Connecting Display tank and Frag Tank

[NicksTanks223]

I was wondering if it would be okay to connect my 40 gallon display tank to a 10 or 20 gallon frag tank. I want to do this so that I don’t need to get 2 dosing pumps and I was hoping I could just connect them and have the water flowing through both so that I could just use the same dosing pump for both tanks. Thanks!

 

[ca1ore]

Lots of people do that ….

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Lots of people do that ….

How? I'm interested in ways to do that as I can't think of a way where I'd be satisfied that there wouldn't be siphon or overfill issues.

 

[ca1ore]

There are all sorts of ways to do it - depends on your setup and your goals. For example, I have mine connected as an intermediate 'sump' in my fish room. Siphon from upstairs tank drains into the frag tank which, in turn, drains into the main sump. If you wanted the frag tank next to the display, you could just feed it like any other tank with a pump and drain.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

There are all sorts of ways to do it - depends on your setup and your goals. For example, I have mine connected as an intermediate 'sump' in my fish room. Siphon from upstairs tank drains into the frag tank which, in turn, drains into the main sump. If you wanted the frag tank next to the display, you could just feed it like any other tank with a pump and drain.

I would like to have it next to my tank, but my setup makes getting the right height tricky.

 

[Victor_C3]

Run it as if it is a display tank. Add another return pump in the sump just for it and put in an overflow in the frag tank like it’s a display.

Or run it as mentioned in another post above mine. Place the frag tank in a position where its height is between your display tank and your sump tank. The display drains into the frag tank and the overflow in the frag tank dumps into the sump.

The height of the frag tank shouldn’t matter so long as it’s located between the display and sump.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Run it as if it is a display tank. Add another return pump in the sump just for it and put in an overflow in the frag tank like it’s a display.

Or run it as mentioned in another post above mine. Place the frag tank in a position where its height is between your display tank and your sump tank. The display drains into the frag tank and the overflow in the frag tank dumps into the sump.

The height of the frag tank shouldn’t matter so long as it’s located between the display and sump.

I guess I will need to drill the 20 gallon I'm using as a frag tank to install an overflow. I'm not sure I trust the HOB overflow boxes. I have a extra spot on the pump outlet manifold for the water supply, I just don't feel comfortable about the drain line being reliable.

 

[K7BMG]

Yes I understand your overflow concerns.
If you share your sump and set each up as individual DT is the way to go.
But for sure your sump has to be able to hold the waterb8f everything is off and drained.

 

[Arricefe]

I DIY'ed an overflow for my IM10 and connected it to my DT

 

[K7BMG]

I would not share the return pump and plumbing.
IMO this just reduces flow and creates issues.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Yes I understand your overflow concerns.
If you share your sump and set each up as individual DT is the way to go.
But for sure your sump has to be able to hold the waterb8f everything is off and drained.

My sump is way oversized, so I have very little concern. I probably have 20+ gallons of extra capacity even when the main display drains into the sump.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I would not share the return pump and plumbing.
IMO this just reduces flow and creates issues.

I would just use the return pump as I have extra capacity. I would have a separate drain line for the frag tank.

 

[ca1ore]

Run it as if it is a display tank. Add another return pump in the sump just for it and put in an overflow in the frag tank like it’s a display.

i think this is the way to go for most systems. I have the luxury of a basement fish/sump room which opens up some additional possibilities. I will always take advantage of gravity before adding another pump.

 

[K7BMG]

I would just use the return pump as I have extra capacity. I would have a separate drain line for the frag tank.

Then you should be good.
As long as you mean you are currently throttling back the amout of flow with a gate valve and an AC pump, or a DC pump at half load.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Then you should be good.
As long as you mean you are currently throttling back the amout of flow with a gate valve and an AC pump, or a DC pump at half load.

I have a DC pump running about 50% load.

 

[NicksTanks223]

Run it as if it is a display tank. Add another return pump in the sump just for it and put in an overflow in the frag tank like it’s a display.

Or run it as mentioned in another post above mine. Place the frag tank in a position where its height is between your display tank and your sump tank. The display drains into the frag tank and the overflow in the frag tank dumps into the sump.

The height of the frag tank shouldn’t matter so long as it’s located between the display and sump.

Do I have to do this or instead could I just have them at the same level and plumb them together to have it overflowing into the sump then the water flows into the frag tank where the return pump is. I could have a power head in the sump to make sure the water keeps flowing at a steady pace. Or another idea is I upgrade from a 20 gallon sump to a 30 gallon sump and I just use the first part of it for the filtering and then I can use a little part near the return pump as the frag area.