Loach project.

[Dutch]

After several months of researching possible tank sizes and types of fish, I finally ordered my tank yesterday.

It will be a custom tank:
125cm (~50 inch) long
60cm (~25 inch) wide
50cm (~20 inch) water hight
375 liters (or ~100 gallons)

On the right side 10cm (or 4 inch) will be used for a 30 liter (or ~8 gallon) custom internal filter, which will be fitted with a 1200 l/h Hagen powerhead.
The tank will be fitted with a light hood with three T8 lights and will be placed on a custom stand based on an aluminium frame. Everything will be finished with a high quality formica-like product in flat black and the finish will also hide the filter.

It will take ten weeks before the tank can be delivered, but I'm pretty pleased.

The fish I've decided to keep are...
8 x B. histrionica
5 (maybe 6) x C. siamensis
and some dither fish, which will depend on what the store has in stock at the time that I'll have the tank started up, but probably a Danio species.

I have no idea how that would look stocking density wise, but they should be able to stay in the tank for life. I don't want to have an over-stocked tank in years to come. So for now I think I will try it out first and see how it looks if its been running for a while.

I've been given a lot of advice here on the board, so I would like to thank all the people who have done so. THANK YOU, it's greatly appreciated! I have a good feeling about this project.

[andre]

Don't forget to post pics Dutch when you are ready

[daspricey]

What i do for working our space in tanks is length X width devided by 12 in inches. For cm it's divide by 30. But fish over 2-3" should be counted as a little bit more due to body mass, waste etc.
Sounds a good plan. can't wait to see pics.

David

[Slough Shark]

Looking forward to pics- keep us posted!

[Tinman]

Sounds neat, I would always consider two filters to ease stress on the fish when a filter is cleaned. Two lets you clean one a week with more consistancy in conditions over the long term.....Very exciting purchase and a long time to wait!

[Dutch]

Thanks everyone! I will post pics once the tank is in.

David, I can't quite follow your calculations. Is that to calculate stocking density?

Tinman, the filter I think will be really good for keeping a stable water quality. It's going to look like this (top view)....

The pump will sit on the front side of the tank. Total size is 30 liters or 8 gallons and it will get six blue filter mats that will take up about half the volume. The thought behind it is that I can replace one mat at a time while leaving the others. That way I don't impact the filter system too much. Also, the top of the filter is open (unlike external filters) and will give a nice surface area for oxygen exchange, and I can fit my heater in there which will give me a completely clean tank for the fish.
Maybe it will be tricky to clean, but I think that is a small price to pay for all the benefits it will bring.

[daspricey]

Sorry, didn't word that good.
It's for stocking density by using surface area, this calculator does it for you,

http://www.canadianfishforums.com/calc/calc.htm

So you have around 100 inches of fish.

[Diana]

I use a stocking formula that is a little weird, but works:
Multiply length x width, but one is measured in feet, the other in inches. (Does not matter which is measured in inches or which in feet) Gives you the same effect as dividing by 12, without having to divide.
Then I add too many fish anyway, and, for me, it works. Lots of plants, generally peaceful fish, plenty of filtration...

Metric:
length (in cm) x width (in cm) /12 = cm of small fish.

These are intended for fish with a maximum size of about 2" or 5 cm, and refers to waste getting diluted by the water. It was originally designed to help with stocking levels when smaller filters such as box filter with air bubblers were the norm, and related to gas exchange at the surface. But with so many powerful filters and powerheads so common most tanks seem to have plenty of O2/CO2 exchange.
It has nothing to say about the social aspects of the fish you keep. If you have territorial or aggressive fish this may not work; you would have too many fish in the tank. Small schooling fish might be stocked more densely than this, as long as the water is kept clean.

[Dutch]

I think all calculations work out about the same. I expect that once the fish I've planned are fully grown they will still have enough space.
As for the water quality I'm pretty sure the filter I've planned is better than most external filters.

[Tinman]

That is well thought of then. I do find my fish actually like the heater in the tank at times getting on top of it for added warmth like a dog in the Sun but understand not wanting it there clearly
That is a very nice design on your filter. I am also running a similar filter in theory with cannisters for polishing only. If your pump fits in a little sump hole as opposed to on the bottom you will reduce the sedimentation in the bottom of your sump underr its filters and help its design. These filters are hard to get clean under your mats without disrupting the entire filter occasionally. I just added a piece of plexi that diverted the fall from the filters to a sump hole just larger than my pump so there where no corners for the crud to collect in.

Maybe it will be tricky to clean

That is true and this will work excellent.No matter the size it is the same problems . I solved this problem by placing my filter over the sump so the sump floor was completely accesible on my 300 gallon sump. You will not want to tear it down to clean the sediment . By making the bottom of the sump smaller the location for sedimentation is removed and the pump lifts any that will fall in so you will be in the base of filter less.
I am speaking of minute details on a superb overall design

[Dutch]

I'm having a bit of trouble following you Tinman, it's because of my English, I'm not familiar with the term 'sump'.

[Tinman]

Sump is the lowest point , I forget we are Worldwide in English sometimes Here is a detail of the area where the pump resides below your filter racks. The rest of the area should be made dry to keep sediment from collecting there. Effectively putting your pump in a sump and making the spot below your filter racks much more self cleaning.

[Dutch]

Thanks for that Tinman, that makes it clearer.
I don't know if I could make that, I based my filter on this picture...

Source: Dutch Cichlid forums

The glass strips might be in the way to create a sump.

[Tinman]

You are right ...Yours will be easy to clean ,that is a very nice design, I had a crash based on a cleaning with a similar style filter but yours is much nicer and will be easy to clean which was my concern. Very nice indeed ....my filters where horizontal as yours are vertical and therefore a superior design as far as access for cleaning..

[capeldrae]

Morning all,
So how does that actually work?
I see a tube that will feed water in and then I suppose runs through the sponges and into a chamber...... then what?

Thanks in advance