Need creative thinking for filter/heater setup...

Heyhey all,
Some of you may be aware of my setup, but I have a series of little indoor ponds. Right now, they all have separate heaters and separate filtration methods. (My betta ponds currently have no filters, but I have a system for frequent water changes, and their parameters are incredibly stable. I'm aware that this alarms some people, but this is an evolving setup, and all my fish are happy and healthy.)
Anyhoo, I plan to add more ponds soon, because, well, one always needs more fish, yes?
At some point, I'm going to run out of outlets for heater plugs.
Ideally, I would like them all connected to a central filter, with maybe a single heater attached at that point in the system somehow. Kind of like a cross between an outdoor waterfall/pond setup and the system they use at fish stores.
Does anyone have any creative ideas?
Here's a pic taken yesterday of my current setup:

 

I think you've got the best idea with the centralized filtration system. You can get an inline heater for the canister filter and then the water going into the ponds will be at the temperature you want. It will depend on how far apart the ponds are though. I don't know if you're OK with hoses running all over the room. You may also have to insulate the hoses to prevent heat loss on the way to the ponds.

 

I think you've got the best idea with the centralized filtration system. You can get an inline heater for the canister filter and then the water going into the ponds will be at the temperature you want. It will depend on how far apart the ponds are though. I don't know if you're OK with hoses running all over the room. You may also have to insulate the hoses to prevent heat loss on the way to the ponds.

Brilliant, thank you. Now I need blueprints, lol. I have no problem with hoses running everywhere (>insert firefighter joke here<), I can be creative and camoflauge them. Maybe make the camoflauge insulatory.

All the ponds will be along one 12 foot section of wall, with an oulet in central placement. I think I'm going to end up with ~40 gallons, give or take in about 6 or 7 different ponds. I would need an intake and outtake in each pond, I think, unless I can waterfall a couple of them. I think I'll leave the comet pond as is for now. Not sure that I want them and the bettas in the same water, even filtered.

Homemade or store-bought? What's my next step? Has anyone else tried something similar?

 

You especially don't want the comets on the same system as your Bettas if you go with an inline heater. Maybe have a central water container to pump from, more like circulating the water around the room than pumping it in and out of individual ponds. Then you could do water changes just on the central tank. That would be a time saver!

 

If you have several of them at the same height, you could use the connected vessels principle you have your outlet in the first of the chain and your inlet in the last of the chain.

If they are at different levels, then overflowing (waterfall or otherwise) from the topmost all the way to the lowest tank seems like the best idea.

 

You especially don't want the comets on the same system as your Bettas if you go with an inline heater. Maybe have a central water container to pump from, more like circulating the water around the room than pumping it in and out of individual ponds. Then you could do water changes just on the central tank. That would be a time saver!

Right, I don't want to cook the comets. (I will be building them a large outdoor pond.)
Like I said; blueprints, lol.
Honestly, the time involved in my current water changes only adds about half an hour to my three hour plant watering schedule. I'll have to balance ease with isolation. I don't want a problem in a central pond to mean that all ponds are "down".
1)Will my central filter/heater have to be submerged completely,
2)does it have to be in one of the ponds,
3)can it be in a smaller separate container (maintenance ease),
4) or does it even need to be in water?,
5) should I run two filters and two heaters, in case of breakdown?
6) cost. How much of this is equipment, and how much can be creative?

I'd love a solar heater, I have plenty of sun, this is my south wall. Has anyone heard of such an animal?

 

If you have several of them at the same height, you could use the connected vessels principle you have your outlet in the first of the chain and your inlet in the last of the chain.

If they are at different levels, then overflowing (waterfall or otherwise) from the topmost all the way to the lowest tank seems like the best idea.

They're both. I never make anything easy, lol.