Will This Work?

[ikon]

here is the diagram i drew up for my next setup>

My questions are:

1) How big of a pump will i need for adequate filtration of BOTH tanks. Both tanks will be stocked.

2) What size piping will i need to use so that one tank doesnt fill up and overflow faster then the other (is there a formula for this?)

3) What size hole will i have to drill in the 44 gallon tank?

Please help me if you know the answers. thanks in advance

<b>**EDIT</>
this just popped into my head..duh..what if i just used a canister filter in place of the pump in the above diagram, and pulled water from the 30 gal, to the filter, then out to the 44 gal..in this case, how big would the hole have to be drilled in the 44 gal galss pane to efficiently spout into the 30? and how big of a canister filter would i need...assuming 400-500 gph?

 

[dylema]

Hi,

Can I suggest you do a search on 'sump' set ups as this is a variation of that idea, as far as I can see. You need to make sure of a couple of things. When using a pump or a canister filter and having the water level of one tank higher than the other you have to stop the higher tank syphoning into, and overflowing, the lower tank, in the case of a power cut. Either have the outlet above or just below the water level in the top tank. Secondly the outlet from the top tank needs to be big enough (this you know) and not able to be clogged up and result in the top tank over filling.

I have a fluval FX5 canister which is rated at 3500lph=875gph but actually puts out more like 2000lph=500gph. This has 25mm hoses but the water is under pressure so for the passive draining of the top tank you would want something bigger, I guess maybe 32mm or 40mm but don't quote me on that.

So the hole in the 44 will need to be big enough to fit a bulk head of your chosen diameter.

Dylan