Loaches Online Forum

I just picked up a small powerhead for my loach tank. I know more water movement the better. I have a couple fish who may not like the flow, but I am hoping I can direct the powerhead to everyones comfort. Here's what I need to know. Do I put the powerhead on the same side of the tank as the filter or do I put it on the far side? Will it push yuck towards the filter? Do I point the flo down the tank or across to the other side? Do I put it at the top of the tank or at the bottom? It also has a filter, so I am hoping it will work as a second smaller filter to gather yuck from my tank.

I am unprepared to have a full rivertank yet, but I hope the extra flow will make the fish happier.

Thanks, Tanja.

Tanja:

Excuse me here but please just experiment until optimization.

Each tank is different obviously.

My tank has four 3D return jets from the external pump for the wet/dry.

I have rocks with holes on the bottom of the tank, a wood centerpiece with holes and additional wood with holes.

My tank is community.

Took me what seemed like forever to get the jets adjusted but still had to add air bars and an air disk in order to generate appropriate currents in the tank for my fishies.

I could not ascertain the enjoyment of my fishies very much while the daytime lights were on but when the moonlights were on their enjoyment of various currents became apparent.

TR

Hi Tanja,

Yes it may take a bit of experimentation. In my river tank, I have the filter spray bar return at the same end as the powerheads so all water is flowing pretty much the same direction. However, in the clown loach tank, we have 3 filters, so the spraybars are mounted one on each side of the tank and one on the back, and then 2 powerheads on each side (one Tunze & one smaller Aquaclear each side). The Tunzes are very powerful and we have one going along the front of the tank and one directed across it, creating lots of turbulence. They seem to really really enjoy it (have some vids to upload at some point from when I added the 2nd Tunze a while back) and also any crap is churned up and drawn in by the variously placed filter inlets (2 at one end, one at the other).

Emma

Emma Turner wrote:Yes it may take a bit of experimentation.

Please excuse me when addressing an internationally published guru [kinda kidding Emma as I very much respect your stature and experience but "take a bit" ROFLMAO as it took me several months just to get the hang of the major variables and then another couple of months to get the details under control!

TR

I added the power head and the Danios have been taking turns surfing in the flow. And now there an African Butterfly sitting in the flow. I am hoping it will add oxygen and entertainment for the fish.

Do th loaches prefer the current near the middle, bottom or top of the tank?

I was wondering that too. So far my Danios and African Butterflies have been hanging out in the flow. My loaches have ignored it. The problem with placing it lower, is the air tube is only 6" long and so I can't lower it more than I have it. I have the option of blocking the hole where the tube attaches, but it seems the more oxygen the better.

I am happy to have as much info as possible.

My hillys seem to prefer it lower.

Do th loaches prefer the current near the middle, bottom or top of the tank?

If the food smell enters via current they do not care but prefer to stay low in the tank usually.Mine enters vertically near the top and they surf head up if not the first tank fed on my common system .The best spot is low to keep the substrate clean and lift waste to the filter imo after you have one on top blasting the surface to increase aeration

This is my opinion on placement of additional power heads although one may do several of these

1 aeration of surface , whitewater type splashing is best
2 lift waste
3 prefered fish hidey hole which can be combined with 2 preferably to keep waste from hole and improve overall parameters
4 favorite surf location for fish

Tinman wrote:

The best spot is low to keep the substrate clean and lift waste to the filter imo after you have one on top blasting the surface to increase aeration

Sounds like a plan... I think I'll pick up one more filter to submerge it