Powerhead for Sev Tank?

[pandora114]

How much current do Severum's like?

I also have a kilifish and a pleco and a tiger loach as well. We are going to be upgrading their rather cramped quarters to a 70gal in the very near future....and I was just wondering if I should use the powerhead, or not.

The filtration will be a Rena Filstar XP-2 canister.

Thanks a bunch. We kinda "fell into" Owning these fish when their owner had to get posted across the country and couldn't take them, hence why the lack of research for the Sev's keeping. We got his old setup...and we want to move them into a bigger one....they need it.

 

[Trouble247]

How many sev's, how big, does the powerhead have a sponge filter attached, and what was the old tank size?

70 gallon could support a pair of sev's, with good filtration and water changes, but with a Pleco and Tiger Loach as well would be pushing it... Killi will probably become a snack in the future.

 

[HiImSean]

mine dont seem to like current. i'd add a HOB filter instead

 

[pandora114]

Just one Sev, he's about 8-9" long now. He's in a 20gal with the Loach, pleco and Kilifish. (Kilifish hasn't been spotted yet, he's about 4" or so now)

The small confines aren't my doing ...we got them from a friend of my husband's and that's what they've been living in for the past two years..buddy got the sev at 2" or so, same with the pleco and loach...so he didn't know they'd get that big *sigh*

 

[scubasteve06]

I'd run the XP2, and a penguin 350 HOB for that tank or a emperor 280 with the XP2 since sevs do like it relatively calm and the water not frothing over...lol

 

[Trouble247]

Sounds like you're on track.
I asked about the old tank 'cause you might consider turning it into a wet/dry sump, that would increase your water volume by about 10 gallons.
Like scubasteve, I have a 90 gal. tank. I have 3 large severums, and a couple smaller catfish in that one. I use 2 [overhead] 350 GPH bio-wheel filters which create surface agitation and quite a bit of current.
The big sev's seem to handle the current just fine, but I couldn't say if they like it. I do 50% water change weekly, any less and I would get a nitrate spike.
If you use the xp-2 which is good filter for money IMHO, I'd still suggest a bio-wheel hang-on-back. Point the powerhead towards the surface more, it will help oxygen exchange, and reduce underwater current.

Oh, and be careful with 'old tank syndrome', in a tank that small, unless your husbands friend was doing water changes every morning, it's possible that the fish have been living in high nitrates & dissolved solids for a while, and a quick change to a big 'clean' tank might kill them. acclimate slowly.

Good luck...