Keeper workflows
Shared sump, different tanks: map the whole treatment system
A connection map catches livestock in another compartment and prevents double-counting shared water.
By FishyMag · Published
FishyMag editorial workflow · Not a clinical review or treatment recommendation.
Quick answer
When tanks share circulating water, a compatibility check needs the connected compartments and their livestock. Draw the actual water paths and record the operating configuration. A separate glass box does not by itself establish a separate treatment system.
Draw paths rather than tank names
Use a simple example: display A drains to a sump, and the same sump returns water to display B. Write both directions on the record. Include refugia, overflow boxes and other compartments with livestock. The map describes the arrangement to be checked; it does not predict concentration at each point or tell you how to isolate plumbing.
Separate system volume from container capacity
For an arithmetic example, measured operating water quantities of 40 L in A, 20 L in B and 10 L in the shared sump total 70 L before any additional connected water that must be accounted for. Count the sump once. Do not add its empty-container capacity or count the same water in both a measured fill record and a geometric estimate.
| Compartment | Example operating water | Livestock field |
|---|---|---|
| Display A | 40 L | List all present groups |
| Display B | 20 L | List all present groups |
| Shared sump | 10 L | Include refugium livestock |
| Other connected water | Record separately | Check whether anything lives there |
Keep the configuration with the record
A volume measured with one pump running may not describe a different operating arrangement. Record connected equipment and water levels at the time the estimate was made. If someone changes a connection, mark the old map superseded and create a new version. Do not use this worksheet as plumbing or overflow-safety guidance.
Carry the map into the compatibility question
Send the manufacturer the connected-system description and complete livestock list when asking about a treatment restriction. A warning about invertebrates still needs checking when those animals live in a connected refugium. The tank-profile tool helps list groups, but it does not discover hidden connections or measure water paths.
Use your own details
Shared sump, different tanks: map the whole treatment system worksheet
Download the editable text file, fill it in on your device and keep it with the relevant record. This blank worksheet records your information; it does not verify entries or approve treatment.
- Map version and operating configuration
- Compartment names and water connections
- Operating water volume and method for each compartment
- Livestock in every compartment
- Changes since the last map
- Unresolved manufacturer question
Put it into practice
Your checklist
- Draw every active water connection and name each compartment.
- Count each operating water quantity once.
- Check livestock across the connected system and date the configuration.
Sources and scope
This article distinguishes manufacturer statements from FishyMag’s own workflows and arithmetic examples. Linked formulation records retain their own evidence dates; publishing this article does not refresh those records.
AI-assisted writing and development. Not hands-on product testing or veterinary review. How we publish →
FishyMag reports what manufacturers say, quoted and linked. It does not diagnose illness or recommend a treatment, and it never infers that a product is safe from the absence of a warning — where no statement exists, it says so.
Formulations change. Always read the label on the bottle in your hand, and contact the manufacturer if your tank contains anything valuable or unusual.