Brainstorm. . . or brain fart?

[MammaDuck]

You be the judge. . .

After reading about the difficulty in keeping scallops-- and filter feeders in general-- without compromising you water quality, I was wondering if the following set-up would work?

I was thinking that the main display would drain into the filter feeders tank (good quantity of LR and a DSB of course), then into a traditional sump.

The idea is that the water in the second tank would already have to have "questionable" perameters for the filter feeders to survive-- and that additives could be added the supplement their diets. The only problem that I can come up with (in the limited, perhaps dangerous knowledge my crowded head contains) is that the water wouldn't be filtered enough before it hits the main tank again. . .

What are your thoughts. . . possible, but not probable. . . impossible. . . I was thinking of using a stand similar to Jays design, but able to house the "ugly" sump behind the scenes. . .

[thefatman]

first hting that hits me is that with a setup like this. ALL the tanks will have the same water quality as htey are all interconencted. i cant think of any easy way that you could have the scallop tank have "bad water" and still maintain water in the rest. because it does have it's "own" water it has shared water.

unless you were to setup a totally independant tank not conencted with the other two in anyway. then jsut maintain that tank individually. feedings, clenaings, etc.. could still be in the same stand, so from the outside you woudln't know. give it its own filter (like HOT filter)

thats the only way i can think of to give them "dirty" water without doing it to the display tank.

[MammaDuck]

That's what I thought too. . . but what if I have a reef tank and a FOLR tank under it?? Could they (in theory) share the same water? The problem I am encountering is that the fish I prefer are rather placid (wrasses, tangs. . . ect) I'd like to have coral too, but I don't know if the calcium they need would be unhealthy for the other tank. . . My husband, on the other hand, would rather have triggers, Lionfishes. . . ect. . .

I know that the "meat-eaters" are are fairly messy fish, would they cloud the water too much?? I am basically looking to house two very different communities in one location. . . I was playing with the idea of scallops, but the more I look into them the father away I steer away. . .

[thefatman]

soudns no different than an lfgs having many tanks plumbed to one main sump.

i saw soemones tank, think it was here, that had two 90g tanks side by side. one reef, one fowlr, and had them plumbed to the same sump.

so yes it can be done. as long as there is adequate filtration (live rock) a good skimmer, and good water flow, no reason why it cant be done. imo anyway.

you would mabe think about gong to a biggerskimmer though, one that could handle the volume of both tanks combined. might not be necessary, but it's something that i would do.

[Casey]

I really dont think it is a good idea to have a fo plumbed to a reef.

[MammaDuck]

I was thinkiing that if I had 2 75 gal tanks plumbed to the same sump then the skimmer should be able to handle a 150 gal tank. . .

hmmm. . . working on some plans for a tank stand (not to mention my ideal tank ) Jay, would you mind looking at them-- specifically to check if they'll be able to support the weight of the tanks. . . The whole new stand project is a product of drooling over the pics of your latest stand (the white one). . .

[thefatman]

sure send me whatever you want i'll be happy to take a peek.