18 thoughts on “Fish swim around the house, in a custom aquarium”
Mr_Stabbysays:
After looking at the web site I would like to know how they get the water into the pipe and keep it there. There are no details on the site.
Senselesssays:
Hah Excellent!
Now I have something else to plan.
Acetaminophensays:
@Mr_Stabby- You’ll note that each end of the tube extends down into the tank past the water line (it doesn’t just stop at the top above the water). The easiest way I could surmise that they did it was to make at least one access hole / hose bib at the top side of the highest point of the tunnel. Once the single tanks were filled at each end, water was then poured into the tube from the top either by hose or ol’ fashioned buckets.
Lacking the exact names for the science involved and too lazy to look them up… because the ends are “sealed” and no air is able to be introduced from each tank end, it allows the water to build up in the tunnel above the level of the tank.
To test the theory, I would use a cup full of water and a straw. Insert one end of the straw an inch or so beyond the water level of the cup and begin to introduce more water into the other end of the straw… if I’m right it will build up until you fill the straw without changing the level of the water in the cup. I would think that how much pressure you use when introducing the water could have an effect (begin to push the water down into the cup and ruin the “seal”), so it should probably done slowly and carefully.
If I’m wrong, make sure you have some paper towels close at hand. ;)
Chris@Rouffer.comsays:
As far as I can tell, there is no way to keep water in that tunnel. It looks to me like all of the water would empty itself into the two tanks. Maybe not, though. Perhaps it works like one of those inverted water bottles, where the water doesn’t all come dumping out. How would you fill the tunnel though. Once it’s up you’d need to pump water into it while evacuating the air. Maybe he used some sort of vacuum pump to suck the air out? Maybe he filled it, then hoisted it up? Does anyone know how to contact the guy?
shenry3141says:
I think the vacuum pump would be the only practical way. The tunnel will have to be airtight, too… even a tiny leak will result in gallons of water on the floor.
Russtangsays:
Water would empty itself into those two tanks. If there was a way for air to replace it. The upper tube is airtight.
Take a glass of water.
Insert a straw.
Place thumb over straw.
Raise straw nearly out of the glass.
Your cup does not runneth over.
The easiest way I can think of filling it would be the way suggested. With a vacuum pump at the highest point. The logistics of filling and hoisting something so large, not to mention heavy, would be a nightmare. I’m picturing shards of plexiglass, lots of water, bloodstained floors…
hammerthumbsays:
Block the ends of the tunnel temporarily. Fill the tunnel with water through a hole at the highest point. After the tunnel is full, seal the filler hole. Fill the aquarium tanks on either end of the tunnel. Remove the temporary blockages from the now submerged ends of the tunnel. Done.
Chrissays:
I call shenanigans.. In order for this (or the straw analogy made a few posts back) to work, the water in the tunnel (or straw) would have to have less volume and consequently weigh less then the water in either of the individual tanks. Only a completely closed system with both tanks ALSO sealed would that not be an issue. In the pictures neither requirement appears to have been met.
Chrissays:
(Same poster as above….)
In addition to the previous post about the volume of the water, consider the air pressure pressing down on the water in each tank would have to be greater than the weight of the water contained in the tunnels entirety… A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds. Air pressure at seal level is 14.7 pounds per square inch. If the tank is 2′ x 3′, that means the atmosphere is exerting 88.2 pounds of force on the water in the tank. Divide that by the weight of the water, and the tunnel could have no more than 10.5 gallons in it. It clear;y has more than that. Photoshop fakery.
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After looking at the web site I would like to know how they get the water into the pipe and keep it there. There are no details on the site.
Hah Excellent!
Now I have something else to plan.
@Mr_Stabby- You’ll note that each end of the tube extends down into the tank past the water line (it doesn’t just stop at the top above the water). The easiest way I could surmise that they did it was to make at least one access hole / hose bib at the top side of the highest point of the tunnel. Once the single tanks were filled at each end, water was then poured into the tube from the top either by hose or ol’ fashioned buckets.
Lacking the exact names for the science involved and too lazy to look them up… because the ends are “sealed” and no air is able to be introduced from each tank end, it allows the water to build up in the tunnel above the level of the tank.
To test the theory, I would use a cup full of water and a straw. Insert one end of the straw an inch or so beyond the water level of the cup and begin to introduce more water into the other end of the straw… if I’m right it will build up until you fill the straw without changing the level of the water in the cup. I would think that how much pressure you use when introducing the water could have an effect (begin to push the water down into the cup and ruin the “seal”), so it should probably done slowly and carefully.
If I’m wrong, make sure you have some paper towels close at hand. ;)
As far as I can tell, there is no way to keep water in that tunnel. It looks to me like all of the water would empty itself into the two tanks. Maybe not, though. Perhaps it works like one of those inverted water bottles, where the water doesn’t all come dumping out. How would you fill the tunnel though. Once it’s up you’d need to pump water into it while evacuating the air. Maybe he used some sort of vacuum pump to suck the air out? Maybe he filled it, then hoisted it up? Does anyone know how to contact the guy?
I think the vacuum pump would be the only practical way. The tunnel will have to be airtight, too… even a tiny leak will result in gallons of water on the floor.
Water would empty itself into those two tanks. If there was a way for air to replace it. The upper tube is airtight.
Take a glass of water.
Insert a straw.
Place thumb over straw.
Raise straw nearly out of the glass.
Your cup does not runneth over.
The easiest way I can think of filling it would be the way suggested. With a vacuum pump at the highest point. The logistics of filling and hoisting something so large, not to mention heavy, would be a nightmare. I’m picturing shards of plexiglass, lots of water, bloodstained floors…
Block the ends of the tunnel temporarily. Fill the tunnel with water through a hole at the highest point. After the tunnel is full, seal the filler hole. Fill the aquarium tanks on either end of the tunnel. Remove the temporary blockages from the now submerged ends of the tunnel. Done.
I call shenanigans.. In order for this (or the straw analogy made a few posts back) to work, the water in the tunnel (or straw) would have to have less volume and consequently weigh less then the water in either of the individual tanks. Only a completely closed system with both tanks ALSO sealed would that not be an issue. In the pictures neither requirement appears to have been met.
(Same poster as above….)
In addition to the previous post about the volume of the water, consider the air pressure pressing down on the water in each tank would have to be greater than the weight of the water contained in the tunnels entirety… A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds. Air pressure at seal level is 14.7 pounds per square inch. If the tank is 2′ x 3′, that means the atmosphere is exerting 88.2 pounds of force on the water in the tank. Divide that by the weight of the water, and the tunnel could have no more than 10.5 gallons in it. It clear;y has more than that. Photoshop fakery.