Linking tanks with fluid dynamics?

[Coastie Reefer]

Sitting here on the web falling down different rabbit holes while up with my 7 week old baby girl, I come across venturi pvc fittings. A lot of times these are used in hot tubs or aquaponic systems to draw in air.

I was wondering if it would actually be possible to link two tanks using the venturi effect. Basically putting a pump into a tank, running a pipe in a loop from one tank to the other with a venturi fitting in the other tank... it should draw in water from one tank and allow it to mix with the water in the other tank. I might have to experiment with a couple buckets. My biggest concern is whether or not this would create a siphon if the pump were to lose power.

 

[link81]

the way i'm understanding your drawing,
you're pulling water from the right tank,
but i don't see how you're returning water to that tank. you'll suck down to the level off the venturi, then draw in air and make a frothy mess in the left tank.

 

[Cque2222]

I believe this would make a vacuum with that loop on the right side, trying to go back to my fluid interactions class in college. I believe the right side would need to exit at a lower point then the water level wanted in the left tank.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

the way i'm understanding your drawing,
you're pulling water from the right tank,
but i don't see how you're returning water to that tank. you'll suck down to the level off the venturi, then draw in air and make a frothy mess in the left tank.

you're absolutely correct... and I should probably get some sleep. Oh the joys of newborns ;)

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Someone on here had a build exactly like this! He used egg crates to allow for certain inhabitants to cross between his two tanks while blocking others. Bump for wisdom.

 

[link81]

you're absolutely correct... and I should probably get some sleep. Oh the joys of newborns ;)

newborns have a habit of doing that lol....

 

[Cque2222]

you're absolutely correct... and I should probably get some sleep. Oh the joys of newborns ;)

I guess all those classes did stick! Even though I can’t remember a single word from ogro chem 1 and 2.
Congrats on the baby! Good luck

 

[JoshH]

I think the more important question is what is the goal in linking the two tanks?

 

[link81]

the only way i could see a venturi being useful in this instance is if i wanted to move something with a pump that wasn't pumpable. fine grain sand, air ect.
water, i just don't see the benefit.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

I think the more important question is what is the goal in linking the two tanks?

expanding my growout but keeping everything on the same system

 

[JoshH]

Do you have a sump on your current system?

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Do you have a sump on your current system?

I do, and I can plumb another tank into it directly but with my current layout it wouldn't be fun that's for sure.

 

[JoshH]

I do, and I can plumb another tank into it directly but with my current layout it wouldn't be fun that's for sure.

Can you drill your current tank? If so you could bridge the two tanks with a couple pipes and some bulkheads, put the return into the new tank. I don't think theres really an easy way to go about it no matter what you end up doing...