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Looking for some kind of inter-tank filter + circulation system


Chiquarius

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Hello,

Perhaps there is a thread here on this, but I wasn’t sure what search terms to use.

I have 4 shrimp breeding tanks next to each other in a pretty chilly basement. I have two whisperer air pumps oxygenating four sponge filters (they have two valves each).

I only have two heaters though, and I don’t want to run four (too expensive and energy demanding).

my goal is to keep the tanks very stable at the same parameters, to be able to support Neocaridina and caridina species together where their tolerance overlaps.

I am looking for some kind of system, like those that circulate hydroponic setups, where I can keep my largest tank, or some kind of bucket basin, warming and the water circulates amongst the tanks. It is also important it doesn’t suck up the shrimplets and would be great if this somehow made water changes easier as well (like I just need to empty bucket basin and add treated water back to it every once in a while).

Let me know if any of you technically savvy people have ideas on what I would need to get this going. Thanks!

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9 hours ago, Chiquarius said:

my goal is to keep the tanks very stable at the same parameters, to be able to support Neocaridina and caridina species together where their tolerance overlaps.

I am looking for some kind of system, like those that circulate hydroponic setups, where I can keep my largest tank, or some kind of bucket basin, warming and the water circulates amongst the tanks. It is also important it doesn’t suck up the shrimplets and would be great if this somehow made water changes easier as well (like I just need to empty bucket basin and add treated water back to it every once in a while).

Let me know if any of you technically savvy people have ideas on what I would need to get this going. Thanks!

It would be better to have two slightly different parameters for neos and caridina...Very Experienced Shrimpkeepers have told me that neos don't do well long term in caridina parameters.  They like a little KH.  So I suggest two systems.

The easiest way to share water is just to set up the tanks at the same level and have a U-shaped piece of pipe connecting the tanks.  Of course, this U shaped tube can't leak or it won't work.  It's called a "bridge" - now use teh GOOG for implementation ideas.

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@beanbag advise is spot on.

Here is a You tude vid of what an aquarium water bridge is

you could try making it out of pvc piping for a smaller scale.

you would have to test the size of the piping to be used, if you have flow from one tank to the other, like with a canister filter of water pump.

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I’ve watched that video before, and had some thoughts about the joint system purposing. I think the tanks would do best if the heater is in the same corner/edge as the bridge, and having flow directed so that there is a little flow between but not an extreme amount from either side. I also support that neos and Caridinas should be kept in seperate circulations. As for water changes the bridge would not assist, but you might be able to make some sort of tap that sources from the bottom of the tank, with an intake sponge?

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14 hours ago, Chiquarius said:

Hello,

Perhaps there is a thread here on this, but I wasn’t sure what search terms to use.

I have 4 shrimp breeding tanks next to each other in a pretty chilly basement. I have two whisperer air pumps oxygenating four sponge filters (they have two valves each).

I only have two heaters though, and I don’t want to run four (too expensive and energy demanding).

my goal is to keep the tanks very stable at the same parameters, to be able to support Neocaridina and caridina species together where their tolerance overlaps.

I am looking for some kind of system, like those that circulate hydroponic setups, where I can keep my largest tank, or some kind of bucket basin, warming and the water circulates amongst the tanks. It is also important it doesn’t suck up the shrimplets and would be great if this somehow made water changes easier as well (like I just need to empty bucket basin and add treated water back to it every once in a while).

Let me know if any of you technically savvy people have ideas on what I would need to get this going. Thanks!

Firstly, I would buy 2 heaters and you are finished and sorted instantly and probably it would be the cheapest/easiest route anyway. One thing I have learned (not for financial reasons in my case) is that short cuts rarely work and usually cost waaaay more than you may have saved and cause havoc with the shrimps etc! That out of the way lets proceed:

I like the idea of the bridge as others have mentioned, it looks fun, but there are a number of problems here I THINK???

