# joining two ten gal. aquariums.



## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

Hi, I am new to the hobby, or should I say new to the breeding game. My train of thought for the first controlled breeding attempt was too join two ten gallon tanks via 1/2'' PVC tubing to maintain identical temperature and water quality in two separate tanks. This way I can isolate, then later introduce male and female without any additional stress put on the fish due to change of environment. I guess my question here is, has anyone done this? And what would be the best way to go about it.
I have two ten gallon tanks, two HOB filters and one heater. any feedback would be much appreciated.


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## FishFlake (Mar 7, 2010)

Sounds like fun. Do a search for "aquarium water bridge" or something similar, "aquarium fish bridge".


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## liquid134 (Feb 22, 2010)

i guess in reality, you have 2 ways of doing this. You could do an "aquarium bridge" like FishFlake mentioned, or you could drill the 2 tanks.

only problem with drilling to connect 2 tanks like that, the holes would have to be perfectly lined up betweened the 2 tanks.

as far as the aquarium bridge.....if you arent looking to watch them crossover between tanks (which sounds like you just want the same water temp and quality...) then you could technically just use pvc tubing and some right angle connectors.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Why not just get a larger tank and make a divider? 
I don't think using PVC would allow enough water movement to create identical environments between the two tanks.


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

pardon my ignorance, but how would I create a continuous flowing exchange of of water with pvc tubing and some right angles without drilling?
And a larger tank with multiple dividers is in the future. But Im just trying to create a quick setup now until I can create a better continuous flow of money


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## claire (Mar 22, 2012)

As far as I am concerned, you can just get a larger tank and make a divider. Just have a try, maybe it will helps.


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## duds (Apr 16, 2010)

You could also stack the two tanks with an overflow from the top tank to the lower tank and use a canister to take water from the lower and put it back in the upper. Although it would probably be easier to do a single tank with a divider.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> My train of thought for the first controlled breeding attempt was too join two ten gallon tanks via 1/2'' PVC tubing to maintain identical temperature and water quality in two separate tanks. This way I can isolate, then later introduce male and female without any additional stress put on the fish due to change of environment.


You're making things too difficult. You don't need to do this. There's a reason no one does. Just avoid extremes and they'll do just fine.


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## FishFlake (Mar 7, 2010)

I agree that it's unnecessary given the OPs goals. I like the fish bridge concept esthetically. I just think it could be a fun project, but as prov356 said, "There's a reason no one does" this for breeding. It's unnecessarily complicated. Keeping two tanks at the same parameters shouldn't be difficult. All you'll need to do is buy a second heater and you ready to go.


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

haha. thanks a lot :thumb: after reading the post about stacking (great idea) and rethinking my goal I agree, too complicated. I will just get a heater and pour my creative thought into the design of a larger tank with dividers. I must have drank too much coffee yesterday morning and got unnecessarily ambitious.


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## liquid134 (Feb 22, 2010)

karmafish, to answer ur question about how the bridge works with 2 right angles and pvc... well.... heres a video... not the best quality, there are others out there, but this should help...


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

Its really not that complicated in theory. The fish bridge works on a siphon basically - you suck all the air out of the PVC, and then the water stays in there and maintains the same water level between the tanks. But thats useless by itself, because that alone won't do a good job of exchanging water between the tanks.

But, all you'd have to do is use a small submersible pump/power head or even a canister filter, that takes water from one tank and delivers it to the other tank. Because of the siphon/fish bridge, water from the second tank flows back into the first tank as the siphon between the 2 tanks keeps the water levels equal. You wouldn't need a complicated stacked overflow system, you could do much more simply with the tanks side by side, you just need a small length of tubing connecting the 2 tanks, and a pump or canister filter pumping water from one tank to the other.

I'm not addressing whether its something your really need to do or not, but thats how you would do it as simply as possible.


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

Rhinox, that is the exact tactic I was thinking of, only I was going to drill the tanks to join them. I also thought to use a HOB filter and fix it above the tanks so it was sucking from one tank and pouring into the other


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## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

What ever you do, post photos I need to see this thing opcorn:


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## camelworm (Aug 16, 2011)

http://www.aquariumsdirect.com/aquarium ... estand.cfm

this is like what ur looking for?


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

Im finished. I did was was recommended above and just set up a second tank. I will keep the temps the same. as fishFlake said "Keeping two tanks at the same parameters shouldn't be difficult."


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

karmafish said:


> Rhinox, that is the exact tactic I was thinking of, only I was going to drill the tanks to join them. I also thought to use a HOB filter and fix it above the tanks so it was sucking from one tank and pouring into the other


Heh I guess that would work if the HOB is configured just right. :lol:

You could drill the tanks as well to connect them, at least you wouldn't have to worry about losing the siphon connection. And whoever said the holes had to be perfectly lined up, well let me introduce you to flixible vinyl tubing 

Good luck with your tanks


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## shane132500 (Mar 27, 2012)

i have a 300 ltr tank and i have a 60 ltr sump set up for plants (my fish eat them but i still want the filtration benefits) i just stick any baby's in there for protection or any new fish to grow them up
:fish:


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## shane132500 (Mar 27, 2012)

and rhinox what sort of fish is that in the picture on your posts


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

anyone seen this thread? amazing tank.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank- ... ge-17.html


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

shane132500 said:


> and rhinox what sort of fish is that in the picture on your posts


Metriaclima sp "dolphin", a male


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