My Water Bridge Project Is Completed Plus A Tower

[stang1]

I love the bridge, it's a fantastic idea!
Keep posting pics.

 

[NoRp]

i completly understand how it works but how did u fill it up with water in the first place?

 

[Lord Zogat]

i completly understand how it works but how did u fill it up with water in the first place?

Well my first attempt was rather stupid. I filled the bridge and put my hands over the ends then tried to flip it upside down and get both ends in the water. Yah, that worked real well...stupid stupid stupid.

The more civilized way to do it especially now that there are fish in the tank is to insert the bridge into its support brackets. Stick a small hose up into the bridge to the top center and suck the air out. Slow easy process, very little work and no trauma to the fish.

The same with the tower. I installed a hose at the top, suck the air out, pulls the water up into the tower and plug the hose end. Allows for easy removal of the tower in a few seconds and water flows back into the tank at a calm and steady rate so as not to disturb the fish. Even if the fish were in the tower at the time. They would be able to move faster than the water drops out.

 

[NoRp]

i was thinking about putting an upside down T junction in the middle of my bridge i would get the birgde and tower effect all rolled into one with easy installation (wanting to put in a hose at the top) how did u do that by the way.
one concern i had is with fish getting "LOST" inside the upright

 

[Lord Zogat]

i was thinking about putting an upside down T junction in the middle of my bridge i would get the birgde and tower effect all rolled into one with easy installation (wanting to put in a hose at the top) how did u do that by the way.
one concern i had is with fish getting "LOST" inside the upright

Well if yu do a T junction and have the tower in the center it could work. To put the hose in the top, buy a foot or two fo 1/4 flexible clear hose. With a drill, drill a hole slightly smaller than the hose diamater, then cut the end of the hose like you would a rose stem at an angle. This will make it easier for force the larger hose into the smaller hole. (difference in hole diamater and hose is probably only a mm or two)

If the fish get stuck in the tower, you could always slowly allow the water down to the bridge forcing them out of the tower and into the bridge.

Here is my concern

Tower will add extra weight that may put added stress on the jonts of the bridge, seeing as the bridge under the T has no under support. Unless you make one. Also tower water unless lowered frequently could become stagnent. Just keep that in mind.

If you do it, send pics.

 

[Lord Zogat]

Update, fish are swapping tanks more frequently. Mommy Midnight is still the only one that I think still understands its purpose, but others may be learning.

All my baby platy (over 15 now at least, two different sets based on color) are in the 10 gallon tank. Noticed one of the larger ones that must have arrived day one, now about 15 mm in length was found in the large tank hiding with the Pleco, so I assume he is the first baby to use the bridge.

 

[NoRp]

have you put any thought into painting the back of the acrylic piping instead of the paper?

 

[Lord Zogat]

have you put any thought into painting the back of the acrylic piping instead of the paper?

Actually when not taking pics I yank it right off. Don't want to paint it. Just a temp background is good enough. But I would only use it for pictures.

 

[tomstanks]

Cool! Weird but cool. Great idea for something different. (You are one of those folks that gets an idea and has to see it you can do it aren't you?

 

[Lord Zogat]

Cool! Weird but cool. Great idea for something different. (You are one of those folks that gets an idea and has to see it you can do it aren't you?

Yup Pretty much. Building and making things for me is almost a daily activity, its normal for me to always be working on a project or finishing one off. Most things I see I try to build myself if its feasible, but some things its just cheaper to buy.

You name the medium, I have probably dabbled in it.

 

[Kyrielle]

That is...so funny it's delightful. I honestly don't know if I should get as much of a kick out of that idea as I do.

 

[Lord Zogat]

Few more recent pictures

This one was Great, he was in the bridge, and saw me coming with the camera, he zipped back into the protection of the elbow. I waited and he slowly peeked out then turned and I got this shot...

This was him seconds before,

Here is some general shots of the fish feeding on an algae disc.

And the Babies are getting bigger and bolder. They surround a bit of algae disc while the bigger fish are working on another peice.

 

[godzuki]

aaaawwwww sweet....

ive had my tank for 2 years now and not had any babies.. I dont have any live breeders though which might be the problem

kiss kiss
godzuki

 

[Lord Zogat]

Ok this is a first. ALL of the large fish have migrated to the large tank. There are Neons, Glo-lite Neons, Green Neons, Danios and Platy.

All swimming together with a bunch schooling in the center with others flying in and out and zipping around the tank.

For some of the fish its the most active I have seen them in a group and not being so timid.

Also through watching the fish change tanks, its interesting to see how behavioural patterns shift. As a dominent fish leave, others emerge until it returns.

Oh yah, and there are tones of babies, midnights are anout 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch now and the baby orange oens are about 1/4 to 3/8 of and inch. Lots of babies in the bridge, often find them in groups in there.

Due to the distance and height of the water hose, sucking water from one tank to another really restricts the flow of water the filter can pull. So I removed the flexible tubing and put in straight 3/4 piping. It drops the height that the hose sits at making flow slighly stronger. I also reversed the direction of flow making the 5 - 15 gallon filter in the 10 gallon tank do the work. This way the 20-40 filter can filter more water and do that directly in the larger tank which could use it more.

Without being restricted, the 20 -40 moves much more water and I think the fish like the current. As I type this, the fish have settled down a bit after being fed and are now off in their pairs. with 4 of them sitting in the entrance of the bridge in the large tank??? Two being the midnights. Mommy is probably trying to teach Daddy its proper use.

On a sad note, none of the current fish appear to use the tower when its in from what I have seen. The only fish that use to use it all the time has passed not long after his mate died suddenly a few days after being in the tank.

I think if put in a frozen treat, I will work it into the tower as it rises until it melts, maybe this will draw a few in. Nothing like a bit of coaxing.

 

[Lord Zogat]

Updated Pics:

Kitty watches the Fish.

More fish in the Bridge and upclose.

Some of the fish

More Tower action