Keeping waste off the bottom of tank

[TheBloodyIrish]

Right now, I am designing a predatory riffle or stream tank. I am hoping to finda predatory fish that usually live in between still water and a current of 0.15m/s (6in/s) or 0.54km/h (0.34 mi/h). Is this enough to keep the waste suspended in the tank until it get sucked up the overflow or filter? Or is this dependent on the type of substrate used?

My idea is that I set up a powerhead with or without a vertical spraybar or modify a power filter to channel the current toward one end of the tank toward the overflow or output filter before it is cycled into a sponge filter back to the front end of the tank.

My second concern is that I will be designing a 3D background with built-in caves. How do I keep the waste out of there. Some of them will be too small and impractical to attempt to clean.

I know some say to use UGJ, but I really don't want to interrupt the flow of the tank.

 

[Dr Joe]

How big is the tank going to be?

The flow rate is fine, if the substrate is course gravel it will cause turbulence and the flow will drive some debri into the gravel. Sand for the most part will let the debri slide to the end to be picked up by the filter.

I take it the flow is from right ot left in your diagram.

You can test your designs in a full tank by adding drops of food coloring at different levels and watching the swirl (current) patterns. (start with the lighter colors first).

You are treating the water with more than a sponge filter "before returning it to the front end of the tank" aren't you? (not sure I read that right)

As far as cleaning 3D backgrounds...I made custom brushed from tubing cleaner brushes, bottle brushes, tooth brushes etc. and have used a pump hooked to plastic tubing to vacuum/blow garbage out of small areas.

Dr Joe

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[TheBloodyIrish]

How big is the tank going to be?

The flow rate is fine, if the substrate is course gravel it will cause turbulence and the flow will drive some debri into the gravel. Sand for the most part will let the debri slide to the end to be picked up by the filter.

The tank size is dependent on the footprint necessarily for the fish, which I still need to find out. I am hoping for 300+ gallons if possible.

Cleaning up in one spot will be a lot easier! Thanks for comfirming that. Stirring up the sand every couple weeks to prevent pockets from forming, cleaning up the debris regularly. Would the same apply if I mix sand and river rock?

You are treating the water with more than a sponge filter "before returning it to the front end of the tank" aren't you? (not sure I read that right)

Yeah. I am not entirely sure what kind of filtration system I want to use, so I desginated two areas where they can be changed out. Not to mention there is some space underneath the tank for the water return. The sponge filter is there to stop smaller fish from being sucked into the filtration system. Of course, there will be a hole at one of the ends so I can vacuum the debris out of the bottom.

As far as cleaning 3D backgrounds...I made custom brushed from tubing cleaner brushes, bottle brushes, tooth brushes etc. and have used a pump hooked to plastic tubing to vacuum/blow garbage out of small areas.

Thanks. I was planning to add some caves for feeders to hide out in to give them a chance to survive and simulate the natural hunting behavior of the fish.

 

[Dr Joe]

This is going to be exciting to see.

If you put anything in tha tank it will cause turbulence and places for the garbage to hide...be it stones or plants.

This sounds like the perfect tank for a W/D filter...high flow rate & the necessity for lots of filtering (big messy wonderful fish).

Good planning on the vacuum port.

Make sure the feeder caves are big enough for the feeders to comfortably turn around in or they won't use them (remember they have to live in them for awhile .

Dr Joe

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[TheBloodyIrish]

This is going to be exciting to see.

I figure since I am on call, and I go out of town for extended periods on those calls... I might as well automate everything while trying to keep it simple for repair so a friend can fix it for me.

Of course, I am going to install a lock on the hood to prevent animals and idiots or kids from opening it.

If you put anything in tha tank it will cause turbulence and places for the garbage to hide...be it stones or plants.

This sounds like the perfect tank for a W/D filter...high flow rate & the necessity for lots of filtering (big messy wonderful fish).

Good planning on the vacuum port.

