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riffle tank

Started by Guest_brasseagle6_* , Aug 07 2011 06:30 AM

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12 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_brasseagle6_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 06:30 AM

I have had tropical tanks, saltwater, and crayfish tanks. I have been studying this forum pretty heavy for a couple weeks or so before I join and since. I have a fishing license and a buddy to help with a seine which we need to invest in.

I was considering getting a 10 gallon for a riffle and have read that bigger is advised. would a 20, 20Long, or a 29 be good? I would love bigger but we have a double wide and not sure how big the floors can really handle. I have a 10 and a 5 with tropicals and my family loves them.

Want to do as cheap as possible. Walmart has a power head for $20 (regent brand), would one work (or 2) or is there a better choice.

I considered the tubing setup found here http://www.loaches.c...anifold-design. I was thinking of using a piece of plexi glass or something like it to make a lid and drill several small holes all over the lid to help release heat build up. Or I could get one of those kits that makes a screen window and use that as a lid? And using a shop light with some kind of homemade legs to set it on the rim and hold it a couple inches off the lid. Tetra has a 20-40 Hob i thought about getting. Or would the plain old walmart 20 or 29 complete set up be just as good. I have a tendency of over complicating things.

I really want a madtom or stonecat, rainbow darters and some shiners or something for the top level. Do you happen to now if something caught in a slow area (swamp, iowa, or johnny darter) be ok in a riffle tank or should I steer clear of that?

Edited by brasseagle6, 07 August 2011 - 06:39 AM.

#2 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 August 2011 - 07:46 AM

A 20 Long would work fine... you don't need extra height... I have a group of 30 breeder tanks that work well also, but these are not as commonly found... for that size tank if you can put the HOB filter on the end in stead of the back and supplement with one powerhead you should be good to go. I know you are trying to go inexpensive, and that is OK, but I see you are in NC, and you are going to want to keep the heat down as much as possible, so look for powerheads with lower wattage power consumption. And since you are only going to need one, you can pay a little more for one that is putting less heat in the water.

I'm not sure if I like the river loach tubing set up... not I have never owned one... but it seems like extra complexity to me for a small tank... just my opinion... but I would skip it and put that money into your HOB.

A screen top might be a good idea, just remember you need non-metal screening since you are using it in such a wet area. I am currently using some plastic 1/4 inch hardware cloth to try to keep some jumpers in the tank. I wouldn't try the plexi again because of the heat... you want to let it out.

Madtoms are cool looking, but you don't get to see them much... darters are usually the stars of a riffle tank. I don't know if rainbows are in NC but there are a lot of nice darters tat are, slack water species will be fine (you are not really going to be able to recreate all of the water speed that a riffle has in a 20 gallon tank). And a small group of shiners would be perfect. I have yellowfins over here, but again you have some different ones that are similar over in NC (depending on what river drainage you are in... add that to your profile).

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#3 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 08:29 AM

I would go for a 20L or a 29. I had a 29 with one powerhead and it worked just fine. I agree with Michael, the underground tubing is a bit of overkill on this size tank. However, you're more than welcome to try it out and see how it works...let us know. A screen, opposed to a regular top will help keep the temp down in the tank. Just make sure you cover the entire top as a lot of shiners/daces will jump out. I would greatly recommend that, if you're going to get a HOB filter, to get one with the 'bio-wheel' or some other type of bio-media built in. These work better in my experience.

I don't know how close you are to a major city, but you can monitor Craigslist and usually get a great deal. I bought a 75gal w/ stand and canopy for $75, and I bought my current 125 from somebody on craigslist. You can likely find a good deal on a complete setup. 29's are fairly common, and you'll see 20L's sometimes too.

I say, get a tank and get to collecting. There are a lot of cool darters and shiners in NC, make sure you read up on where you can/can't collect, and what species are T&E listed. It would also be a great idea to go ahead and order a Peterson's field guide to NA freshwater fishes. It's an excellent resource with great information.

#4 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 11:46 AM

I just set up a 20 gallon long with the manifold design, and I like it a lot, but it ends up taking up a lot of room in the tank, which in turn makes it a lot easier to out grow, so if you don't have somewhere to put them when they get too big I wouldn't reccomend it.

Edited by Yeahson421, 07 August 2011 - 11:47 AM.

#5 Guest_brasseagle6_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 12:30 PM

I dont think I will use the pipe idea due to complexity and space.

I have seen some of the power heads that look like a little fan. Are these any good and are the blades dangerous to fish?

I am gonna use my 5 gallon to start a pest snail culture to feed the fish.

#6 Guest_Yeahson421_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 12:49 PM

I am gonna use my 5 gallon to start a pest snail culture to feed the fish.

From what I've heard, all darters wil eat snails, but only the greenside would be able to have it as a staple diet.

#7 Guest_brasseagle6_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 01:24 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item564573fb7c saw this on ebay it is like the power heads I had seen.

snails were not going to be the only food just supplemental.

#8 Guest_frogwhacker_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 01:58 PM

I would love bigger but we have a double wide and not sure how big the floors can really handle.

I too have a double wide and I've got a 45 gallon, 55 gallon and a 150 gallon and so far so good, but I'll be sure and let you know if my floor collapses. I've read of others having large aquariums sitting in double wides without any troubles with the floors. The steel beams are quite substantial. I just wouldn't put anything really huge up next to the wall on the outside of the steel beam.

#9 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 02:27 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/WAVE-MAKER-POWERHEAD-AQUARIUM-PUMP-REEF-800-GPH-3000L-H-/370532416380?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564573fb7c saw this on ebay it is like the power heads I had seen.

snails were not going to be the only food just supplemental.

I used one of THESEfor my 30gal.

I used two powerheads in my 75 gallon, due to the width. I also used the powerheads as a filter. You can see that HERE

#10 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 07 August 2011 - 03:01 PM

Water and decorations weigh about 8.5 to 10 pounds per gallon. A 55 gallon tank on a stand weighs about 600 to 700 pounds, which gets spread out over four feet of length. So if your floor can hold a couch with people on it or a refrigerator, it can definitely hold a fish tank.

Edited by EricaWieser, 07 August 2011 - 03:01 PM.

#11 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 August 2011 - 03:04 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/WAVE-MAKER-POWERHEAD-AQUARIUM-PUMP-REEF-800-GPH-3000L-H-/370532416380?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564573fb7c saw this on ebay it is like the power heads I had seen.

I use similar, and like them OK... supposedly they provide more water velocity... but I am not sure... I do like the fact that is says it only draws 6 watts... that keeps your heat added to the tank down.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#12 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 09 August 2011 - 08:04 PM

I have a 30 long that makes a nice riffle tank for darters and shiners/dace/minnows. It's 36 inches long.

I like the Koralia power heads, I think I have a Koralia 3 in the 30. They are energy efficient and don't produce much heat. You could get a cheap powerhead now and save up for a nicer one. Get a big one, unless it's sloshing water out of the tank it's not too big.

#13 Guest_brasseagle6_*

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Posted 12 August 2011 - 07:28 PM

Went to petco to get a aqueon 29g deluxe kit cause it was on sale for 69 regular 120. Sold out sale show till the 20th. Got rain check and a plant. It had snails. wahoo!! long as my fish dont eat them before they can take over.