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I'm looking at making a 2-3 tier system with some 5 gallon tanks setup on it with a 10 or a 20 gallon on the bottom to use as a sump. This will probably be used primarily for bettas. I don't really need help with the construction part but I get quite confused on the plumbing part of it. I think I want a continuous drip so I'll need something to put water in each tank as well as take it back out. Are there any good plans out there for something like this? I'll put a heater inside the sump, would it be good to put a HOB filter in the sump as well?

Personally I haven't seen any plans out there for that but they are there, I do have one thing to say, have you considered that with a set up like that, if one tank gets diseased All of them will? To prevent this add a UV sterlizer to the return line. It wont stop it 100% but will about 98%.

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

No DIY plans that i've seen out there, But I'm thinking you would use an overflow system, one from each tank to your sump, then a pump to go from the sump to each of the tanks. This way if the pump fails or power goes out, you're not pumping your sump dry and overflowing your tanks Seems simple enough!

Something else occurred to me. Although if you use the sump Idea in every tank it will probably make this problem go away.

If the power goes out won't the the tanks all drain and overflow the sump tank?

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket

Not if you use an overflow. Basic idea is this: A standpipe or pre-made overflow box is installed. Their inlets are at the very top of the tank. When the sump pump is working, water from the sump is pumped into the tank, thus raising the water level. Water then spills into the overflow, draining back to the sump. If the power goes out or the pump fails, the water in the tanks will only drain to the top of the overflow, keeping the water off your floor. This'll keep your tanks and sump full, being as the pump isn't putting any water to push the tanks' water level to the top of the overflow. Your tanks won't be filtered at this point, but at least you don't have 20 gallons of water on your floor and fish flopping around in moist gravel.

K thanks Fallout oh and Congrats too btw! For some reason I had an idea in my head that these things drained from the bottom. Dum idea

mts.gif" border="0"> I vote do you?
My Tanks at Photobucket