Hillstream water flow idea

[Erik]

Hey Guys just pondering my 33 gallon tank and I came up with this idea.

What if you took a HOB filter as big as you could fit on the side of a 33 like maybe an AC500 and then used tubing to extend the intake to the opposite end of the tank. Then pile up lots of rocks to make agentle water fall type slope for the HOB's outflow to flow down?
Would this not create a wider moer consistent natural feeling flow for hillstreams plus give better opp's for photos, especially if there is a bit of back to front slope as well.
Whacha think I am seriouly thinking about this option.
Lmk
Erik

[Martin Thoene]

Erik, I seem to recall someone else doing a similar idea, but with the filter on the back. Your idea looks great, the only difficulty I see is translating conventional lighting to the now shortened available tank length.

An AC 500 would work on this concept and provide pretty good circulation.
I like the idea of the rock pile, but make sure it is stable if you go well up the tank.
I might add a bubble wand or something similar at the filter end, tight up against the end wall. This will provide water lift and increase the directionional flow at the surface. In a 33 you'll get flow reversal, but I don't think quite as much as with the concentrated pressure blast of a powerhead. Another bonus of a HOB is that after conducting experiments, I found the flow across the outlet weir actually has a mild cooling effect upon the water, whereas a powerhead slightly heated the water.

Neat idea....keep the bore of the under-substrate tubing the same as the filter inlet to avoid flow resriction.

Martin.

[Mark in Vancouver]

I used an AC 70 HOB filter in my river tank, with the intake at the opposite end, but mine hangs off the back. It's in a 65g, though, so it doesn't create a sufficient flow, IMO. Two powerheads add to the excitement, and they're tilted slightly "outward" towards the glass. That's where the true hillstreams seem to like to hang out - right in the flow.

[Erik]

Thanks for input Martin and Mark
Maybe a power head hidden under the rock at the bottom would be a nice addition to the setup.
As far as lighting goes I strictly DIY a guy. So I wood probably get 2 39 watt T5HighOuput in 65ook and fulham workhorse ballast. The cheapest lighting going. The ballasts are about 30.oo and the tubes 9.50 each.
That setup would be a little over 6000 lumens. The bulbs are 33 inches long so it would account for the Hob overhang on the tank.
One thing else though I've found it really important to shield the lip of the outflow aquaclear filters from high light as it becomes quikly an algea farm.
I would build the hood around the filter shape which wood allow easy access for cleaning and keep a low profile.

[Martin Thoene]

Totally correct on the algae farm. I find BGA loves AC outlet ramps.

Martin.

[Erik]

Totally correct on the algae farm. I find BGA loves AC outlet ramps.

Martin.

Yes BGA is allful stuff. Maracyn does a good job of killing it off though.
If you bubble co2 into a AC filter it will usually stop that effect as BGA hates co2.
Erik

[Mark in Vancouver]

It was after I got tired of the CO2 bubblers that the BGA struck. I'll be refilling these this week.

The fault with the HOB spout for river tank purposes is that it creates too much of a waterfall effect, and the rate of water flow is compromised. What you get is the water tumbling downward, so it's harder to create a downhill stream effect.

I am imagining Martin's manifold with a much more rapid flow, although the design is flawless. In terms of simulating a stream, it remains the best, IMO. My big HOB provides a swirling current in this setup, and I enjoy the Aquaclear sponge filtration. Take pictures as you go, if you can. It's quite compelling.

[Erik]

FYI Mark
BGA is quite often caused foe some reason by also by nitrates being too low.
I dose my all my tanks with ferts to some extent. The rivertank gets it the lightest though.
Erik

It was after I got tired of the CO2 bubblers that the BGA struck. I'll be refilling these this week.

[JoeKuhlii]

If you are still considering this, I did it in an 8g nano river tank with some success. I ended up using clear pipe from art store (have no idea of its intended purpose) for a little more stealth. Low total water volume certainly worked in my favor. I resolved the high intake thing by imagining that it was a river leading to a large rock structure where water flowed from the top, or something.

I ended up switching the piping around as a very effiicient CO2 reactor, before ditching the manifold entirely while maintaining one way water flow with return/drain position.

In the end, Martin's manifold design is very adaptable and allows incorporation as far as your imagination allows, I think. Separate manifolds for the HOB and powerhead would certainly be interesting. I think with 33gals you have a lot of leeway for experimentation, fwiw.

Beautiful tank btw. Love the new airstone's look.