Help with drilled tanks?

[Kobun]

So I have a couple of aquariums I'm looking to use, two 70-80 gallon tanks, and both are drilled with three holes on the side. I want to move the two GSPs I currently have in a 28-gallon bowfront to them and am looking to connect the two new tanks by way of a fish bridge or either using one of the larger drilled holes to run a connecting pipe. One will be mostly water, and the other will of course have water but also have a hill which will rise out from the top for my fiddler crabs and have more sand than the other as a result.

Is there any tips for making this happen? I can assume those three holes are for intake, outtake, and I suppose an overflow. I know those kinds of things are generally used for sumps, but would it be good for me to run the water flow through each tank even though none are being used as a standalone sump? Prior to getting these I also picked up a 55-gallon standard tank; I'd consider using it as a sump (it's an ugly tank; no amount of vinegar and cleaning could fix it), but I wouldn't know how to go about that. Can two tanks share a sump without issue? I could see dumping water separately from each tank and vice versa and using a fish bridge to connect the two over the top. I'm pretty new to this (bought my fish from Wal-Mart back in April and have been reading about them since), so I'm not certain what I'd need in the way of skimmers and the like.

[hadla]

I can't help with it, but I can't wait to see pics if it does happen!

[chuckfriedrice]

I dont see why you couldnt connect the 2 tanks ! But most intake holes are about 1 inch not really alot of room to have fish going back and forth . But it sounds really cool ! I do think a 55g sump would be plenty ! I too would love to see the pictures! Get that project going ! LOL

[xrayjeeper83]

ive seen connected tanks before, but 1st i wouldnt do it with a puffer enless it was a HUGE tube, just imagin what would happen if your puffer got spooked and puffed while in the tube, not good. 2nd if I read what you said right the second tank is going to have a fiddler crab in it? If so that will be not long before its eaten by the puffer

[Kobun]

2nd if I read what you said right the second tank is going to have a fiddler crab in it? If so that will be not long before its eaten by the puffer

That's the idea actually. :p There doesn't seem to be many tankmates for puffers, so I figured fiddler crabs would be a decent way to enhance the tank, give the fish some company, and maybe provide a food source later on. The fish are too small to really do much to the crabs at this point and generally leave them alone.

I dont see why you couldnt connect the 2 tanks ! But most intake holes are about 1 inch not really alot of room to have fish going back and forth.

Two of the holes are about 2" or 2 1/2" with a smaller one of 1" or so. I'd think one of the larger ones could be used to connect the two tanks and then just have an intake on one and the outake on the other. I'd assume the 1" holes are overflow, but I don't see the neer for overflow piping and could seal them off I suppose. This is all new to me, and I'm just worried that I'll be overlooking something. My current setup with a hang on back filter's been working well for me, but I figured the increased water volume would mean I should use a sump.

[Pufferpunk]

There doesn't seem to be many tankmates for puffers, so I figured fiddler crabs would be a decent way to enhance the tank, give the fish some company, and maybe provide a food source later on

More sooner than later, I'm afraid...