17 replies to this topic

[KalebRinehart]

What size circulation pump would be ideal for a 55 gallon stream/riffle tank with darters and shiners/dace? I've asked this question in other places but can't get an answer. Also, do I need to put an air stone under the pump so it can oxygenate the water? Thank you for any advice!

[Cu455]

I would aim for 800-1300 GPH. An airstone doesn't need to go under the pump, it can be put anywhere in the tank. What kind of filtration? HOB filters do a good job of aerating water and so do wet/drys. Aiming the wavemaker at the surface of the water will do a good job.

Look into Jabeo and Hydor pumps. They will give you the ability to modify the flow until you find something you are satisfied with. This pumps have feed mode so it is easy to turn off the pumps to feed. This prevents the food from getting blown around. If you want to do it on the cheap a sunsun will work.

[littlen]

If you're looking for a submersible pump, the Danner mag-drive pumps are reliable.  The model 5 or 7 would be more than adequate for a 55 gallon tank.  They do make much larger models, too, and they can be run out of the tank as well.  But keep in mind they will add excess heat if used as a submersible.  So no need to grossly oversize your pump.  (The heat wouldn't hurt your fish, just an unneeded byproduct and a bit of overkill if you got a model 9 or 12 for example).  I agree the airstone doesn't need to be under the pump, but it also wouldn't hurt anything and you may like the look of the bubbles being sprayed out.  http://www.dannermfg.com/store/products/danner/BY_BRAND/supreme/default.aspx 

 

Hang on filters (Aquaclear, among others) do 3-jobs-in-1.  They filter, oxygenate, and produce a decent flow.  In this instance, I would oversize the filter to give you more of all 3.  Just be sure to 'mind the gaps', literally, as some of the shiners and dace love to jump out through the lids where the filters go in to the tank.  Another option is a canister filter.  I am a Fluval guy, but other people like Eheim's.  You may not get the flow you're looking for by means of the returns on those.  But a Fluval 106 will do the job for you.  They move adequate amounts of water through them and do a great job filtering.  But you may still want additional flow if I'm reading into your brief post too much.  Mind you, the stream fish would do fine with very little or no flow.  I'm guessing you'd like to duplicate a more natural environment?

 

My last suggestion would be a simple powerhead.  Marineland Maxi-jets are simple, inexpensive, and would move water for you.  The Hydors are great too and I have one on a 75 gallon tank.  Google either and you can easily find what size you'd need for your 55.  You can always go bigger with those if you really want to without bothering your stream inhabitants.  I personally leave all my pumps on when feeding to really blow all the food around.  1, it distributes it throughout the entire tank so everyone has a chance to feed (not just the greedy shiners who rush to the surface first).  2, it keeps the food items suspended in the water column longer and keeps them 'moving'....which I've found helps some finicky eaters.  Just my 2-1/2 cents.

[Josh Blaylock]

I don't know if the tank is built yet, but I'll give you 2 examples.

 

1st.  on my 125gal, i have a large submersible pump and creates the current.  While it does the job, I'm not satisfied with it.  Plus they are expensive!

 

http://forum.nanfa.o...ld-and-updates/

 

 

2nd, I would do the River manifold system.  I did this on my 75 gal, it's simple and cheap.  You can get lots of flow with 1 or 2 powerheads using this system.

 

http://forum.nanfa.o...allon/?hl=coosa

 

http://www.loaches.c...manifold-design

[KalebRinehart]

I don't know if the tank is built yet, but I'll give you 2 examples.
 
1st.  on my 125gal, i have a large submersible pump and creates the current.  While it does the job, I'm not satisfied with it.  Plus they are expensive!
 
http://forum.nanfa.o...ld-and-updates/
 
 
2nd, I would do the River manifold system.  I did this on my 75 gal, it's simple and cheap.  You can get lots of flow with 1 or 2 powerheads using this system.
 
http://forum.nanfa.o...allon/?hl=coosa
 
http://www.loaches.c...manifold-design

I saw your 125, I believe, on youtube! And I'll post pictures of the pump that I'm looking at

[KalebRinehart]

Well I can't figure out how to post a pic, but the filtration I'll be using is a sunsun canister filter. I already have the tank, I'm not building it. I haven't thought about a river manifold system, but I can't drill my tank because it's tempered glass.

[KalebRinehart]

If you're looking for a submersible pump, the Danner mag-drive pumps are reliable.  The model 5 or 7 would be more than adequate for a 55 gallon tank.  They do make much larger models, too, and they can be run out of the tank as well.  But keep in mind they will add excess heat if used as a submersible.  So no need to grossly oversize your pump.  (The heat wouldn't hurt your fish, just an unneeded byproduct and a bit of overkill if you got a model 9 or 12 for example).  I agree the airstone doesn't need to be under the pump, but it also wouldn't hurt anything and you may like the look of the bubbles being sprayed out.  http://www.dannermfg.com/store/products/danner/BY_BRAND/supreme/default.aspx 
 
Hang on filters (Aquaclear, among others) do 3-jobs-in-1.  They filter, oxygenate, and produce a decent flow.  In this instance, I would oversize the filter to give you more of all 3.  Just be sure to 'mind the gaps', literally, as some of the shiners and dace love to jump out through the lids where the filters go in to the tank.  Another option is a canister filter.  I am a Fluval guy, but other people like Eheim's.  You may not get the flow you're looking for by means of the returns on those.  But a Fluval 106 will do the job for you.  They move adequate amounts of water through them and do a great job filtering.  But you may still want additional flow if I'm reading into your brief post too much.  Mind you, the stream fish would do fine with very little or no flow.  I'm guessing you'd like to duplicate a more natural environment?
 
