Thanks Dustin !...Michael, there are two pvc tubes, the nearest one in the pic (the one with their heads in it) is a feeding tube...the farther one is the return 1250 gph from the sump...at the top of the return I drilled a hole, installed a small 90* elbow and a 4" piece of tubing as a siphon break...the tubing allows a small amount of water to flow through which I directed into the top of the feeding tube thereby giving the feeding tube positive down pressure...to feed I just drop the cuisine de joure into the top of the tube and it will come out down below...if it's frozen it will be thawed out by the time it gets to the bottom...then it hits the 1250 gph flow from the pump....the shiners have figured out where the food comes from and will swim up into the feeding tube, PIGS I tell ya !! I'll make a short video if you wanna watch it...
Rich
New 125 Semi River Biotope
Started by
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
, Apr 08 2013 11:32 AM
80 replies to this topic
#62
Guest_EricaLyons_*
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 01:44 PM
Please do, and can we have a schematics sketch?I'll make a short video if you wanna watch it...
#63
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 02:05 PM
Erica, video, no problem, sketch...I'll try...
Rich
Rich
#64
mattknepley
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- NANFA Member
- Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.
Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:08 PM
Very nice!
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#65
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:09 PM
Erica,
Here's a quick sketch...I used 1.25" pvc...the little elbow on the top of the return is .25 pvc (both at Lowe's)...standard .25" aquarium tubing, make sure your tubing from the return to the feeding tube is above the water line...all you do is drop food into the feeding tube and it works like a champ...remember this is a stream tank, I don't know how it would work in a low or no current tank...oh yeah, the elbow/tubing acts as a siphon break...
Rich
#66
Guest_sbtgrfan_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 08:24 PM
Great photos. Thanks for sharing them. I'm completely jealous of your tank. I need you to come design my tank for me, yours is awesome!!
Glad no photos of us falling made it in there
Glad no photos of us falling made it in there
Edited by sbtgrfan, 18 July 2013 - 08:24 PM.
#67
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 08:30 PM
LOL ! Right !? I know I prolly looked pretty damn silly when I went down ! Thanks for the compliment on the tank...would be happy to assist on the design !
Rich
Rich
#68
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 18 July 2013 - 08:36 PM
so were you actually feeding the shiners at the time, or have they just learned to hang out in the general area and occasionally stick there heads in there to see what they might find?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#69
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 18 July 2013 - 09:06 PM
No, they don't hang there...they can definitely smell the food...when I drop a cube of frozen brine shrimp in, it takes 8-9 seconds and then they are at the tube, I have timed it over and over, amazing ! They do not go in the tube unless food is present...I'm posting a vid tomorrow, you'll see !
Rich
Rich
#70
Guest_clemsons2k_*
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Posted 21 July 2013 - 12:48 PM
Wow Rich I'm so jealous of that tank! All the fish look beautiful and happy 
#72
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 22 July 2013 - 09:39 AM
http://s1086.photobu...html?sort=3&o=8
Above link should take you to the feeding video...
Thank you Ryan...they seem happy....
Rich
Above link should take you to the feeding video...
Thank you Ryan...they seem happy....
Rich
#73
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 22 July 2013 - 10:02 AM
That is hilarious... I have never before felt sorry for Notropis at feeding time before... Cyprinella body shape just makes them faster and more able to get up there...
I wonder what would happen if you fed a big pinch of flakes at the same time? Would they segregate out and feed at different levels/stations?
I wonder what would happen if you fed a big pinch of flakes at the same time? Would they segregate out and feed at different levels/stations?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#74
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 22 July 2013 - 06:14 PM
I feed flakes in the tube too...if I surface feed most of it goes in overflow, have to turn off the main pump first, really don't like turning it off, they are PIGS ! They will eat all the time if you let them...really fun to watch...I do like how the feed tube and pump spread the food throughout the tank, everybody gets to eat !
