Connecting tanks

[Amicus]

Hi, I have a 29g freshwater and wanted to get a 75 or 55 gallon but funds prohibit it now. I am going to get another 29g and plant it live. I am going to drain both tanks and use a diamond tipped boring bit and cut a 4" hole in each. I will then use bulkheads to connect them. Is there going to be a problem connecting an artificial tank to a live one? PVC will used to connect.

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[Big-j]

That sounds really cool is the PVC gonna be big enough for the fish to swim through?

 

[Amicus]

I am hoping that 4" will be enough, if not I will have to unfortunately go to, maybe 10"?

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[Big-j]

Yeah that sounds awesome I don't think the planted vs artificial will be an issue at all

 

[Amicus]

Thanks

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[Fishguy2727]

I wouldn't. The larger the hole the riskier it is drilling it, and the more you weaken the glass that is left. It would also be extremely risky to have them connected like that. You may not notice it but tank do move a little. As you walk around you can see some tanks shift a little as the floor gives ever so slightly. This little variation would be more than enough to crack glass if two tanks were connected. The only reason to drill them would be to run them on a sump. This would increase your volume and make the whole system more stable.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I have seen it done but only on a VERY large system. It had to be 300 gallons a tank and there were three. The glass was like 3/4 inch thick and was connected by even thicker glass. It was at the science center in pittsburgh.

 

[fearlessfisch]

You could make something like this:

(easier than drilling)
Bio-Elite Aquarium Water-Bridge

here is a fancy one in a cafe:
OhGizmo! » Archive » Fishtank Friday: Fish Overpass

and here is a ready made one for sale:

Aqua-Bridge.com, connect aquariums together easily

 

[needmorecowbell]

Those links are very interesting.. I don't understand how the water doesn't syphon to much into one or the other.

 

[Amicus]

Wow! Thanks for the links. I think I might rethink this little project.

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[fearlessfisch]

It's been a project on my back burner for a long time. I might try to do it this year. If you do do something like this, I hope you will post pics. Good luck!

 

[TraceyB4602]

Those links are very interesting.. I don't understand how the water doesn't syphon to much into one or the other.

Suction, someone on this site made their very own water bridge. You use suction to keep the water in the tube and just make sure the water line doesn't reach below the 2 pipelines

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[Viper]

Those links are very interesting.. I don't understand how the water doesn't syphon to much into one or the other.

Its just the suction created. For a quick example, fill a bucket full of water. Then grab a cup and put that in the water and fill it up. Then, with the cup upside down, slowly lift the cup out of the water in the bucket. The cup will retain all of the water inside of it even though it is upside down and out of water. Only when the rim of the cup comes out of the water in the bucket is the suction lost and all the water from the cup comes out.

The key to the whole thing is keeping the rim of the cup below the water surface so the vacuum remains in place.

For other references, look up "open-bottom" tanks.

 

[meegosh]

ppbon (member here) did it a while back from what I remember... let me see if I can find the post.

Edit:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/two-tanks-connected-together-133609.html

 

[Cdepriest6009]

I think that the water bridge is an awesome idea it could be something that I would like to do some day