# Crazy plans for a homemade tank setup. Advice appreciate.



## torileeann11 (Dec 17, 2015)

Ok, so I have way too many fish tanks. They have tons of plugs and wires, and frankly, I just don't have enough outlets for my addiction. Also, finding space for them near outlets has made for some... awkward situations. So I have been coming up with this design to save space, and even add new tanks to my lineup!

Basically this is a 20 gallon closed system, with six separate 2.5 gallon tanks, all feeding into one 10 gallon sump tank.

So obviously my "PVC Pipe" drawings for my water in and water out diagram are terrible, but you get the idea. Also, I was thinking of changing from one pump out, to 3, one for each shelf. I was thinking this would be good if I need to stop the flow for any reason, such as to isolate a sick fish from the system. And I'm not a physicist, but I feel like one pump might have some gravity/pressure issues with height. 

Here are the pics. Please share any tips, recommendations or design flaws you see. 
(the top cabinet is for supplies)








_Thinking of changing to 3 pumps out._


_Tanks will have gravity drains at waterline_


10 gallon sump, thinking of switching to 3 pumps. One for each shelf.


*A happy home for 6 lucky fish~*


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

Nice drawing. Going with a connected system can same you a lot of outlets and space. You will have 1 heater, pump/filter and then lights for each tank. So in your chase you would go from 3 outlets per (18 total) down to 8 outlets. 

I have built a few racks and drain systems over the years, some follow up questions and tips. 

Number 1-- Build it bigger then you think you need because you will grow into it. Also think about how you will expand it when the time comes, because you will expand at some point trust me been there.

Number 2-- Do you currently have the 2.5 gallon tanks? If not maybe upgrade to 10 gallon with a divider. Many stores do a $1 per gallon so you can get two 10 gallon tanks for the price of a 2.5 gallon. 

Number 3-- On you "water in" lines the drawing looks like you are going to "pump" the water up hoses to each tank. You would be better off to pump the water up into a holding area and letting it drain down into the tanks. For example put a 4" section of PVC pipe above the highest tank and pump the water from the sump into it. Then place drains in the PVC to drain water down into the tanks. That way you aren't restricting the flow of water from the pump(less wear on the pump should last longer). It doesn't seem like a big difference but in the long run it will be more reliable. 

Number 4-- Looks like you are you going to drill your tanks so you can drain the water out or are you going to do a over flow? I have never drilled a tank but I have seen it down it can be done as long as your slow and don't rush it. But it just isn't for me I like the PVC overflows and with you doing 2 for each tank your risk of failure is almost zero.


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## kedi (Dec 24, 2015)

I agree that you need to pump all the way up, then outlets for each tank. Otherwise the lowest tanks will get all the up flow. They would be the path of least resistance. This can be regulated, but it would add a lot of complexity. So you need a pump with head room above your top tank at the least.

If I was going to try this. I might make my own tanks, with a shorter back or side panel that allows overflow. Sit the tanks in a tray with an outlet tube leading to the sump. Have a small top tank with multiple separate outlets leading to all the tanks. But drilling outlets will work too. Have stop valves on all the outlet tubes from the top supply tank. The short sides of the tanks having some screen to keep fish from flowing out.

The water out has to be very free flowing. So you do not end up with the top tanks pushing water into the lower tanks, maybe overflowing them. Increase the diameter of the main outlet pipe at each level?


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## torileeann11 (Dec 17, 2015)

It's a long shot, but is there any way one of yall can find a pic of a similar system. I am a visual learner... So I am trying my best to "see" what you're saying about the top drain (and a friend told me the same thing), but until I can see it, I won't understand it. Or I can look myself, if I can have to key words to google. 

Thanks for all the advice! I am collecting all supplies before I drill, cut or glue anything lol


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## kedi (Dec 24, 2015)

Here is a link.
This is a water manifold, built from PVC plumbing parts. You would want to mount this, above the highest tank. The valves are optional, but would probably end up being helpful. One pipe would lead up to this from the sump. Have one outlet with valve for each tank.
DIY Hose Manifolds and Splitters - Applied Paranoia Blog


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## kedi (Dec 24, 2015)

Possible problem with the sump.
Maybe make the dividing wall between the filter media side and the pump side lower than the top edge of the whole sump tank. In case the flow through the media side gets slow, it can overflow to the pump side instead of onto the floor. Not sure if that would ever be a problem. But better safe than sorry.

Maybe some foam insulation for the sump tank can ease the load on the heater too.


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## torileeann11 (Dec 17, 2015)

Awesome awesome awesome! I will research all of this more deeply! Thank you all so much! Still open to everything else if anyone else has more to add!


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## kedi (Dec 24, 2015)

An issue with feeding time occurred to me. In such a setup, you do need to have the outlets at the surface level. But they will act as skimmers in that case. Even though I have the filter intake at a deep level, I still turn off my filter when first feeding, so the food stays on the surface for a while. After my fish have tired of feeding from the surface, I turn the filter back on for a few moments. This churns the food on the surface into the water. They feed some more. I wait a while and turn the filter back on for the day.
With your outlets at the surface, the food will get sucked towards them, and a lot may go down the tubes before it is eaten. Make the switch for the pump easy to get to, so you can turn easily turn it off at feeding time. You may want to put a one way valve in the line going up to the distribution manifold as well, to prevent back flow down into the sump tank when the pump is off. Consider making the inlet tubes in the tanks go near the bottom of the tanks at one end, so water flow goes from bottom of one end up to the exhaust outlet at the other end. Not just across the surface.


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