will this work? Siphoning from tank to tank

[2pts]

Hi all, so I have my 130ish gallon 3'x3' reef ready tank which has 2 holes drilled in the bottom of the corner overflow.

I just added a 6' long 125 gallon tank beside it. This is the only spot my wife will "allow" me to have the new tank, she is not happy at all that I added another tank, but thats another story.

The 6' long tank is reef ready, with 2 corner overflows, both with 2 holes.

The way it stands now, I have 1 sump with a pump in it that (barely) pumps water up from the basement (15' of head pressure). I have several powerheads (7). Money I dont have, though I do have a gift card for home depot that I can use for various plumbing supplies ( I already have more than half).

What I'm contemplating, sorry bout the quality of pics...



Going to keep the pump from the sump only to the 3' tank. Raise the drain to an emergency only height. Use some (I have no idea how many) "U" shaped clear tubing to make a siphon(s) from the 3' tank to the 6' tank.

In the 6' tank, have 2 herbie drains, with 2 emergency overflows.

My theory is, something goes wrong with the siphon(s), the 1 1/2" emergency drain kicks in on the 3' tank. 6' tank carries on with it's powerheads untill I notice.

During powerouttage, the siphon(S) continue on untill they empty the 3' tanks overflow box to the bottom of the siphon hose's stem. I can live with that.

I realize the danger of running the 2 tanks like a "daisy chain" as far as disease outbreak goes, but what else could go wrong?

Thanks, Shawn.

PS, I'm moving the light switches, and all circuits are gfci protected.

[abcha0s]

I can't see a problem with the logic - someone else might?

I would point out the obvious. You really should upgrade the sump pump and split the return between the two tanks. If you really can't afford it, maybe wait a bit before bringing the tank online. Telling your wife you are delaying the project so that you can be be financially responsible with the new tank will be a great way to win over her enthusiasm.

Hope that doesn't come across in a bad way - I get pretty wrapped up (read obsessed) in my tank projects. Sometimes it helps for someone to tell me what I already know.

- Brad

[mike31154]

What abcha0s said, I'd also recommend beefing up your return pump & plumbing the drain/return for each tank separately. It's a bit difficult to wrap my head around how exactly you're trying to accomplish a siphon between the two tanks and I have no idea what could possibly go wrong, but it does sound a bit complex & fiddly.

I've purchased two external return pumps in anticipation of a future basement sump build so they're sitting idle right at the moment. If you'd like to try one or both, lmk & you can see if either type would be something that could do the trick. That'll give you a starting point for what you might need to purchase with regard to a pump, although they all have head pressure graphs and since you know you have 15' to overcome, you should have an idea of what's out there.

I have a Panworld NH-150PS (good for over 20' head pressure) and a Poseidon PS4 which is less powerful than the Panworld but is still able to handle into the mid teens of head pressure fairly well. My plan is to use the Poseidon in the winter since they are known to add a fair bit of heat to the water despite being an external pump. The Panworld would be for use in the summer when there's less need for supplemental heating and it can become a challenge to keep the water temperature down.

Edit: The new tank can't go down where the sump is? Would make a nice refugium or second display down there and your plumbing issues would be solved fairly easily. Plus you wouldn't be blocking one whole side of your nice 3' tank with the 6'er. Not to mention the extra weight on your floor....

[hillegom]

I am not sure if I have everything right. But I think you are pumping up from the basement to the higher 3' tank and then syphoning from that to the new 6' tank, where it will overflow back to the basement sump.
If that is the case, then in a power failure, the syphon breaks, no longer flowiing from the 3' to the 6' then back to sump in basement.
Then you must have a means to recreate the suction from the 3' to the 6' when the power comes back on. If it is a U tube, they don't start themselves. That could be done with a cheap powerhead. You use the suction from the part that would normally carry air before it mixes with the outflow.(fresh water tank)
But I agree with the other posters about getting a bigger sump pump. Less hassles and worry.

[Dez]

You could also just t off your return pump and just have it trickle into the 6 footer and then run the drain to the cube drain. I have my frag tank set up like this. This way you are not adding any more flow so a larger drain is not necessary. Then just make sure you have a closed loop or lots of flow from powerheads in the 6 footer.

I have barely a trickle going into both of my frag tanks and just use Tunze's for flow in the frag tank. My frags have been doing well and growing for the past year and a half. Hope this helps.

[reefwars]

agreed with all but if im reading right cant you just split everything anyways?? i mean tee off your return into both tanks... even up over if you have to and have your drains emptying into the same sump???? no need for a syphon tube at all???


if both tanks are drilled then why use a syphon??