Wal-Mart Display Tanks...Need Filtration

[The Curious]

Well...I just obtained a set-up that holds three 30 gallon long tanks (with the same length and depth of a standard 55 gallon) The stand has lights built into it...pretty cool. If you go to any Wal-Mart that sells fish...this is just one of the set-ups they use. I got three hang-on filters with the tanks and stand...but I want to run something more powerful. I obtained these from a nice lady using Craigslist...got it free...woot. I decided to donate the set-up to my professor at my university's Bio department. He is asking me to help him figure out how to get things running right...I better be getting some extra credit

. So I ask you ...what is the best/most affordable way we could set-up a filtration system for these three 30 gallon tanks? We would like to have one pump/filter/sump/whatever that would do the trick to run all three tanks.

Any Ideas?

 

[Madayew]

most economical thing would be to buy a powerful air pump and put a sponge filter in each tank in addition to the hang on backs you have, canister would be too much $$$ for three and a sump would be a great deal of work to bypass into three tanks effectively

 

[SeaN_]

i have the documentation for those set up's if ya want, I'll email it to ya, i too obtained one of them once, they use a 30 gal sump with a big bio-wheel. and a 1500gph pump, but that runs 2 stands (either 6 or 8, 30g tanks) pm me your email and I'll send ya the pdf

 

[fishy12]

a air compressor wit pvc runnin to the tanks air filters

 

[AnthonyFish20]

do hob and sponge filter its very cheap on amazon and the filter media

 

[FreshyFresh]

Agreed on keeping the HOBs and adding a sponge bubbler to each tank for the lowest cost option. If you wanted canister filters at as low a cost as possible, you could mail-order 3 Sunsun 302's for under $150 shipped to your door. Perfect for 30g tanks IMO.