Farmboy99 Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hi guys, I'm considering connecting 4 tanks of various sizes by tank bridges rather than drilling through the tank walls. My reasoning being that I can use one 1200L per hour canister filter and control water quality more efficiently. Another theory is if I have the outlet in the first tank and use 2 bridges from that into each of the second and third tanks, then both 2 and 3 back into the fourth tank where the inlet is, the height differential will be less between the tanks. I'm wondering what size pipe I should use and where i could get clear PVC tube from. Total tank volume will be around 600 lites. Is this an allright Idea? Or has someone else tried it and it doesn't work? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBree420 Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) http://gizmodo.com/346527/fish-bridge-connects-two-aquariums-if-only-fish-were-smart-enough-to-use-it?trending_test_four_b&utm_expid=66866090-68.Fycr7CNTRMO9chDASrU7Hg.2&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.au%2F not exactly helpful sorry, but cool also Edited December 15, 2015 by DeBree420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipshodman Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) I am intrigued in the idea and the science behind how it works Cant wait to see what other members offer in ideas here...... (Added content) So i couldn't help but do some googling after i read this idea...... Science is easy for the concept.. Interested in what size the bridge may need to be to ensure water flow is high enough to move the volume of water from the filter but not to much that will allow fish to swim through the bridge ??? Also finding the product to make the bridge does not seem all that easy Also if you have two different sized tanks I assume that it is the physical height of the tank that will matter to ensure the water levels are the same at the top of the tank...... Now i just have to find somewhere to buy the stuff and have a trial run Edited December 16, 2015 by Slipshodman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBree420 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I am intrigued in the idea and the science behind how it works Cant wait to see what other members offer in ideas here...... (Added content) So i couldn't help but do some googling after i read this idea...... Science is easy for the concept.. Interested in what size the bridge may need to be to ensure water flow is high enough to move the volume of water from the filter but not to much that will allow fish to swim through the bridge ??? Also finding the product to make the bridge does not seem all that easy Also if you have two different sized tanks I assume that it is the physical height of the tank that will matter to ensure the water levels are the same at the top of the tank...... Now i just have to find somewhere to buy the stuff and have a trial run if you don't want the fish to mix you would have to have netting or foam if you were to do a bridge like the one in the video i posted. gravity would eaqualise the water level between the tanks if the water was pumped out of the last tank and piped into the first. if you had tanks of different sizes that you could cut or drill, it would be easy to not let fish go from one tank to another, but you would still want to use some kind of strainer where the water flows, the pump will fill the first tank to the level of the hole/bridge, then it would flow at the pumps rate into the consecutive tanks before reaching the pump tank again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquaholic99 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I have used water bridges extensively. My first fishroom (150 tanks) were all water bridged. You need slow water flow and much larger pipe diameters than you would expect for them to work. And have several bridges if one fails and have to accept substantially different water levels in each tank. Its much easier to drill tanks but bridges are possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy99 Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) http://gizmodo.com/346527/fish-bridge-connects-two-aquariums-if-only-fish-were-smart-enough-to-use-it?trending_test_four_b&utm_expid=66866090-68.Fycr7CNTRMO9chDASrU7Hg.2&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.au%2Fnot exactly helpful sorry, but cool also WHAT? That was absolutely brilliant. And yes it was exactly helpful I had it set in my mind that I would need thick walled perspex tube which costs an arm and a leg and almost impossible to to get in the correct diameter/wall thickness ratio. This is so simple I'm eager to get it under way. Can't wait for my son to get home from work cos this is something he has dreamed about doing. There will be no nets or strainers, just hours of watching and waiting for the first fish over the top. LOL Edited December 16, 2015 by Farmboy99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeBree420 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 WHAT? That was absolutely brilliant. And yes it was exactly helpful i meant the first link, was cool but not helpful, but glad i could help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipshodman Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 WHAT? That was absolutely brilliant. And yes it was exactly helpful I had it set in my mind that I would need thick walled perspex tube which costs an arm and a leg and almost impossible to to get in the correct diameter/wall thickness ratio. This is so simple I'm eager to get it under way. Can't wait for my son to get home from work cos this is something he has dreamed about doing. There will be no nets or strainers, just hours of watching and waiting for the first fish over the top. LOL Hey Farmboy Mate i am really interested to see how you go and do the build...sorry if i hijacked your thread a bit earlier but the idea really caught my eye. Could you keep us updated with pics etc of how you do it and what you actually used.... Super keen to see how you go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy99 Posted December 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Hey FarmboyMate i am really interested to see how you go and do the build...sorry if i hijacked your thread a bit earlier but the idea really caught my eye. Could you keep us updated with pics etc of how you do it and what you actually used.... Super keen to see how you go Santas coming and there are no kerbside clearance days Northside until next year. Buy new glass? Moi? Hahaha yeah rite. I will wait until i can score some broken tanks and then make a few. Don't worry though Slipshodman when I'm ready to go, I'll chuck us a barbie and you can come around and gimme a hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseJ Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 I played with this idea a couple of years ago. I had 4ft tank with a glass divider on a sump. I used a DIY overflow box at one end, with the sump return on the other, with PVC water bridges connecting the two tanks. DIY Overflow box http://www.qldaf.com/forums/aquarium-projects-diy-journals-11/diy-overflow-box-pics-28916/ Bending the Pipe http://www.qldaf.com/forums/aquarium-projects-diy-journals-11/diy-bending-pipe-filter-hose-24701/ Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the whole system For the water bridge I used 25mm PVC pipe, but used the same method to bend it. I had 3 bridges between the tanks, 2 was sufficient, but had the extra in case of blockages. The water level between the two tanks was always exactly the same, so different height tanks would be an issue. As long as the water level stays above the ends of the water bridge, it should never lose siphon. I ran my system like this for almost a year and never once lost siphon. I realize this method does not give you a clear viewing bridge, but if the end goal is just to move water between tanks, this is a cheap effective way of doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
