So I am probably Moving & have a ?

[Shells]

Not sure if it is good or bad but we are most likely moving. We bought a house up in the South Escondido area (lake hodges kind of sort of area) Anyhow, it meets our family needs a little better - 2 acres - so lots of room for all of my husbands toys and the kids to run around. We will then rent out the RP house.

Since we are most likely moving this is what I am thinking and would like to get input from you guys.

I want a fish only system (lion fishes) so I am thinking of picking up another 180 or there abouts tank. First set up this new tank in new house to use as a temp tank until I get the 180 from the RP house over and reset it up.

Then I will have the new tank to set up as a fish only system, which is where my question comes in.

I would like to plumb the two tank together and wondering if there is anything I should be concerned about.

Since the fish only system will probably not have live rock in it (Going to use some nice big coral pieces I have left over from a "fish only" tank that I had set up 10 years ago) will I have enough filtration for both tanks? What am I not thinking about?

This is what I am thinking

2 - 180 tanks
1 - corals (what I have now)
1 - fish only

Plumbed to one sump (A "Woman's" Hut :p)
2 protein skimmers - a euro reef 135 and an euro reef 250

10 gallon refrigium (depending on room in hut - will probably go bigger)

So really the same set up now, just adding an addition 180 gallons.

I realize the increased bio-load but I think I am ok there with the skimmers I have, is there anything I need to worry about from the "fish only" system's water going into the "coral" tank? or visa-versa?

Anything I am not thinking about?

Give me your input - please

[treylane]

Well - the fish only system is going to dump a lot of nutrients into the system, while probably not adding a whole lot to the filtration. With enough skimming and stuff you'll probably get by though. The main reasons people seem to keep these systems separate though - FO systems are often kept well below the 1.025 salinity that reef tanks are kept at, since it keeps a few fish parasites at bay. Also, fish systems tend to get medicated now and then, and most medications will nuke a reef pretty handily.

[Shells]

Medications - good point. I could actually medicate in the tank itself which would be much easier than a qt system is something were to happen.

Salinity - I will have to read into this and what is opt for a fish only system. I could see a lower salinity helping with parisites. I also have a uv, (25w I think) which helps.

Good points - Thanks

keep them coming

[Shells]

Marine Depot Live recommends a salinity of around 1.019-1.023 for fish only systems

OK - that is a good reason to keep the two tanks seperate.

So maybe I am leaning more towards any advantages to plumbing them together?

[treylane]

one water change, one set of tests to run.

[Jessy]

Advantage,
Larger volume of water = more stable. That's about the only advantage I could see....

But personally I'd see more advantages to keeping them separate. You can afford to be ALOT less diligent with the FOWLR tank...I'd slack where I could if I were you ;)

[nahtanoj]

if you plumb them together you need to make sure your sump has a large enough volume to take on both tanks water drainage in a power outage.
as far as salinity goes in a fish only system, i don't recommend going that much lower than normal, 1.019-1.023 won't have an affect on parasites and what not, and everyone i know who keeps large FO systems find that not lowering salinity actually keeps the fish healthier overall, so you may as well just stick to the 1.025 of a reef system.
i would run them together personally, one sump, one area of filtration, one water change.

[nahtanoj]

LOL, i just noticed my avatar!

[Jessy]

when are you moving?