Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

The forum for the very best information on loaches of all types. Come learn from our membership's vast experience!

Moderator: LoachForumModerators

Post Reply
User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Fri Nov 07, 2014 4:34 am

Hi, all.

I finally got around to starting a new hillster tank.
Here's a couple of teaser pics of the plumbing/channeling to be built into the fake stone/wood background:
Image
Image
Image
Image

This should be fun.
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

User avatar
Jim Powers
Posts: 5208
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:15 pm
Location: Bloomington, Indiana

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by Jim Powers » Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:44 pm

I'm curious to see how this works.
Image

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:05 am

Me too, Jim.

Dry-fitting the main flow plumbing to the tank
Image

The tank dimensions are 150 x 60 x64 cm or about 5' x 2' x 2'. 570 liters or 150 USgal.
It will probably grow upwards another couple of feet to make room for some paludariumish scaping.

This and other plumbing will be sunk into the background I construct.
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

User avatar
atmichaels
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by atmichaels » Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:00 pm

I like where this is headed. Please keep posting progress. What are you using for the pump?

Austen
Currently keeping: gastromyzon spp., hypergastromyzon humilis, pseudogastromyzon sp., sewellia spp., ambastaia sidthimunki, homaloptera spp., serpenticobitis octozona, Yaoshania pachychilus. As well as various catfish, loricarids, livebearers and tetras.

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:37 am

Hi Austen.

The main flow through these pipes is going to be taken care of with stream-type pumps. I've had very good experience with Tunze turbelles, not least with my streambank tank.
Electricity consumption is miraculously low compared with regular pumps. You just need to give them a roomy channel to cut down the end pressure. Heating the water is kept to minimum also.

I made two channels, 110 x 55 mm (4" x 2") each to give some playground with the pumps.
Testruns will determine whether I'll be running two pumps all the time or regulate the flow by either cutting one down during the night or maybe switching them on alternately.

Seeking for interesting options as we speak.

There's also going to be a secondary flow system, feeding the rock/wood scape and a couple of waterfalls/dripwall above the water.
I've got a couple of OR 3500s to play with.

Thanks for looking.
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

User avatar
atmichaels
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by atmichaels » Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:38 am

Thanks for the info! I checked out your stream bank and it looks amazing. I'm very much looking forward to this build. Please keep us updated.

Austen
Currently keeping: gastromyzon spp., hypergastromyzon humilis, pseudogastromyzon sp., sewellia spp., ambastaia sidthimunki, homaloptera spp., serpenticobitis octozona, Yaoshania pachychilus. As well as various catfish, loricarids, livebearers and tetras.

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:42 am

Thanks, Austen.

I started making the hardscape for the tank with the basic masses of rock to be. It's going to be more riparium-like than a paludarium, with rock in the water and a couple of stumps emersed from the tank.

Anyhow. Stone background start:

Image
Image
Image

Thanks for looking!
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:54 pm

Rockwork carved and 1st layer down.

Image

Image
Image

Heading somewhere with it.
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by Diana » Tue Nov 25, 2014 12:40 am

Looking good!
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:30 pm

Got another couple of layers on the background, only one more to go
Image


Also decided to try out what happens with inbuilt caves in the piece that's going to be against the end wall of the tank
Image
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

User avatar
hx
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:35 pm
Location: EU

Re: Hillstream creek lateral flow tank

Post by hx » Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:39 am

Some advance with the background.

Submerged bit pretty much done:
Image
Image

The emerged bit happening
Image
"There is no name for what I'm going to be when I get big."
-Tom Robbins
planethx
Mudskipper tank

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 108 guests