My last suggestion would be a simple powerhead.  Marineland Maxi-jets are simple, inexpensive, and would move water for you.  The Hydors are great too and I have one on a 75 gallon tank.  Google either and you can easily find what size you'd need for your 55.  You can always go bigger with those if you really want to without bothering your stream inhabitants.  I personally leave all my pumps on when feeding to really blow all the food around.  1, it distributes it throughout the entire tank so everyone has a chance to feed (not just the greedy shiners who rush to the surface first).  2, it keeps the food items suspended in the water column longer and keeps them 'moving'....which I've found helps some finicky eaters.  Just my 2-1/2 cents.

That's why I had asked about the bubbles, because I thought the bubbles being sprayed out was an eyesore. I do want a more natural environment. I have a sunsun 402b canister. My plan was to have the spray bar at the top at one end facing toward the surface at an angle to create surface agitation and have the pump down below on the same end, near the middle to bottom half of the tank. Does this sound good?

[KalebRinehart]

If you're looking for a submersible pump, the Danner mag-drive pumps are reliable.  The model 5 or 7 would be more than adequate for a 55 gallon tank.  They do make much larger models, too, and they can be run out of the tank as well.  But keep in mind they will add excess heat if used as a submersible.  So no need to grossly oversize your pump.  (The heat wouldn't hurt your fish, just an unneeded byproduct and a bit of overkill if you got a model 9 or 12 for example).  I agree the airstone doesn't need to be under the pump, but it also wouldn't hurt anything and you may like the look of the bubbles being sprayed out.  http://www.dannermfg.com/store/products/danner/BY_BRAND/supreme/default.aspx 
 
Hang on filters (Aquaclear, among others) do 3-jobs-in-1.  They filter, oxygenate, and produce a decent flow.  In this instance, I would oversize the filter to give you more of all 3.  Just be sure to 'mind the gaps', literally, as some of the shiners and dace love to jump out through the lids where the filters go in to the tank.  Another option is a canister filter.  I am a Fluval guy, but other people like Eheim's.  You may not get the flow you're looking for by means of the returns on those.  But a Fluval 106 will do the job for you.  They move adequate amounts of water through them and do a great job filtering.  But you may still want additional flow if I'm reading into your brief post too much.  Mind you, the stream fish would do fine with very little or no flow.  I'm guessing you'd like to duplicate a more natural environment?
 
My last suggestion would be a simple powerhead.  Marineland Maxi-jets are simple, inexpensive, and would move water for you.  The Hydors are great too and I have one on a 75 gallon tank.  Google either and you can easily find what size you'd need for your 55.  You can always go bigger with those if you really want to without bothering your stream inhabitants.  I personally leave all my pumps on when feeding to really blow all the food around.  1, it distributes it throughout the entire tank so everyone has a chance to feed (not just the greedy shiners who rush to the surface first).  2, it keeps the food items suspended in the water column longer and keeps them 'moving'....which I've found helps some finicky eaters.  Just my 2-1/2 cents.

This is the kind of pump I'm looking at. Is this okay?

[Josh Blaylock]

Well I can't figure out how to post a pic, but the filtration I'll be using is a sunsun canister filter. I already have the tank, I'm not building it. I haven't thought about a river manifold system, but I can't drill my tank because it's tempered glass.

With the river manifold system you do not have to drill your tank just use PVC to create the intakes and run it to the other side. Take a look at my thread on my 75 gallon tank and you'll see how easy it was. Buy a pair of the PVC Cutters that cost like $10 and it will go together very easily no gluing or anything required. The power heads are cheap and you can just set them on top of the PVC pipe.

The pump you showed will not give you a directional flow as it will just pull water up from behind it.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

[KalebRinehart]

With the river manifold system you do not have to drill your tank just use PVC to create the intakes and run it to the other side. Take a look at my thread on my 75 gallon tank and you'll see how easy it was. Buy a pair of the PVC Cutters that cost like $10 and it will go together very easily no gluing or anything required. The power heads are cheap and you can just set them on top of the PVC pipe.

The pump you showed will not give you a directional flow as it will just pull water up from behind it.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

Okay I'll check that out I already have a pair of pvc cutters

[KalebRinehart]

Okay I looked at your thread I do really like the idea! how did you hide the pvc with the pumps and the intakes?

[KalebRinehart]

What brand and size pump would you suggest? I need as cheap as possible, thank you so much for your help!

Edited by KalebRinehart, 13 December 2016 - 05:56 PM.

[Josh Blaylock]

Okay I looked at your thread I do really like the idea! how did you hide the pvc with the pumps and the intakes?

 

Well the tubing is under the substrate.  I really didn't cover/hide the powerfilter or intakes.  I used sponges to cover the intakes.  I suppose you could get creative with rocks or driftwood and hide them.

[Josh Blaylock]

What brand and size pump would you suggest? I need as cheap as possible, thank you so much for your help!

 

I like the AquaClear powerheads, and they will set down on the PVC.  You could probably do 2 of the Model 50s

 

http://www.drsfoster...cfm?pcatid=4644

 

I get mine usually on Ebay, it's typically cheaper.

[KalebRinehart]

Okay cool, thanks!

[KalebRinehart]

 
I like the AquaClear powerheads, and they will set down on the PVC.  You could probably do 2 of the Model 50s
 
http://www.drsfoster...cfm?pcatid=4644
 
I get mine usually on Ebay, it's typically cheaper.

I found this, which is more in my price range, and I plan on getting two. I'm just not sure about the flow.

[Josh Blaylock]

probably be ok.  That flow, if true, is similar to the aquaclear 50

[KalebRinehart]

probably be ok.  That flow, if true, is similar to the aquaclear 50

Okay thank you, Josh.