I actually thought of that when I read about someone removing their UGF from the tank and using the UGL platform as a ghost shrimp breeder under the gravel. I thought... why not do the same thing for a different purpose so I can clean it out... since water is going to get everywhere along with those nasty fish waste.

Make sure the feeder caves are big enough for the feeders to comfortably turn around in or they won't use them (remember they have to live in them for awhile .

Yep. Will do. I am thinking of making them out of PVC inside the syrofoam and sealing them with spray foam and concrete along the edge. Of course, no goldfish here. We all know how unhealthy they are... and how fish will sometimes not touch them until they get too big and we have to remove them.

I really want a self-sustaining population, but one of the species I am thinking of usually don't stop feeding until they eat about 1/3 of their own body weight. At 9-12 pounds, 3 to 4 pounds of feeders is a LOT to eat on a daily basis and unhealthy too. So, I am going to have to derive a port to drop the feeders in and breed them in another tank.

 

[Dr Joe]

Automation would be cool, we have someone on here writing a program for just that too.

What kind of fish are you thinking of?

I wonder just how many barbs does it take to make 3lbs ? You may need a 600g tank just to raise feeders!

What do you do for a living? If you don't mind me asking.

Dr Joe

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[TheBloodyIrish]

What kind of fish? I am looking at either: Yellow Perch, Pickerels (the guys that eat 1/3 of their body weight before stopping), Piranha (unlikely!), Bass (these guys never stop).

Probably. However, I won't keep a community tank if one of the fish is going to destroy the feeder population within 2 or 3 days.

I usually work in the oilfield... doing various tasks that my boss(es) see. However, I am studying at university right now. I can't be in the oilfield forever... right? Whenever I go back to my hometown, I take the chance to build my project.

 

[Dr Joe]

What kind of fish? I am looking at either: Yellow Perch, Pickerels (the guys that eat 1/3 of their body weight before stopping), Piranha (unlikely!), Bass (these guys never stop).

Probably. However, I won't keep a community tank if one of the fish is going to destroy the feeder population within 2 or 3 days.

I usually work in the oilfield... doing various tasks that my boss(es) see. However, I am studying at university right now. I can't be in the oilfield forever... right? Whenever I go back to my hometown, I take the chance to build my project.

What...no muskie?!

I like natives myself.

Yellow Perch have nice coloring and can hit hard.

If you want something big (16"-18"), savage (but for the most part vegetarian), yet interesting...Pacu. They grow like weeds and you get to feed them all kinds of stuff. They're fun to watch eat grapes, mine peels it first .

I had a friend that worked the oil fields for a while...but I don't know about doing it in the winter. BBRrrr.

Dr Joe

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[TheBloodyIrish]

What...no muskie?!

I like natives myself.

Yellow Perch have nice coloring and can hit hard.

Ain't Muskies considered as part of the pickerel family?

Regarding natives, we don't get a lot of options here because of the regulations of live or wild fish in Alberta. Otherwise I would be big on minnows, walleyes, whitefish and so on. Somehow Yellow Perch is okay to sell in retail stores.... weird.

I like coldwater fish because they usually have vicious nature while appearing to be docile... and doesn't always naturally belong to a shoal oppose to many of the popular fish.

If you want something big (16"-18"), savage (but for the most part vegetarian), yet interesting...Pacu. They grow like weeds and you get to feed them all kinds of stuff. They're fun to watch eat grapes, mine peels it first .

Aren't Pacus naturally shoaling fish? Peeling grapes, weird... ever found out why?

I had a friend that worked the oil fields for a while...but I don't know about doing it in the winter. BBRrrr.

That's why we get big bucks! Either that or get a university MA and stay in a warm truck all day! Let those blue-collar workers freeze to death.

 

[Scottfree]

You can legally have Snakeheads up there, I personally would go that route, you would need to heat for most species though...They're a friggin blast though.....