# Multiple tank filter



## Phastanscottsage (Jun 29, 2009)

Hey so I am looking at building a cabinet type set up for freshwater. I want to put say 4 - 20 gal tanks and a 50 or 60 gal tank all in one cabinet. I was wondering if anyone has a filtration system set up to filter multiple tanks so I don't need to purchase individual filters for each... I have been thinking about using a sump tank... but I am not sure. any ideas would be greatly appreciated :-D


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## Arkamaic (May 28, 2009)

I'd say go with a sump... probably going to be your easiest route for one filter for all the tanks.. maybe the only route??


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

for a stump to work on all the tanks, won't the waterline need to be level on all the tanks as well. If you have a difference in the water line, I would think gravity would make one tank empty while another fills and possibly overflows.


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## Phastanscottsage (Jun 29, 2009)

Yeah I was thinking that was the only way I could think of setting it up. I just want a couple tanks to breed/grow food for my big freshwater tank and my roommates saltwater tank without needing to use every plug in the house for filtering. Thanks so much for your input.. if anyone has any other ideas that would be really helpful


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## Phastanscottsage (Jun 29, 2009)

Mikaila31 said:


> for a stump to work on all the tanks, won't the waterline need to be level on all the tanks as well. If you have a difference in the water line, I would think gravity would make one tank empty while another fills and possibly overflows.


Hmm.. Im not sure on that I guess I need to do some more research on it.. but if you look at petcos tanks they are all on different shelves...they may have seperate filters for each level... Im pretty new to the fish world and have only used canister and hanging filters.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

im pretty sure that petco and other pet stores use a setup that has multiple pumps and regulators. I think the system would probably have to be purchased.


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## Phastanscottsage (Jun 29, 2009)

SinCrisis said:


> im pretty sure that petco and other pet stores use a setup that has multiple pumps and regulators. I think the system would probably have to be purchased.


Thanks  Im going to go talk to the different smaller fish stores in my area and see if they will show me their filtering systems see how they work. I appreciate the input I was assuming they used sump tanks...


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

I would really recommend against connecting all these tanks. If anything goes south in one it will be passed on to them all. If you want to economize on filtration costs you might look into using air powered sponge filters. A single large pump could drive the filters in each tank without the risk of cross contamination.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

i tried that air pump solution once for multiple betta tanks. It works well at first but eventually, at least for me, the air would favor one side because of water level or clogging or whatever factors and i ended up spending lots of time trying to balance the air flow so that each of the 3 tanks got the right amount of bubbles to push water. It works but it can be a pain. But Tyyrlym is right about cross contamination, one tank will hurt all tanks. However, you could add a UV sterilizer to the main filter to reduce the chances of spreading infections. Also a quarentine tank should probably be set up with a seperate filter for cases where one fish gets sick and you want to avoid getting the entire system sick.


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## Phastanscottsage (Jun 29, 2009)

Tyyrlym said:


> I would really recommend against connecting all these tanks. If anything goes south in one it will be passed on to them all. If you want to economize on filtration costs you might look into using air powered sponge filters. A single large pump could drive the filters in each tank without the risk of cross contamination.


I didn't think about cross contamination until I decided to start a brackish tank ha ha... so I guess I am going to be stuck filtering each tank individually... I was looking to save a little money but I will be picking up a second job to support my new hobby. aquariums are quite addicting


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## theleetbeagle (Jul 10, 2009)

Use Walmart's hanging mech filters. You only need to buy five of them and for the four 20's they'll be cheap. And one larger one for your bigger tank. They'll all use the same filter media (#3) and they sell them in six-packs. In fact that will be perfect because the 20's use one each (there's 4) and the 60g will use 2 (there's 2 + 4 = 6)... So one six-pack every media change which should be 2-4 weeks.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

i would hesitate to buy a walmart brand filter. if your going for 4 individual filters, you could try internal filters with an air pump. You can hook all 4 to one air pump and regulate the air going to each tank to get even filtration. Will also save space since HOBs take up space behind the tank.


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## Fishin Pole (Feb 17, 2009)

i would go the route of sponge filters...........one large air pump can supply air to 8 tanks, maybe more depending on how large of a pump you purchase............I'm running a pump with 6 airlines coming off of a gang valve and each line has its own independent valve for air flow control.........This is being used on my shrimp breeder tanks and my dwarf crayfish tank and have had great success with it, the beauty of it, im only using one electrical outlet for filtering 6 tanks.......I agree with Sin, i think HOB filters take up too much room, depending on the tank setup.


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