Maybe its time I enclosed a link to the first "public airing" of vacuum-enhanced aquariums.
In February 2004 I sent details and photos of my first attempt at a glass tunnel connecting 2 aquariums to "The Fishkeepers Forum".I had seen a request for articles on new ideas for aquarists to start a new U.K. aquarium forum.
As I was feeling quite "chuffed" my set-up had worked, I wanted to see what kind of response I got from the pet fish keeping public.
About 1 1/2 years later a "bottomless aquarium" appeared on YouTube.It was a very smart set-up that obviously employed a vacuum (at least to me) to create the effect.Now the Singapore based gentleman, Mr.Ho asked for comments on his system to help improve it.I sent a few emails regarding my set-up and enquired what method he employed to achIeve the effect.I got no reply but a friend found out he was using a modified air pump to suck the air out from the top of the aquarium and return it via air stones from the bottom.
I had tried this method and a venturi from a circulating water pump.The problem with the air pump is that the humidity from the aquarium air condenses on the coil for the diaphragm in the air pump.I tried a few filter combinations to reduce the amount of water but after a week if I did a high voltage test for earth faults the "mega" showed a very low resistance to earth.A home-made vacuum pump with a "vacuum jar" to catch any water sucked out showed no degradation after a years use.
The "bottom line" is my system shown on "The Fishkeepers Forum" is what got other folks interested in this concept.Many even used the name we coined for it, "The Romaurie Effect" a combination of my son's name Rom and mine, Laurie.
A number of good quality air pumps are manufactured in Singapore.Any one associated with the "pet fish market" in Singapore has access to very cheap air pumps.So you could afford to run them to "destruction".
http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hardware/waterbridge/waterbridge.htm
In February 2004 I sent details and photos of my first attempt at a glass tunnel connecting 2 aquariums to "The Fishkeepers Forum".I had seen a request for articles on new ideas for aquarists to start a new U.K. aquarium forum.
As I was feeling quite "chuffed" my set-up had worked, I wanted to see what kind of response I got from the pet fish keeping public.
About 1 1/2 years later a "bottomless aquarium" appeared on YouTube.It was a very smart set-up that obviously employed a vacuum (at least to me) to create the effect.Now the Singapore based gentleman, Mr.Ho asked for comments on his system to help improve it.I sent a few emails regarding my set-up and enquired what method he employed to achIeve the effect.I got no reply but a friend found out he was using a modified air pump to suck the air out from the top of the aquarium and return it via air stones from the bottom.
I had tried this method and a venturi from a circulating water pump.The problem with the air pump is that the humidity from the aquarium air condenses on the coil for the diaphragm in the air pump.I tried a few filter combinations to reduce the amount of water but after a week if I did a high voltage test for earth faults the "mega" showed a very low resistance to earth.A home-made vacuum pump with a "vacuum jar" to catch any water sucked out showed no degradation after a years use.
The "bottom line" is my system shown on "The Fishkeepers Forum" is what got other folks interested in this concept.Many even used the name we coined for it, "The Romaurie Effect" a combination of my son's name Rom and mine, Laurie.
A number of good quality air pumps are manufactured in Singapore.Any one associated with the "pet fish market" in Singapore has access to very cheap air pumps.So you could afford to run them to "destruction".
http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hardware/waterbridge/waterbridge.htm
