feedback on sump / temporary tank design

[nunofs]

I'm starting to plan for the upcoming tank move, and for the temporary housing of my animals in between tanks (I won't be getting the new tank right away, so this arrangement may have to last for a few months)... I want to go with a simple design that allows me to reuse most of the components for the final system, this is what I currently have in mind:

This will go in the basement, each "container" will be a 100 or 150g Rubbermaid stock tank (which I will later use as sumps): the top one would work as a "display tank" housing corals and fish, and the bottom one would work as a sump housing the skimmer, etc. To save space and to allow for a gravity feed I'm planning on having one over the other, on top of a solid DIY stand (doesn't need to be pretty, just reliable).

The top container will be drilled close to the top rim, and a bulkhead will be installed so that it drains (gravity drain) to the bottom container. This will maintain a stable water level on the top container. The bottom container will be drilled close to the bottom, and a bulkhead will lead to a pump that takes water to the top tank again. I will have an RODI auto-topoff system feeding the bottom container.

I'd like to hear your opinions about the pros and cons of this design, and any suggestions you may have to make such an arrangement work as simply as possible.

Thanks,
Nuno

 

[PenMan]

You should try to talk to Joe Fitz about his setup. He has been doing this for several months with his move. He has both tubs of the floor. It it fun looking down in the tank with the fish and stuff.

 

[KAS2]

Looks good. Simple, (relatively) inexpensive, reusable. You could even roughly partition the bottom sump into a refugium. And don't forget the skimmer, assuming you run one. The second tub would make a fine frag tank.
Let us know when the move happens, paticularly since you'll be a neighbor.

 

[nunofs]

Paul: I'll definitely talk to Joe about it, didn't know he had a similar setup.

Karen: the skimmer will go in the bottom container. I may do as you suggested and partition it to have some space for a refugium, that's a good idea. The move should be during the last week of March -- a month from now.

Any other comments/opinions?

Thanks,
Nuno