Rich
Rich
#75
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 14 August 2013 - 08:52 AM
An update to the 125...day before yesterday as I walked by the tank one of the fierys swam up the feeding tube and jumped out, almost in my hand...he hit the floor, was immediatley scooped up and returned to the tank...seems to have suffered injury only to his dignity !...I broke down and ordered the following from Mark at Jonah's...4 Orangethroat darters, 6 Rainbow darters, 4 Greenside darters, 3 Banded darters, and 2 tadpole madtoms...50% each male/female...the price was much cheaper than a road trip, however I will miss the collecting fun...oh well...this should round out the tank's inhabitants....fish should arrive on thursday, will post some pics shortly after...tanks is maturing quite well...current occupants seem happy enough, with one notable suicidal fiery ! LOL ! All for now, pics to follow in a couple of days....
Rich
Rich
#76
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 19 August 2013 - 01:27 PM
Got some new additions...Rainbow darter, Greenside darter, Orangethroat darter, Banded darter, one tadpole madtom...here are a couple of pics, bear in mind I am not a great photographer !
#77
littlen
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- NANFA Member
- Washington, D.C.
Posted 19 August 2013 - 03:13 PM
Fantastic tank! Just bear in mind that your Tadpole madtom will eventually grow large enough to easily slup down your darters (that is, if it lives in the same tank as them). I successfully keep Greensides, Blacksides, Bluebreasts, and Gilts with 2, full grown Margined madtoms with no trouble at all. While the Margined grows longer than the Tadpole, it has a much smaller mouth and doesn't give chase to even the smallest darter (the female Bluebreast at ~2"). I have 3, 3-4" Tadpole madtoms that could easily eat any one of the darters, or at least easily fit them in their mouths. I would just hate to see you lose some of your prized darters. Just keep an eye out for darters that go MIA---and keep an eye on the madtom. Best of luck to you & keep up the good work.
Nick L.
#78
Guest_biggreenavalanche_*
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Posted 19 August 2013 - 04:20 PM
Littlen,
Thanks for the cudos, I will definately keep an eye toward the Madtom...if I start getting MIAs I'll know who to go after...there are so many hiding places in the tank that its sometimes hard to keep an accurate headcount !...I may have messed up with the tadpole, we'll see...but I was hardheaded and wanted the cute lil bugger ! Right now the occupants are the darters, yellowfins, dace, fiery back...any suggestions ? I did put a couple of snails in hopes they would breed...baby snails = fresh food for darters, right ?
Rich
Thanks for the cudos, I will definately keep an eye toward the Madtom...if I start getting MIAs I'll know who to go after...there are so many hiding places in the tank that its sometimes hard to keep an accurate headcount !...I may have messed up with the tadpole, we'll see...but I was hardheaded and wanted the cute lil bugger ! Right now the occupants are the darters, yellowfins, dace, fiery back...any suggestions ? I did put a couple of snails in hopes they would breed...baby snails = fresh food for darters, right ?
Rich
#79
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 19 August 2013 - 07:25 PM
Littlen,
I have had a significantly different experience with margined madtoms. They are fish eaters. And I don't know what full grown is in your case, but mine was well over 5 inches and was hunting down shiners at night. I cannot recommend them in a community tank with any shiners or darters.
I have had a significantly different experience with margined madtoms. They are fish eaters. And I don't know what full grown is in your case, but mine was well over 5 inches and was hunting down shiners at night. I cannot recommend them in a community tank with any shiners or darters.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#80
littlen
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- NANFA Member
- Washington, D.C.
Posted 20 August 2013 - 03:05 PM
My Margined madtoms are between the 4 and 5" mark. They each have some Redline darter tally marks on their belts which earned them a quick removal from the last tank they were in--although I suspect the smaller size of female Redlines and adolescent males made for an easier target than say a beefy Greenside. I certainly agree that they are opportunistic, fish eaters. In the current set up they are in, they have yet to consume anyone. (There are also about 20 Spotfin shiners of various sizes along with the aforementioned darters).
Nick L.
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