1) The bridge may hold water but water (warmth) won't travel along it between the tanks as the water isn't circulating between the tanks just because they are connected, there has to be something driving the flow through the bridge for it to work as you want it to. The shrimps may travel along it between tanks so they will all mix, but if that is what you want you may as well have 1 LARGE tank then you are sorted and you must have enough heaters/filters etc. That's a lot of work though to set up a new large tank, but will be a lot easier long term!? This will also be more difficult to keep the various tanks exactly the same parameters as well! For the purposes of the video it is only meant as a way for fish to go between tanks and would work for that purpose!

2) Connecting the tanks with some sort of canister filter system is the normal way to go (and shops usually have this) but will be expensive/complicated to set up, and if you get a problem with sickness in one tank it will very likely affect the other tanks as well. All the tanks will have the same parameters though! These systems are usually fairly big so you need somewhere to keep it as well.

3) By having the 4 separate tanks as you have now (with individual heaters) you can have different parameters for the different types of shrimps easily. Any tanks that you want to mix cherry and caridina, aim for the upper end of caridina parameters as they are more sensitive and the cherry should be fine with those parameters as they are much more adaptable!

The end result though is that anything other than just buying 2 heaters is really a false economy and a bit mad really, in my opinion! Any saving made on electricity by having less heaters will probably be offset by electric to run another sort of extra circulation system setup? Someone else may have other ideas though?

Simon 

 

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Probably the mostly used way is drill a hole in the tank and have the water lead into a sump, that way you can put the heater, pump and UV light in the sump, as it has been mentioned neo and caridina don't do well with the same water parameter, so it's two tanks+two tanks setup.

Think of what you want first before doing it, do some research , test and trial do cost money, I have a 12 inch shrimp tank for about 1.5-2 years and with lots of test and trial with equipment, spent over USD650.

and I've been in fish keeping for over 35 years.

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Thanks everyone!

The idea of a water bridge is very cool. But as a former middle school science teacher, I know something will need to be in place to circulate the flow.

I appreciate the tip on keeping two separate parameters. While I can keep distinct neo varieties in each tank, I can count on the favorite types breeding reliably in just two of the tanks.

Here’s what I think I’ll do:

-Find a cheap water bridge solution and place a screen on one end (to keep shrimpers from passing) to cross between the two setups.

-Get an intake/two-way pump for each setup and submerge in a bucket of exchange water. This will hopefully get things flowing around and get make the bridges work and 

 

thanks for the advice.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello shrimpkeepers,

I decided to get a canister filter and keep a fry screen on the intake. I have yet to set up.

I also set up simple PVC pipe water bridges. It was so simple. Thanks for the idea!

im hoping that the water displacement from the canister filter’s intake and output tubes (each in separate tank) will move water and temperature through the pipes by balancing the water levels.

7190CA8B-D492-4046-BB45-554D3E4C670D.jpeg

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Let us know how you go when the canister is added. Your pvc pipe looks  big enough to handle the flow,  but test it none the less. 

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As with JayC, let us know how it goes. As long as the water is taken from one tank, through the filter and back into the other tank it may well do the job you want of it!

Look forward to finding out what happens!

May I recommend you just try it out with 2 bare tanks and the pump at this stage to see that it works before getting too deep into it? I bow to your greater knowledge as you are a former science teacher, but I am not sure whether the pull from one tank to the other will keep up from the pull of the pump, what do you think? A larger diameter bridge may be needed, just a thought? 

Simon

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17 hours ago, Chiquarius said:

Hello shrimpkeepers,

I decided to get a canister filter and keep a fry screen on the intake. I have yet to set up.

I also set up simple PVC pipe water bridges. It was so simple. Thanks for the idea!

im hoping that the water displacement from the canister filter’s intake and output tubes (each in separate tank) will move water and temperature through the pipes by balancing the water levels.

7190CA8B-D492-4046-BB45-554D3E4C670D.jpeg

I see that the two water levels are not the same, which means the pipe has air in it

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  • 11 months later...

I'm a newbie but from everything I've read, I would be cautious connecting tanks. If you end up with a pest or illness in one tank, it will instantly spread to the rest.

Just some food for thought. 

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