questions about plumbing a 10gallon

[justin_freebords]

I have a 10 gallon that is up and running (used to be a 5gallon) i have a aquaclear 20 with chaeto and 2 koralia nanos with a diy 70watt halide and a stand with an auto top off. I still have the 5 gallon (and light) and was thinking of maybe plumbing the 10 into the 5 gallon in the stand underneath.


Do you think its possible to plumb the tank while its running?

Also i have no idea how plumbing a tank works other than the water flows into the overflow, down a pipe, into the sump and is then returned by another pump into the tank by another pipe.

any and all advice would be great.

 

[scooternerd]

it can be done do a google image search for pvc overflow do drilling or draining required.

 

[jbiggs99]

Why are you going to plumb it? To have a sump? Add a skimmer? or for a refugium? What's your current livestock and what do you plan on adding? I think people like to see the whole picture before offering advice and opinions.

 

[justin_freebords]

i have a 10 gallon tank and i want to plumb it just because i think it would be cool to have a refugium under the tank vs a small crappy hob aquaclear 20 i have now. I have softies, lps and sps. It would be nice to get my heater out of my display as well. It would just make mechanical filtration a lot easier because i would have a lot more room to work with. Id like it to be plumbed into a 5 gallon. Plus the added water volume would help and i could keep my float switch in the sump vs the display.

im interested in the pvc overflow, anyway i could make it with smaller pvc pipe and maybe hide it with an overflow box? how would one work on a 10 gallon?

 

[jimmybling31]

do a pvc over flow and it should be no problem. they are self starting and a rock solid design. I have on my freshwater with wet dry right now til I sell my wet dry and it works great. i have never had a problem out of it. just follow the instructions you find on google to the t. don't go with too small of pipe either. make sure you have twice what your return pump can push

 

[justin_freebords]

does the size of the pipe i use not matter? Im guessing no because it will only drain what is returned so the amount that is flushed through the overflow depends on how much is being returned to the tank? What is a good guide to use i keep finding all these crazy intense looking ones, i just want a simple one