[drazend]

OK, so I have acquired 2 55 gallon tanks over the short period of time that I have had fish. I was able to get both of them (with all kinds of accessories) for super cheap. Also, please keep in mind my weekly budget is limited for fish spending

Well, I keep looking at them and thinking how awesome it would be if i could combine the two in some form to make a larger play ground for my fish and inverts... I've gone through the idea of making a water bridges and the such, and while that idea is cool, i don't want to drop a whole lot of money into it as a project. If i'm going to spend money, i want it to be on plants (which i'm slowly acquiring)

So, I was talking with a buddy of mine about some of the other ideas of my combining the tanks, not really thinking they'd be possible because of water pressure and the like, and he mentions someone who has taken 12 glass panels and made a large almost square short tank using glass supports and metal brackets siliconed on for extra strength...

Well, i downloaded Google Sketchup and started mocking some things up. It will be a while before I can do ANYTHING because I have so many factors at play here, and i will have to figure out something to do with my fish while the silicone is curing. Any who, I wanted to see what you ladies and gents thought and get your 2 cents. Let me know what you think.

all will have glass supports siliconed to the top

EDIT: Ok, I've fixed my pictures so that they are hopefully clearer, again... I'm sorry for rushing and trying to get everything on one snapshot. Hopefully the below is better.


PLAN A
4' wide x 2' deep x 2' tall

PLAN B
8' wide x 1' deep x 2' tall

I also toyed around with making an L shape with them too, but haven't mocked anything up yet. :icon_roll

From the front

From the bottom

 

[Hoppy]

I don't understand the sketch. Are you planning an 8 foot long, 2 foot depth, 2 foot high tank? That would use a 2 piece front (unlikely to work), a plywood back, one front cut in half for the two ends, and what for the bottom?

 

[fplata]

You are looking to flood your room. Have fun with the two tanks as two

 

[drazend]

I don't understand the sketch. Are you planning an 8 foot long, 2 foot depth, 2 foot high tank? That would use a 2 piece front (unlikely to work), a plywood back, one front cut in half for the two ends, and what for the bottom?

Ha, I did the sketch up and typed this in a hurry during my lunch break, thanks for asking for the clarification. Normally I would have separated the three in separate snapshots, and I will update them as soon as I get a chance.

There are three different tanks in the sketch:

the top one has the plywood back and uses 4 side panels on the sides, 2 front panels for the front, and I was thinking the two bottom pieces with the two back pieces, but thinking it through... that won't work because the back is taller than the sides are deep, it would have ended up 2 feet deep and 2 feet tall by 8 feet long.

The second one (bottom left in the first picture we'll call it "plan A" ) is basically taking one panel (front/back) off each tank and joining them where the removed panels were. It would make it 2' deep by 4' long by 2' tall

The third (bottom right in the first picture, "plan B" ) takes one of the side panels off each tank and joins them where the panels were removed. this would make it 12" deep by 8' long by 2' tall.

As soon as I get back on my laptop, I will fix the below pictures, i'm sorry for the confusion.

 

[Merth]

I think u would probably be better off selling your two 55's and buying a 110

 

[Neatfish]

Maybe have 2 different set ups in an L shape?

 

[drazend]

I think u would probably be better off selling your two 55's and buying a 110

Unfortunately, I would be lucky to get half the price of a 110 gallon tank for BOTH the 55 gallons I have. Tanks in general do not sell well where I live, especially second hand. They're even hard to give away at times :hihi:

 

[drazend]

Maybe have 2 different set ups in an L shape?

I really like this idea, I just can't wrap my head around it... The glass is tempered, so i would be unable to cut it as it is.

 

[drazend]

You are looking to flood your room. Have fun with the two tanks as two

Yeah, i do understand the risks with something like this. But there's something I just can't resist about combining them... one is sitting off to the side with nothing in it just BEGGING me to combine it with the other... There's nothing I can do, but obey!

 

[james1542]

The sides shouldn't be tempered. You could connect them with a 6" clear PVC pipe tunnel!, Get some big time bulk heads, and find a 6" hole saw!

At the very least, you could set them next to each other in whatever config you like (L shaped, end to end, side by side), raise one up 6 inches, then drill the upper tank develop some clear acrylic spouts to put in the hole, and rig a canister filter to suck water out of the lower one, and pump it to the upper.

 

[drazend]

Maybe have 2 different set ups in an L shape?

I just realized you said 2 different setups. I'm such a dork... I really would like the extra room for the fish.

Sent from somewhere unknown to man...

 

[drazend]

The sides shouldn't be tempered. You could connect them with a 6" clear PVC pipe tunnel!, Get some big time bulk heads, and find a 6" hole saw!

