6 replies to this topic

[Sean Phillips]

My new stream tank (33 gallon long) has been running for about two weeks now and I'm very happy with it. The water is crystal clear and cool, the aeration and filtration is perfect, and the fish are all happy swimming in the flow. My original stream tank (30 gallon long), however, is not doing as well. The water is stained with some sort of particulate algae that rampant, large water changes will not eliminate, the flow from the powerhead is becoming less and less for some odd reason (same model as in my new stream tank), the darters are becoming more and more reclusive, and unfortunately I've lost a few fish for completely unknown reasons.

That aside for the moment, my point in starting this thread was to ask a question. That question being, would my new stream tank be able to handle the bioload of all of the fish that are in it now as well as all or most of the fish from my original stream tank without decreasing the water quality to an unhealthy amount? It may seem crazy to try to combine all of the fish from both these tanks in to only one of them but my original stream tank is not all that heavily stocked. It would also be very nice if I could free up the 30 gallon long (original stream tank) to use for other fish in my fishroom as I'm in the process of downgrading from many small tanks to a few larger ones and freeing up the 30 long to use for other fish would allow me to break down 3 smaller tanks. Here are some statistics about the tanks.

New Stream Tank
Gallons: 33
Dimensions: 48"x13"x13"
Filtration: Sponge Filter + MJ-900 Powerhead (230 gph)
Water Changes: 15 gallons (~40-45%) weekly
Nitrate Levels: 10ppm after a 40% water change 9 days before tested
Substrate: Pool Filter Sand
Decorations: Rocks from local creek
Stock List: 6 Silverjaw Minnows, 3 Redside Dace, 1 Central Stoneroller, 4 Rainbow Darters, 7 Variegate Darters, 9 Bluebreast Darters, and 6 Tippecanoe Darters

Original Stream Tank
Gallons: 30
Dimensions: 36"x12"x16"
Filtration: Sponge Filter + MJ-900 Powerhead (230 gph)
Water Changes: 15 gallons (~50%) weekly
Nitrate Levels: 8-10 ppm after a 50% water change 9 days before tested
Substrate: Pool Filter Sand
Decorations: Rocks from local creek and Mopani Driftwood
Stock List: 6 Banded Killifish, 5 Emerald Shiners, 1 Bluntnose Minnow, 1 Rainbow Darters, 1 Variegate Darters, 1 Bluebreast Darters, 2 Banded Darters, 2 Greenside Darters


So, do you guys think I could combine all of the fish in to the 33 gallon, or should I just leave them seperate? If it would be just a bit too many fish, I could always put the banded killies in their own small tank as they're slack water species anyway and don't need the flow of a powerhead.

[Matt DeLaVega]

If you introduce new fish into the newer tank slowly, you will probably be fine. Be prepared for some water changes. Most people stock tanks pretty conservatively. You can push it a bit as long as you test and/or change water regularly.

[Sean Phillips]

If you introduce new fish into the newer tank slowly, you will probably be fine. Be prepared for some water changes. Most people stock tanks pretty conservatively. You can push it a bit as long as you test and/or change water regularly.

That works. I could add the darters first and then the shiners and killies (if I don't put the killies somewhere else). I'm willing to do two 40-50%s a week if it would allow me to have all the fish together.

[Irate Mormon]

I alway recommend stocking conservatively.  Your wish list is really dependent on your filter functioning.  What happens if the power goes out?

[Matt DeLaVega]

Death! In an hour. Good point. Yes you can do it with enough water changes. But, it does not give you any room for failure. Had not looked at it that way. I figured this was not permanent, so duration would factor in a bit. The longer you kept that density, the more likely something like this could happen.

[Sean Phillips]

I alway recommend stocking conservatively.  Your wish list is really dependent on your filter functioning.  What happens if the power goes out?

Good point. However the couple times during the year that power does go out, for the tanks that need high DO levels (which would include this one), I either hook up a battery powered bait-bucket aerator or run the power head off of an inverter connected to a 500 amp compressor that'll last a few hours or in some cases 24 hours with a full charge.

[Sean Phillips]

Death! In an hour. Good point. Yes you can do it with enough water changes. But, it does not give you any room for failure. Had not looked at it that way. I figured this was not permanent, so duration would factor in a bit. The longer you kept that density, the more likely something like this could happen.

It is definitely not permanent, I'm hoping I can have all these guys in my 75 gallon within a month (I'd be afraid to stick them in there now, what with my 10.5" yellow bullhead haha), 2 months max. As of now I also plan on putting the Killies in their own smallish tank and see if I can get them to spawn, so I'll just be adding the emerald shiners and darters.