1 Canister filter/water system for 2 aquariums?

[Jill]

Hi,

I have a 30 gallon oceanic cube with a HOB filter and a DIY canister filter with adjustable flow (overkill for the tank). Fish in that tank are healthy and happy.

I just bought a 10 gallon tetra half moon tank off of craigslist for $10. The filter on it is a whisper 10I in tank filter, and it's pretty pathetic.

My question....would it be possible to use my canister filter on both tanks? And if I do so, will the new tank be instantly cycled? Will it hurt the residents of my current tank to do so? My husband (who built the canister filter) can run the filter to both tanks without too much trouble.

 

[Terrance]

I don't see how this could work without some kind of overflow inside each tank.

 

[Jill]

My husband is an engineer so I'm sure he had all of that figured out in his head...lol....it's greek to me. I found a 20-40 new in box HOB for $10 on craigslist today so I'll be using that on the new aquarium. Problem solved, and my tanks can stay separate. Thanks for your input.

 

[boadams87]

Hi,

I have a 30 gallon oceanic cube with a HOB filter and a DIY canister filter with adjustable flow (overkill for the tank). Fish in that tank are healthy and happy.

I just bought a 10 gallon tetra half moon tank off of craigslist for $10. The filter on it is a whisper 10I in tank filter, and it's pretty pathetic.

My question....would it be possible to use my canister filter on both tanks? And if I do so, will the new tank be instantly cycled? Will it hurt the residents of my current tank to do so? My husband (who built the canister filter) can run the filter to both tanks without too much trouble.

Im at a loss as to how this could even work?

 

[Link119]

I don't see how this could work without some kind of overflow inside each tank.

Easy, as long as both tanks are on the same level. Do a splitter on both the in and out from canister to tank, then put a tube filled with water connected to both tanks that is filled with water, because water will want to level itself out.

 

[Terrance]

What is a splitter? Are you talking about an "aquarium water bridge"?

 

[Jill]

That's what I heard my husband say....something about the tanks needing to be the same level for it to work. He had it all figured out though, and I didn't doubt him because he builds things for a living (and he did such a fine job on the filter). Now I'm wishing we had given it a go just to see if it would work. I was leery of having a tube of water running behind my couch!!