At the very least, you could set them next to each other in whatever config you like (L shaped, end to end, side by side), raise one up 6 inches, then drill the upper tank develop some clear acrylic spouts to put in the hole, and rig a canister filter to suck water out of the lower one, and pump it to the upper.

I didn't realize the sides wouldn't be tempered... I'm going to go do the LCD test, I really wanted to see if that worked anyway.

Sent from somewhere unknown to man...

 

[DogFish]

Maybe your friend was talking about this build?
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185857

I think either of you plans could work. I build a rimless 41gl that was
cut out an old 70 with 3/8" glass.

From what I've learned I'd tell you not to run more than 24" length without a brace if the glass is 1/4" @ 24" T. If you drop the height to 16 you would be safe with 3' between cross bracing.

I think for plants your 1st idea might be best. You could cut up the glass not being used for corner braces. Look at CrazyDaz's 200tank

 

[lochaber]

It sounds pretty risky to me.

I think it would probably be cheaper and easier to just build a really huge water bridge out of acrylic or glass (I'm thinking something a foot wide)

plus, if it fails, you only end up with a couple gallons on the floor, and isolated tanks (as opposed to hundreds of gallons, and no tanks).

or if you went with james1542 suggestion, you might be able to rig up a really large (and slow) archimedes screw type pump, that way organisms could be transported up without harm.

 

[Kathyy]

I really admire what Izabella87 has done, she just might have some ideas for you on how to combine the pieces of glass you have.

I would do this if I was in your boat. Really neat build.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=97329&highlight=fish+bridge

 

[drazend]

Thanks much! This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!

And YES, that is the lady he was talking about, it Is an incredible aquarium.

Maybe your friend was talking about this build?
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185857

I think either of you plans could work. I build a rimless 41gl that was
cut out an old 70 with 3/8" glass.

From what I've learned I'd tell you not to run more than 24" length without a brace if the glass is 1/4" @ 24" T. If you drop the height to 16 you would be safe with 3' between cross bracing.

I think for plants your 1st idea might be best. You could cut up the glass not being used for corner braces. Look at CrazyDaz's 200tank

Sent from somewhere unknown to man...

 

[GeToChKn]

Combing 2 pieces for the sides or the front is not going to work at all. The seam will be the weak point and burst half way through filling it, if that. It may work in the linked build, but she only did it on the bottom, not the sides. Silicone 2 pieces of glass next to each other and watch how easy you can bend it.

Instead of being able to setup 2 55gals for your fish and inverts, you are going to have 10 pieces of glass and no tank. Be happy with the 2 55gals, work on a bridge system, save for a new tank, something but don't destroy 2 tanks in something that isn't going to work.

 

[Diana]

Ditto GeToChKn:
A bridge or some other system that keeps the tanks structurally sound is best. Trying to join glass in a flat plane is not a good way to make a strong wall that you need for an aquarium. As a bottom you could get away with it because not only do you set the 2 pieces next to each other, but you also get more glass to sandwich the joint for strength. That would look really ugly, though, for sides, and even worse for the front.

Maybe work on the water fall idea.

 

[drazend]

Thanks, I appreciate the advice. These tanks were pretty much being disposed of originally, I found them and took them under my wing... I'm not against the water bridge idea, but it would be a last resort. If I end up not joining them into a larger tank I will likely leave them as separate environments.

I just like solving puzzles and tackling challenges, this it's definitely a challenge (and I'm quite handy). I would never do anything unless I knew for certain it wouldn't explode all over the place. And I would never bring it inside without thoroughly testing first. I would also have a backup plan if something DID go wrong, I can't have my fish in 5 gallon buckets while I try to figure out what to do with them

But I like these comments too, they keep me thinking

Combing 2 pieces for the sides or the front is not going to work at all. The seam will be the weak point and burst half way through filling it, if that. It may work in the linked build, but she only did it on the bottom, not the sides. Silicone 2 pieces of glass next to each other and watch how easy you can bend it.

Instead of being able to setup 2 55gals for your fish and inverts, you are going to have 10 pieces of glass and no tank. Be happy with the 2 55gals, work on a bridge system, save for a new tank, something but don't destroy 2 tanks in something that isn't going to work.

Sent from somewhere unknown to man...

 

[mcfly84]

I drew this crudely but the combination design could possibly do the best for what you're wanting to do. It would be the same as the bridge design only you'll be attaching them together with out the bridge(oviously).

One important thing to note is if you do combine them like that then you'll will want to redo the rim around both bottom and top to retain the rigidity. Also you'll want to seal where the two tanks meet in the middle by applying a small beade of silicon between both tanks and also applying a smoothed beade on the edges once the are joined.


This is of course assuming they're square to begin with. If they aren't square I would go with the acrylic bridge design.