Creating an eco system

[SeaKing]

Hi all,

I have just completed the set up of a new 90g Sw with a 30g acrylic sump. This 90 g has a single factory overflow and return from the bottom. I am now thinking of trying to connect this system with another "yet to be drilled" 90 g with a 50 g as a sump. I was thinking that the second 90g could be more of a refugium/plant type arrangement as opposed to fish/reef (for now anyway  ). I am scratching my head on how I could connect these two systems together. Would I be able to have the second 90g at the same level as the other one?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

R.

[JetJumper]

If you have a common sump, instead of using 2 separate sumps, that's the best way to go.  Use the 50g and just place all the equipment in there.

[bt]

There are a few ways to do it, but a common sump is probably the best.  It lets you regulate the flow to the two tanks separately by using a stronger/weaker return pump, as well as isolate a tank if necessary.  I would really recommend this approach above the others.

You can connect them in series, though, if that's what you really want to do.  You can put the first 90g at a higher level and have it gravity drain to the 2nd 90g, then from the 2nd 90g to the sump (and sump back to the first).  In that case, I would recommend the "yet to be drilled" 90g as the 2nd tank, and have the return from the first draining as directly down into it as possible to avoid potential siphon issues.  This does have the one advantage of only needing the one return pump.

If you want them on the same level and in series, you'll need to use a pump to move water from one to the other, then gravity to the sump.

If you still want to use both sumps, you can have the sump return to the tank that doesn't drain into it.  

You can put in a pair of lines between the 90g tanks - one pumping each way.  Edit: Just be aware that tuning multiple pumps to have the exact same flow is almost impossible.