Loaches Online Forum

Hi folks

Although I'm fortunate enough to own several tanks since joining here and reading about your set ups I've decide that I'm going to have a new set up with loaches as the main occupants.

I'm obviously looking to have a fast flowing river style but I want most of the equipment kept outside the tank and I'd like an undertank sump for filtration.

My husband actually makes tanks and sumps for a living and so we are currently looking for any design ideas that would be suitable.

He was thinking along the lines of a tower where 75% of the water drawn in would be from about 4" up with only a small amount at the surface.

There would be two inlets again with 75%ish going back into the tank at a low level and a small amount at the surface.Obviously we would use an overlarge pump to make enough water movement.

The thing is we are thinking of making an 'L' shaped tank to make the most of the available space and so this of course will have a bearing on the current.

Would we be better having two lots of inlets at each end of the 'L' creating a sort of eddy in the middle where they meet,or would we be better having the inlets at one end only with an internal powerhead in the middle to push the water around the other part?

Hope this makes sense,I don't know how to post a diagram so I can't make it any clearer.The tank will be approx.15" wide,24" tall and each part of the 'L' will be about 48" at the longest point.

I'd appreciate your input,thanks

Jayne

To minimize the hardware in the tank, yet make the water turn the corner I would arrange an under gravel manifold that has openings (camouflaged by rock) that jet the water from under the substrate, especially 'around the corner'
If your pump is large enough it could handle both outlets: At the far end of the tank, and in the middle.

Another option to keep the water moving in the middle, but not see hardware is to set up something like a spraybar, but stand it vertically, again, 'around the corner' from the original outlet. Then hide it in a tower of rock that matches the main decor, or a piece of driftwood.

Another way to hide things is to build a 'false wall' into the ends of the tank, at an angle so you do not see behind it from the front. You can make it look like rock, and hide inlets and outlets behind a slightly larger rock.

Diana wrote:To minimize the hardware in the tank, yet make the water turn the corner I would arrange an under gravel manifold that has openings (camouflaged by rock) that jet the water from under the substrate, especially 'around the corner'
If your pump is large enough it could handle both outlets: At the far end of the tank, and in the middle.

Another option to keep the water moving in the middle, but not see hardware is to set up something like a spraybar, but stand it vertically, again, 'around the corner' from the original outlet. Then hide it in a tower of rock that matches the main decor, or a piece of driftwood.

Another way to hide things is to build a 'false wall' into the ends of the tank, at an angle so you do not see behind it from the front. You can make it look like rock, and hide inlets and outlets behind a slightly larger rock.

i second this idea, brilliant. and here's a great article about those type of jets
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php