side. Suggestions ?

 

[luxauterna]

The only issue I see will be the size of the sump. The sump will have to be large enough to hold the amount of water draining from the 4 tanks into the first chamber of the sump. Depending on the distance the water has to travel from your sump to your tanks, the Mag 18 should be fine IMO. I think it'd be an awesome project. Just make sure you use a lot of valves and unions for ease of maintenance. Also leave plenty of space.

When we move I am planning on doing something similar but on a much lesser scale. I am going to set up the display on one side of a wall, then plumb it to another tank (display fuge) that is slightly lower (for gravity fed from DT) then drain to the sump underneath. Return will go to DT only. My issues will be gravity and water drain/return speed.

 

[tyler1503]

My LFS has 4 120s connected to 1 sump. The sump is a custom built one, but the dimensions are roughly 3x2x1.5. He has 2 of these sumps side by side, but they're plumbed together so it's 1 body of water with 1 drain into the left sump and 1 return in the right sump that T's off to each tank. He can only run it about 1/3 full. It's a really nice looking set up.
Luxauterna, I think asking as your drain line can hold more water than the return, you should be ok. Gravity will be your friend

 

[luxauterna]

yea makes sense!

 

[3dees]

maybe a stupid question, but if one tank becomes infected with something, wouldn't all the tanks suffer as well?

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

Yes, but its like having one large tank when it comes to having an outbreak.
Plan at this point is 3 side by side with a fourth as the sump. I'm looking at putting them behind the living room couch. That'll make the effective dimensions 144" x 21" x 13" with two dividers at 48" & 96"

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

My reef radiance lights showed up yesterday, building the stand Monday. Drilling the tanks this afternoon. I'll do a build thread I think...

 

[DeeFromBrooklyn]

That sump seems small to manage 3 tanks. Approximately 30 gallon surface area for 360 gallons of aquarium. My Sumps that big for one reef system

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

I'm not sure where a few 55 gallon tanks is 360 gallons. But people do sumpless tanks all the time, so the sump would just be a bonus.

 

[DeeFromBrooklyn]

4 120s. 480 gal. Is a stretch For 160 gallons that's better

 

[Planedoc]

Aren't all 55 gallon tanks tempered glass on all 5 panels

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

Nope. I don't think any panels are tempered on the standard 55. 75 gallon tank the bottom is tempered. From what I recall.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Aren't all 55 gallon tanks tempered glass on all 5 panels

I thought the same thing, but I'm definitely not an authority. I'd check to be sure though.

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

Mine are not for sure, just drilled the back panel, and the bottoms do not have the lil warning.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Mine are not for sure, just drilled the back panel, and the bottoms do not have the lil warning.

Excellent!

 

[leroytigerjohnson]

Well, I got the stand built, got the tanks on it, got the lights mounted, got most of the plumbing done. Got frustrated and took a break. Will work on it this week in the evenings as this coming weekend is the move of the return pump and rock from my 100 gal at my brothers place. Found some sweet acrylic overflow boxes at office depot on clearance for $4.00 a piece.

 

[tyler1503]

I'm looking forward to see how this one turns out
Got any pics?

 

[J062682l]

Hey kick the mag 18 and go with four smaller ones. If that mag goes. You'll have 4 tanks with no return. But if one of the smaller ones go you'll only have to worry about 1 tank

 

[DeeFromBrooklyn]

I need that office Depot deal. .

 

[ReeferEric]

I like the idea of larger water volume. One time testing instead of multiple.

Few cons would be the amount of water returning to the sump and if it will cause micro bubbles, lower sump running levels, tank crash and a few other things. Also skimmer might not be enough for the total water volume.