9 replies to this topic

[Moontanman]

This a 3d rendering of an aquarium designed to imitate tidal river systems, increase habitat enrichment, and possibly (in large sizes allow pelagic fish to be kept. 

 

The white part is the bottom of the tsank not the water level. 

 

This tank would allow a relatively small series of pumps to create a large current flow over time. The current would be reversed every six hours like a tidal switch. Each time the current is reversed there would a time of turbulence as in the wild. This tank would allow fish to roam and or pick their own habitat. Fish can swim in one direction continuously without doing a 180 turn and has large round sections for the fish to explore. Here are the pictures, questions and critique is welcome. 

 

 23559740_10211381585709356_8800998899498266811_n.jpg   123.4KB   1 downloads

 

 image (1).jpg   18.12KB   1 downloads

 

 image.jpg   17.61KB   1 downloads

 

 image (2).jpg   19.19KB   1 downloads

 

 

[minorhero]

Hello!

 

Your idea is spiffy and I would love to see it made a reality. But be aware the cost of this thing is extensive. First due to the rounded shapes this will need to be made out of acrylic. A 36" acrylic cylinder aquarium will by itself be over 2000 dollars. Even if you buy all the pieces and glue it together yourself, you would still be looking at thousands of dollars just for the aquarium. How much exactly? No idea, but 10,000 dollars would not surprise me since this is a pretty unique piece. Obviously you will need to either make or buy a custom stand as well.

 

The idea could be substantially simplified by making a square donut. You would still be looking at using acrylic most likely if you want anything close to this size as otherwise you would need 3/4" glass which is crazy expensive (if you can find it). A square donut on the other hand can be made from sheets of acrylic glued together at 90 degree angles. Plus they can be cut apart on a table saw pretty easily. Making such a beast would still be a job, the multi-level floor would require a pretty unique custom stand, but it would still be doable at home and save you thousands of dollars.

 

Acrylic tanks have the issue of being extremely easy to scratch, but it would make this whole thing significantly easier to create.

[Moontanman]

Hello!

 

Your idea is spiffy and I would love to see it made a reality. But be aware the cost of this thing is extensive. First due to the rounded shapes this will need to be made out of acrylic. A 36" acrylic cylinder aquarium will by itself be over 2000 dollars. Even if you buy all the pieces and glue it together yourself, you would still be looking at thousands of dollars just for the aquarium. How much exactly? No idea, but 10,000 dollars would not surprise me since this is a pretty unique piece. Obviously you will need to either make or buy a custom stand as well.

 

The idea could be substantially simplified by making a square donut. You would still be looking at using acrylic most likely if you want anything close to this size as otherwise you would need 3/4" glass which is crazy expensive (if you can find it). A square donut on the other hand can be made from sheets of acrylic glued together at 90 degree angles. Plus they can be cut apart on a table saw pretty easily. Making such a beast would still be a job, the multi-level floor would require a pretty unique custom stand, but it would still be doable at home and save you thousands of dollars.

 

Acrylic tanks have the issue of being extremely easy to scratch, but it would make this whole thing significantly easier to create.

 

Thank you for the info, I figured I'd have to win the lottery to build it. I had thought of using plywood and have glass windows but the circular tanks would have to be either octagons or hexagons.

[minorhero]

 

Thank you for the info, I figured I'd have to win the lottery to build it. I had thought of using plywood and have glass windows but the circular tanks would have to be either octagons or hexagons.

 

Well going plywood would SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on costs. I am guessing this is around 400 gallon aquarium as drawn. That said I don't see the reason for hexagon sides if you are planning to make them opaque. Plus unless you just love hexagons I doubt it is helping water flow. A square donut will still have plenty of water movement and considerably easier to build, especially if made from plywood with a few glass or acrylic sides. If you are trying to create slower water zones this can be done as well through piling up rocks before getting to the corner. Behind the rocks would be a slower water zone. If you are trying to have faster water movement then simply adding a bigger pump will work well. A DC variable pump will allow you to dial in the flow to your liking without knowing exactly how big a pump you need in advance.

[Moontanman]

 

Well going plywood would SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on costs. I am guessing this is around 400 gallon aquarium as drawn. That said I don't see the reason for hexagon sides if you are planning to make them opaque. Plus unless you just love hexagons I doubt it is helping water flow. A square donut will still have plenty of water movement and considerably easier to build, especially if made from plywood with a few glass or acrylic sides. If you are trying to create slower water zones this can be done as well through piling up rocks before getting to the corner. Behind the rocks would be a slower water zone. If you are trying to have faster water movement then simply adding a bigger pump will work well. A DC variable pump will allow you to dial in the flow to your liking without knowing exactly how big a pump you need in advance.

