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Starting a 45g, I want to add darters and need a current.

Started by Guest_lizzysilvertongue_* , Apr 01 2012 03:12 AM

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#21 Guest_steve_*

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Posted 02 April 2012 - 02:21 PM

From my experience, even darters that are found in the highest flow rate areas of a stream will, once in a an aquarium, prefer to hide in a heavily planted area with little current instead of a rocky/gravel area with high flow. I wouldn't be too concerned about any specific GPH. In most situations, flow rate and current control are more for the aquarist than the fish. It largely just depends on what you want to see your fish doing. Just place a few ornaments(rocks,driftwood) to break the flow up so it varies, stick your hands in and see if it feels like you want it to and adjust from there. Generally, for comfortable survival, what darters need the most is O2, not necessarily high flow rate.

I can see some advantages to the flow loop with the sponges if you are using bacterial nitrification for biological filtration. Depending on the sponge size, this could be the only filtration you need as it would do both biological and mechanical filtration. If you're planning on a different method of filtration then, from my experience, it literally isn't going to matter to your darters what size pump or how high of flow rate you go with.

If you're looking for specific numbers; I've got two 382GPH pumps in a 55 gallon riffle tank and a 692GPH pump in a 75 gallon riffle/pond tank.

#22 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 02 April 2012 - 03:25 PM

(My bachelor's degree is in chemical engineering)

I knew that, and that's why I asked you the question... wanted you to think that way, not just as an aquarist. I am an engineer as well and have always thought that the resistance would be an issue... but not really a fluids guy, so always just wondered. Would still be an interesting question... what diameter PVC do you need to not restrict the flow if you want the flow to be 1200 GPH? Or any other GPH that you miight have a pump for.

I have never put pumps on the opposite sides/corners/whatever of a tank, but kind of like that idea... much better and much simpler in my mind than the extra plumbing.

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

#23 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 02 April 2012 - 04:33 PM

I have done the manifold thing and have not been able to get it to produce unidirectional flow; there's still a lot of eddying and countercurrents. One variation I've tried is placing a sheet of filter foam across the end of the tank where the intake tubes are, instead of using cylindrical prefilters. This creates a nice big piece of biofiltration real estate and is, to my eye, less obtrusive, especially once the filter foam gets a little dingy. This is pretty much the same thing as a "Hamburg mattenfilter".

#24 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 02 April 2012 - 04:49 PM

here are some pictures of the tank I did (20 gallon long) with a similar idea. I used a powerhead that did 1200 gph on the right (according to the manufacturer) and there was a pre-filter on the left (not shown attached in pictures)

-Nate

#25 Guest_Doug_Dame_*

Guests

Posted 03 April 2012 - 12:51 AM

I am an engineer as well and have always thought that the resistance would be an issue... but not really a fluids guy, so always just wondered. Would still be an interesting question... what diameter PVC do you need to not restrict the flow if you want the flow to be 1200 GPH? Or any other GPH that you miight have a pump for.

Since I don't want to barge into the Engineers' Party, I won't attempt to answer the question. But put this on your xmas lists, you both will enjoy it. (I think.)

===> P.R. Escobal - Aquatic Systems Engineering: Devices and How They Function - Selection, Installation, Operation.

Has formulas for friction loss in plumbing and everythin' !

(Ouch ... looks like it's going to be hard to find at a reasonable price.)

#26 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 01 December 2012 - 03:21 PM

It's been a while since I posted here. I'm not sure if I said this or not, so I'll say it now. I bought a 1300 gallon per hour wavemaker and put it in the top corner of my 75 gallon tank and it blows everything around super super fast. It's awesome.
Picture: http://ecx.images-am...kL._SL1280_.jpg
Here's the link: http://www.amazon.co...d/dp/B002480V32

It turns out you can be all creative and design an awesome flow path and blah blah blah, or you can completely overpower everything with 1300 GPH of raw power. Either way makes a strong current. Who da thunk it.

#27 Guest_gzeiger_*

Guests

Posted 02 December 2012 - 10:37 AM

Pumps are sold with a flow rating based on a specific discharge pressure, and will vary from that number significantly at different pressures. For pumps sold for aquarium applications, the pressure chosen is typically based on a 4 foot high discharge pipe, but for other pumps you'd have to look at the label. I have no experience with powerheads and have never looked at their labeling, but given their common application I wouldn't be surprised if their ratings were based on zero discharge head.

What I would recommend for darters is a sump-based filtration system where you can direct the overflow in a way that splashes around a lot and aerates the water. It's convenient to place the overflow and the pump return on opposite ends of the tank to provide some current too.