Aquariums and bridges

[GraphicGr8s]

Anyone ever try this?


http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/three-aquariums-connected-via-fish-bridges.247456/

[LizStreithorst]

It sure wouldn't work for my Discus and Angels but it's really one heck of a great idea for other fish.  Thanks for posting the link.  I really enjoyed it.

[GraphicGr8s]

It sure wouldn't work for my Discus and Angels but it's really one heck of a great idea for other fish.  Thanks for posting the link.  I really enjoyed it.

My pleasure.

[Mugwump]

Anyone ever try this?


http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/three-aquariums-connected-via-fish-bridges.247456/

No...not yet..

I've always wanted one like this too....

[greydragon]

wouldnt the air bubbles slowly push all the water out of the tank?

[Mugwump]

wouldnt the air bubbles slowly push all the water out of the tank?

no, they use simple pumps on the smaller ones, then bigger vacuum pumps for the larger ones....

DIY vacuum pump system..

[BillT]

Here is a cheap product that does this. I have found it in many places.
I have used several for various purposes:

http://www.tbaquatics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=954&gclid=CIv0ovyHsccCFQUMaQodbTQKYw&zenid=1cc4906e6c6b755e07aaabc709935677#.VdJSQnueDOs

Some of the tank connector pictures showed small copper valves (should not be in contact with aquarium water) on the pipe, presumably for the purpose of sucking out the air.

[big b]

I actually thought someone made a bridge into an aquarium somehow. But I have seen this before. Not this exactly cuz the one I saw was in a fish magazine . But I have always wondered about doing it myself but I am to much of a wimp to try it out. Plus I don't want to hurt my fish or tanks if something goes wrong.

[Ron Sower]

Surely this is for migratory fish! 

[BillT]

Oh nice Ron.
You could have a freshwater and a brackish tank connected by a long pipe going up from the tank might preserve the water differences (or temperature differences).

[BallAquatics]

Aquatic hamsters   

Dennis

[Mugwump]

Aquatic hamsters   

Dennis

....   closest comparison yet......yup

[big b]

Bill gave me an idea. Could you do that with a bunch of tanks that start at freshwater and then work their way up to full salt? Like the first tank is full freshwater and then the next tanks would increase in salinity by a little bit until they would be in brackish. And then that would keep on happening until it went to full saltwater? Like 100+ tanks all combined with that bridge? Would the saltwater tanks make the salt water go over to the freshwater and make them salty-er?

[BillT]

Could you do that with a bunch of tanks that start at freshwater and then work their way up to full salt? Like the first tank is full freshwater and then the next tanks would increase in salinity by a little bit until they would be in brackish. And then that would keep on happening until it went to full saltwater?

There are two forces, at least that would be working against this:

1) Diffusion and osmotic pressure that would tend to equalize the concentrations of both the water (water at highest concentration in freshwater) and the salts (highest in the sea water). Alone these would be slow processes since they happen at a molecular scale (very very small). They are based upon the random movement of particles which will tend to go from high concentrations to low by random chance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_diffusion

2) Mass water movement which could be due to convection (due to temperature or density differences) or water being dragged along with the fish (or other things) as they move from one tank to another. This would be faster. The rate would depend upon a number of different factors.

How long this would take to equalize the concentrations will depend on things like size and length of bridges, fish movemendt, and a bunch of other things.
Regardless of that, a difference could be maintained while allowing the fish to move about from tank to tank. This could be done by periodic water changes at the high salinity and low salinity ends of the series. Or water changes at the freshwater end and conductivity controller (to add salt) at the high salt end.

[big b]

So it would be difficult but not impossible?