 

Each side of the octagon would have a window but the idea is to allow a small continuous flow to build a large flow. Each rectangle would have pump outlets on each end and be reversed every 6 hours. 

[minorhero]

 

Each side of the octagon would have a window but the idea is to allow a small continuous flow to build a large flow. Each rectangle would have pump outlets on each end and be reversed every 6 hours. 

 

I still think this is overly complicated. I don't know if you can build lots of flow with tiny pumps spread throughout with this design and that the design itself will make this happen whereas a simpler design wouldn't allow for it.

 

What I do know is that having lots of pumps means lots of cords coming out of your aquarium which tends to ruin the look of these things. It would be a lot simpler and even more cost effective to buy a single powerful dc variable speed pump and stick it in a corner with an submersed spray bar attached. You will definitely be able to get as much or as little flow as you want. You could buy a 1600 gallon per hour pump or go really crazy and buy a 9000 gallon per hour pump. If you are pumping 9000 gallons an hour, I don't care if you have a rectangle or a triangle or a cylinder, you are going to move so much water you will make it near impossible for most fish we care about to comfortably swim. 

 

/shrug its a doable project if its a square, I think making it have bulbous hexagonal corners makes it a lot harder. I won't say impossible, because I don't believe there is much that is imaginable that is actually impossible. I will say it would put it outside the reaches of 99% of everyone interested in building their own aquarium.  

[Moontanman]

 

I still think this is overly complicated. I don't know if you can build lots of flow with tiny pumps spread throughout with this design and that the design itself will make this happen whereas a simpler design wouldn't allow for it.

 

What I do know is that having lots of pumps means lots of cords coming out of your aquarium which tends to ruin the look of these things. It would be a lot simpler and even more cost effective to buy a single powerful dc variable speed pump and stick it in a corner with an submersed spray bar attached. You will definitely be able to get as much or as little flow as you want. You could buy a 1600 gallon per hour pump or go really crazy and buy a 9000 gallon per hour pump. If you are pumping 9000 gallons an hour, I don't care if you have a rectangle or a triangle or a cylinder, you are going to move so much water you will make it near impossible for most fish we care about to comfortably swim. 

 

/shrug its a doable project if its a square, I think making it have bulbous hexagonal corners makes it a lot harder. I won't say impossible, because I don't believe there is much that is imaginable that is actually impossible. I will say it would put it outside the reaches of 99% of everyone interested in building their own aquarium.  

Only two pumps required and even a small flow will build up over time, similar to how tidal flow builds up. This idea was sparked by an episode of mythbusters that shows how current builds up over time from even a small pump. One pump would operate three outlets, two pumps could operate six. The size of the pumps would depend on the size of the tank. 

If you want such a crazy current the deep parts would allow for fish to get out of the current as well as the large round tank.  

[gerald]

" ... an episode of mythbusters that shows how current builds up over time from even a small pump"

 

Do you have a link to that episode?   At some point friction becomes the limiting factor.

[Moontanman]

" ... an episode of mythbusters that shows how current builds up over time from even a small pump"

 

Do you have a link to that episode?   At some point friction becomes the limiting factor.

 

It was the episode where they were investigating whirlpools, it's been a so long I can't remember the number of the episode. I have experimented with this myself and while friction does play a part it is not enough to keep the current from building up. I used snap set swimming pools and lava rocks to experiment with the effect. 

 

Another thing this design does is enrich the fishes environment. Environmental enrichment is being done in zoos and fish IMHO are not mindless automatons and benefit from an enriched environment in the same way other animals do. To many fish are kept in a small cube or rectangle with no choice but to swim back and forth in a small area. 

I have some experience with paddlefish and other semi pelagic fish and I think this design would enrich the environment of fish significantly. 

[Chasmodes]

Another option might be to build a large plywood cube or hex like tank with windows on all sides, and an "island" in the middle to achieve the same effect.  The island woldn't be part of the actual tank structure, just something in the middle of the tank to deflect current.  If you're looking at a smaller tank, you could modify an existing cube like tank to do the job. It might be a lot less expensive that way.   You can round the corners by creating wall like structures out of egg crate, foam, and/or cement or Drylok, as well as the island.  If the tank was deep enough, you could also modify the bottom of the tank to create different levels.