plumbing ten gallon frag tank into current system?

[totion]

ive been thinking about doing this for some time now. i have a spare ten gallon tank and do not like having a frag rack in my display. i was going to use the empty chamber in my sump for a frag rack but its so small i couldn;t put much in it. i want to build a smaller stand and set it up next to my display stand and plumb it into my system. for a display i have a 29 gallon with a 15 gallon long for a sump. about 37 gallons total volume. the frag rack will be for zoas/palys now until i get some more stuff for it.

i was thinking i could get a par38 bulb from rapidled and use a dimmer cord to light it. i can plug that into a timer.

how should i go about plumbing these together? overflow and return pump like my current setup?

any ideas of diy stuff to bring the cost down? i love diy.

will the frag tank being much lower than the display cause problems?

should i light the frag tank opposite my display?

if you need to see any pictures or need any info on my current system let me know and i will put it on here.

i appreciate any help/suggestions/criticism you all can give me!

 

[totion]

im thinking about going with a glass holes overflow kit for this and then adding another return pump. the other option would be to add a t to my current return pump line and use the mag 5 to return water to both. pros? cons?

not worried about flow in the display because i have 3 600 gph koralias now that are being replaced with a jebao wp25 in the next month or so.

should i maybe upgrade to a mag 7 if im adding another 200gph overflow to the system just to help?

 

[totion]

Bump!

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[totion]

anyone?

 

[Telefonica007]

I'm trying to figure out same thing. Fingers crossed

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Might not have been the best way but back in my earlier reefing years I did the exact thing you are speaking of. I drilled a 10g, lol, and just used a small pump placed in my sump to feed it and then let it drain back into the sump. I had a filter over the drain bulkhead. I actually installed two holes just in case one stopped up for some reason.

Hard to tell but here are pics:

 

[Telefonica007]

Did u need to make a overflow section on drill hole going back into the sump? Or was it a 90 elbow running down in to sump . good idea on having 2 holes in case of clog!!

 

[Mike J.]

I'd caution you on using the same return pump for both tanks. You'll have a heck of a time to get the flow right to both tanks. You could DIY your overblow box; drill the holes as high as the bulkheads will allow. Also make sure you have room in your sump for both tanks when the electric is off.

 

[Telefonica007]

That's what I was thinking. I'm leaning towards running a smaller pump 4 the frag tank.

 

[Telefonica007]

I'm messing around with PVC and layout.

 

[CountrySideCoral]

Be very careful drilling a 10 gallon for frag tank. I am 9 for 9 with drilling tanks but it is extremely thin glass, it is also weak. I have a 10 gallon drilled and plumbed into my 65gal systems sump the glass ended up cracking, I made three attempts before coming to the conclusion that the glass was too thin to support the weight of the water in the PVC drain pipe I was using.

 

[kes]

I also believe it's too thin (glass) to work long term

 

[totion]

My first two tanks cracked. Too much pressure on the drill. The next one was drilled fine but cracked when I tried to move it with the plumbing attached (not my brightest idea). The fourth was drilled perfectly and had been running great for about a month now. I used a glass holes super nano overflow kit and a loc line return kit, both through the back glass.

 

[dorky]

i was able to get away with drilled ten gal till it crack at the last moment the glass just too thin to handle the vibration and the pressure even with a brand new drill bit it just not worth the effort imo so what i did was i just make a overflow and return flow using the pvc but hardest part since the 10g is sharing the same return with the 56g is finding the right flow for both tank but good luck with ur project