Just curious as to the preferred method for starting a new native tank. I planned on collecting gravel and rocks from a local stream for the substrate and rockwork. Do I need to start the tank with creek water, and then slowly convert to tapwater, or only use creekwater, or start initially with tapwater?
Also, I know I probably won't need a heater for my tank, but are ambient room temps going to be a good temp for this tank? It's going to have darters, shiners and topminnows (probably), and possibly small crayfish if they're compatible. My house generally stays about 65 in winter, and 70-75 in summer.
I'm also thinking about using either a UGF with powerheads for current, or a canister filter.
Sorry if some of this info is available elsewhere on the site, I've only been a member for a couple days and haven't been able to find everything yet.
Thanks,
Conner
New tank startup.
Started by
Guest_Conner_*
, Aug 18 2008 02:56 PM
3 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 18 August 2008 - 09:33 PM
I would suggest you use tap water and something like PRIME to treat the tap water... it will be clearer faster and easier to deal with... if you add the substrate from the creek, your tank will be immediately cycled.
Ambient room temps will be fone for the fish you mention (cooler is better, but most of us do not use chillers for home tanks).
I would suggest cannister for the filter (or maybe no filter, but that is a different thread), and powerheads for current.
Ambient room temps will be fone for the fish you mention (cooler is better, but most of us do not use chillers for home tanks).
I would suggest cannister for the filter (or maybe no filter, but that is a different thread), and powerheads for current.
Just curious as to the preferred method for starting a new native tank. I planned on collecting gravel and rocks from a local stream for the substrate and rockwork. Do I need to start the tank with creek water, and then slowly convert to tapwater, or only use creekwater, or start initially with tapwater?
Also, I know I probably won't need a heater for my tank, but are ambient room temps going to be a good temp for this tank? It's going to have darters, shiners and topminnows (probably), and possibly small crayfish if they're compatible. My house generally stays about 65 in winter, and 70-75 in summer.
I'm also thinking about using either a UGF with powerheads for current, or a canister filter.
Sorry if some of this info is available elsewhere on the site, I've only been a member for a couple days and haven't been able to find everything yet.
Thanks,
Conner
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
Guest_Conner_*
Guest_Conner_*
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- Guests
Posted 18 August 2008 - 09:43 PM
Thanks. I figured to use tapwater, and I use prime for my tropical tanks. I was looking around the forum, and found a link to this web page:
http://www.loaches.c...manifold-design
I may build something similar to use as a filter, and to create the current. It seems much simpler, while still providing necessary filtration.
http://www.loaches.c...manifold-design
I may build something similar to use as a filter, and to create the current. It seems much simpler, while still providing necessary filtration.
#4
Guest_Doug_Dame_*
Guest_Doug_Dame_*
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Posted 19 August 2008 - 11:48 AM
I have something like that, in a tank with a 2-3" sand/gravel substrate ala Todd Crail's Ultimate, and it's been excellent for darters and minnows.http://www.loaches.c...manifold-design
I may build something similar to use as a filter, and to create the current. It seems much simpler, while still providing necessary filtration.
However, I don't find that the "river manifold" truly creates a one-way flow as I thought it would, I have the pump on a short end angled more or less toward the midpoint of the front, which gives me strong flow down the front, and a weaker flow in the other direction along the back (some of the return is via the buried PVC pipes feeding the pump), with a bit of a turbulent shear zone between the two. A minnow can sit in the current facing one way, and if if moves an inch, it has to turn and face the other way. I have one darter that likes to "surf" ... it assumes a "ski jumper" position, gets up in the water column, and surfs around the entire tank two or three times before settling back down after a 10-20 ft ride. So all in all, the circular water movement pattern works well, and there still a variety of intensity zones which gives the fish options. (And crawdads ... interestingly all the crawdad burrows are on the higher-velocity side.)
What I do not love is that the tank seems to run 2-4 degrees warmer than ambient. I assume that's largely due to the immersed pump. (I'm using either a Mag 3 or a 2 scrounged from the box-of-parts-that-still-work.) I have running debate with myself about whether I should just be happy with a setup that works well, or look for a possibly cooler-running pump, or install cooling fans, or invent some byzantine plumbing system that gets the pump out of the tank water.
So ... in a set-up like you describe ... try to find a cool-running pump. It may be that Watts are Destiny in terms of heat production if the pump is submerged/water-cooled. If that's the case, then a highly efficient pump would be optimal from the heat perspective, and gph/watt would be a useful thing to look at, to the extent that manufacturers' published gph and watts are comparable. (If anyone has opinions on what are especially cool-temp pumps, please share.)
HTH
d.d.
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"Nothing is Easy"
- Jethro Tull
Edited by Doug_Dame, 19 August 2008 - 11:49 AM.
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