centralized filter

[spiral_72]

I'm having a hard time getting a sufficient answer to: Can/should I run
a single filter for three 10gal tanks vertically? Can anyone make
suggestions or suggest a link to the info? I'm kinda scared to run
three siphons. That's tempting fate.

http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

[Elaine T]

spiral_72 wrote:
> I'm having a hard time getting a sufficient answer to: Can/should I run
> a single filter for three 10gal tanks vertically? Can anyone make
> suggestions or suggest a link to the info? I'm kinda scared to run
> three siphons. That's tempting fate.
>
> http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html
>
Am I missing something on your webpage? I don't see anything about this.

You need to drill the tanks and use overflows rather than siphons. If
you want water cascading from one tank to the next and then returning
from the bottom, the overflows need lots of flow, and your pump needs
adequate head. A canister filter will work, but a powerhead or power
filter will not. If the pump or filter turns off from a power failure,
it will back-siphon so you'd better have a one-way valve in it or a way
to break the siphon.

I have a water garden done this way with three half-barrels and
spillways. The main problem with central filtration is that any disease
in one tank spreads to the other three. The advantage is that you can
keep otherwise incompatible fish on one filtration system and take
advantage of the stability of a larger volume of water. My water garden
has white clouds in one pool and koi in another.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[spiral_72]

Hmmmmm, I deleted this post. I guess not fast enough though, eh?

Thanks for the info Elaine. I searched for that answer over a couple
days and found nothing. After I posted the message I found the answer
(the same one you just give). I think I am going to run sponge filters
unless my LFS offers a tank drilling service. I wanted to maintain only
ONE volume of water over three tanks.

I got the stand build last night though! :)

My Aquaria info and pics at:
http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html