Romaurie Effect: Genesis.svcd

In 2004 I tested a linking system for 2 aquariums with copper tube.When I found it worked, I set to construct 1 in 1/4" glass.At the time, no CNC cutter was available locally so all joints are silicone.The long inside stretch is almost impossible to apply a corner fillet.Fortunately there were no leaks on the cross section.Only the front and rear upright sections were a problem.It took 3 attempts to seal them.When I made the vacuum to fill, small "silvery" air bubbles would be sucked in indicating the leak.These I marked with a felt tip, emptied and dried the water and put a small dab of silicone on the spot.
Even before I had sealed it 100%, I put a "White Cloud Mountain Minnow" in and it swam straight into the horizontal section.I then placed the tunnel onto the 2 small aquariums, applied the vacuum, and "Bobs yer firkin".
I was always under the impression that the maximum height of water from a full vacuum would be 30 inches or 76cm as this is how our refrigeration guages are callibrated to indicate a full vacuum.I "Googled" this fact and found a formula to calculate the maximum water lift by a full vacuum.It would appear to be in the region of 27 feet!
Now I don't propose to build one that high.But now there is a glass cutter in Eilat with the latest CNC glass cutting machinery,I am tempted to try out someting bigger.
A point of interest: Eilat has 1 of very few "Underwater Observatories" in the world.The company I work for has the air conditionong/refrigeration maintanence contract for it.
When you're trying to fix an A/C unit next to an aquarium with a "Freckled Frogfish in it" I find it takes a lot longer to fix.

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[romaurie]

I've often wondered if this is a "full vacuum". Once the vacuum is made and the water is held in place, the guage shows only 1 or 2 inches of vacuum..I noticed on 1 aquarium site some one wanted to raise sea-horses in a vacuumed aquarium and asked if the "negative pressure" would effect their[seahorses] health. He had been looking at the tunnel and was considering building something along these lines.

My fish all seem to thrive in this set-up.

[romaurie]

refrigeration "schreider-valve" adapted to seat on the glass with a garden hose connector.

[state8citizen]

The amount of vacuum applied will depend upon the volume of water being raised.

It would take very little vacuum to suck water 10' up a straw but much more would be needed for say a 4" pipe.

[birdwing98]

The 30 inches on refrig. gauge is inches Hg, or mercury. An antique scientific barameter works like your inverted fish tank. A closed ended full tube of mercury is submerged into a pool of mercury. Gravity pulls the mercury down, and a void of "lesser pressure" is created atop the column of Hg.

[galileefish]

well done. i have one suggestion. if you were to place the valve on one corner of the tunnel, and tip the same corner up upon drawing the air out you would get more of the air out, so as when you level the tunnel the water line would be higher. my two cents worth.

[pnklfd98]

If you please;

What kind of valve is that you're using to create a vacuum?

Can it be done with thick acrylic?