2 Small Tanks, 2 U Tubes for water movement

lifeoffaith · 03/28/2016, 12:15 PM

So I'm looking to set up a tank at work. Unfortunately due to restrictions, I can't really use any electricity. Someone mentioned that if I use two U tubes one drawing water from one and the other drawing water from the other, that this would create water movement without electricity. The only other thing to consider is temp. I wanted to look at temperate species that could handle room temp water (pretty consistent around 70 here). I was thinking about the Catalina Goby, but don't really want 2 Catalina Gobies. I also thought about dwarf seahorses, but I understand that they are a tropical species? For some reason I thought that most seahorses prefer colder water, but I guess they are the exception? If I did the seahorses, I could actually use the second tank as a pod population builder and just fill it with rock and macro Algae. Then the only thing I'd have to do would be to protect the seahorses from getting sucked into the other tank, maybe a small sponge filter on the U tube? Would typical office fluorescent lights work for growing most macro algaes? They'd be on the ceiling above the tank of course. Just looking for some ideas and direction on this idea. Thanks!

Nate1984 · 03/28/2016, 12:35 PM

Hmm. Get a job at a company that allows you to plug two or three things in.

lifeoffaith · 03/28/2016, 12:55 PM

I wish it were that easy.

DLreef · 03/28/2016, 01:09 PM

Sea horses are a bad idea in this situation (impossible to do with out electricity)

Lights on the ceiling wont be able to grow anything, maybe some hair algae but that's about all. It really needs to be a 6500k+ light right above/on top of the tank to grow macro algae.

The U tube idea I really doubt will work (I could be wrong) but I don't think its possible to drain water in two tanks. Its easy siphoning one to another but not back again.

Its really almost impossible to do any type of tank without at least two power outlets.

Look into freshwater Bettas, a large male could look nice in a 5 gallon tank

lifeoffaith · 03/29/2016, 01:13 PM

I thought about that, but have a hard time going back to freshwater, even for what needs to be a simple setup.

Halo_003 · 03/29/2016, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLreef

Sea horses are a bad idea in this situation (impossible to do with out electricity)

Lights on the ceiling wont be able to grow anything, maybe some hair algae but that's about all. It really needs to be a 6500k+ light right above/on top of the tank to grow macro algae.

The U tube idea I really doubt will work (I could be wrong) but I don't think its possible to drain water in two tanks. Its easy siphoning one to another but not back again.

Its really almost impossible to do any type of tank without at least two power outlets.

Look into freshwater Bettas, a large male could look nice in a 5 gallon tank

Yup, I can't see any good outcome coming from this. Even a tiny reef jar would need at least a light, air pump and heater of some sort. A betta should really have at least a small filter and a heater too.

Personally I wouldn't do an office tank if you have essentially no access to power for it.

DLreef · 03/29/2016, 06:07 PM

Depending on how cold the room gets you could possible get by without a heater for a betta. I do it all the time with a 75 degree room. And a 50% Water change very other day,

03/28/2016, 12:15 PM	#1
lifeoffaith Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Grand Rapids MI area Posts: 737	2 Small Tanks, 2 U Tubes for water movement So I'm looking to set up a tank at work. Unfortunately due to restrictions, I can't really use any electricity. Someone mentioned that if I use two U tubes one drawing water from one and the other drawing water from the other, that this would create water movement without electricity. The only other thing to consider is temp. I wanted to look at temperate species that could handle room temp water (pretty consistent around 70 here). I was thinking about the Catalina Goby, but don't really want 2 Catalina Gobies. I also thought about dwarf seahorses, but I understand that they are a tropical species? For some reason I thought that most seahorses prefer colder water, but I guess they are the exception? If I did the seahorses, I could actually use the second tank as a pod population builder and just fill it with rock and macro Algae. Then the only thing I'd have to do would be to protect the seahorses from getting sucked into the other tank, maybe a small sponge filter on the U tube? Would typical office fluorescent lights work for growing most macro algaes? They'd be on the ceiling above the tank of course. Just looking for some ideas and direction on this idea. Thanks!

03/28/2016, 12:35 PM	#2
Nate1984 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Lafayette Louisiana Posts: 66	Hmm. Get a job at a company that allows you to plug two or three things in. __________________ But it right or buy it twice. Current Tank Info: 95gal Rimless mixed reef with 29gal refuge

03/28/2016, 12:55 PM	#3
lifeoffaith Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Grand Rapids MI area Posts: 737	I wish it were that easy.

03/28/2016, 01:09 PM	#4
DLreef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 141	Sea horses are a bad idea in this situation (impossible to do with out electricity) Lights on the ceiling wont be able to grow anything, maybe some hair algae but that's about all. It really needs to be a 6500k+ light right above/on top of the tank to grow macro algae. The U tube idea I really doubt will work (I could be wrong) but I don't think its possible to drain water in two tanks. Its easy siphoning one to another but not back again. Its really almost impossible to do any type of tank without at least two power outlets. Look into freshwater Bettas, a large male could look nice in a 5 gallon tank

03/29/2016, 01:13 PM	#5
lifeoffaith Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Grand Rapids MI area Posts: 737	I thought about that, but have a hard time going back to freshwater, even for what needs to be a simple setup.

03/29/2016, 06:07 PM	#7
DLreef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 141	Depending on how cold the room gets you could possible get by without a heater for a betta. I do it all the time with a 75 degree room. And a 50% Water change very other day,