Is this possible / anyone know how?

Hello everyone. I'm working on a system for my aquarium but I've run into a major snag with it. I'm having a significant problem finding any way of doing what I'm looking for to make the system work the way I'd like it to. So I'll just describe it and hope somebody has figured this out or done it themselves.

I have a 50 gallon tank on a sturdy wood stand with a decent amount of space within it. I've got a 20 gallon with a permanently installed divider splitting it in half and a ten gallon next to it below the 50. I intend for these bottom tanks to be a Daphnia farm and a medical tank for the main 50 gallon.

What I'd like to do is set up a system of pipes so that I can pour de-chlorinated water into my display tank and some system of overflow prevention would remove water from it to add to the Daphnia farm and medical tank which themselves would use a similar overflow prevention system that could drain into a bucket.

Essentially what I want is to be able to have an input and output bucket and a pump so that I can fill the input bucket, turn on the pump with it's output tube in the display tank and do a partial water change of the volume of the bucket for both the display tank and daphnia farm utilizing the overflow system so the old water fills the output bucket.

It this possible, does anyone know how to do it?

 

I would look into an overflow weir. They are basically a pipe or such that are set at the max water level you want in the tank, that would then flow into a drain or a tank below the main display.

There are several designs and tons of videos on how to build them online.

The biggest thing I'd be careful of is making sure the bottom tank is high enough to allow the bucket rim to be below the outflow pipe.

The only issue is if the tanks are able to be modified now (like if they are already full and are acrylic), and then height would be the other issue.
There MAY be aftermarket weirs that solve the modification problems with a valve and pump, but that is beyond my knowledge level.
I have no personal experience with these, but I have seen them in use a few times and they look great.

 

My two cents, the amount of work/cost/risk involved in drilling those tanks to set up an overflow so you can pump water out of a bucket into them without having to drain the water out manually (until you have to dump the bucket) is not worth it.
There are external HOB style overflows that rely on a siphon. The biggest drawback, the better part of a sump's water volume on your floor in the case of the siphon breaking (power surge, air bubbles), would be less of an issue for you since you're only adding in a bucket of water at a time. That being said they would have to be primed every time you wanted to add water, and they're made for saltwater so don't think $, or even $$, but $$$.

 

They make hang on the tank overflow boxes for saltwater. That would save you from having to drill the tank. However, take this with a grain of salt because I've never actually used a hang on the back overflow box. I am not sure if they will work without a constant flow. Meaning I'm unsure if you have to "start it up" like a gravel vaccum each time you use it or if you can use a valve to turn it off and on. Maybe someone with experience with a hang on the back overflow could chime in on this.

 

has anyone seen any that use a float valve and pump? Like if the water gets up to a certain point, then a pump kicks on and pumps the water out till it goes back down to a certain level.
That would be the best option if drilling the tank is out. I can only imagine the cost involved though.

 

My two cents, the amount of work/cost/risk involved in drilling those tanks to set up an overflow so you can pump water out of a bucket into them without having to drain the water out manually (until you have to dump the bucket) is not worth it.
There are external HOB style overflows that rely on a siphon. The biggest drawback, the better part of a sump's water volume on your floor in the case of the siphon breaking (power surge, air bubbles), would be less of an issue for you since you're only adding in a bucket of water at a time. That being said they would have to be primed every time you wanted to add water, and they're made for saltwater so don't think $, or even $$, but $$$.

Googled HOB overflows and yep, they're way too pricey to have four of 'em just for this little project for the sake of my laziness... then I googled DIY HOB overflows and I think I found my solution, thank you very much.