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Hillstream Loach tank

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JBurli66
Post subject: Hillstream Loach tank
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 1:48 am
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I've been Setting up a river current tank for hillstream loaches and compatible tank-mates. The loaches will be the primary reason for the tank so whatever's best for them goes. Before I get them I have some time as I am ensuring the conditions are perfect for a stress free transition. The setup I'm brainstorming for current will involve a custom in-tank filter on one side where a pump will be situated leading to the opposite side along with any powerhead setup needed to stabilize the flow. Right now the tank is establishing and I moved a few algae covered rocks from another tank to give them a ready food supply once it spreads.

some things I would like to know about are;
-substrate experiences/recommendations
-experience with other set-ups for current (such as a powerhead manifold)
-tank mates that are compatible and are found in the same area that the loaches are in the wild.
-Plants and decor layout

Thanks

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Jonny
Cichlid-too many, featherfin catfish; Brackish-GSP, Green Scat, zebra nerites, 1 ghost shrimp that refuses to be eaten; Pond project-raising young butterfly koi pair atm; Axolotl-Leucistic and Melanoid; Hillstream river project-under construction.


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JBurli66
Post subject: Re: Hillstream Loach tank
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 1:54 am
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Sorry if i took it a little beyond fish to fish compatibility/posted in the wrong place. I would like to see what kind of fish will fit the tank and have open options for adhering to tank mates needs as well as the loaches .

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Jonny
Cichlid-too many, featherfin catfish; Brackish-GSP, Green Scat, zebra nerites, 1 ghost shrimp that refuses to be eaten; Pond project-raising young butterfly koi pair atm; Axolotl-Leucistic and Melanoid; Hillstream river project-under construction.


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redpaulhus
Post subject: Re: Hillstream Loach tank
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:36 am
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Location: Randolph, MA
Contact: Website
 
We've got an excellent hardcover book on loaches in the store and the authors do a great job detailing a river loach tank there, including a sub-gravel flow manifold system.
I also own that book myself and greatly enjoy it.

There's alot of great info here as well - http://www.loaches.com/articles#section-2 including the original hillstream manifold design that has become the defacto prototype for these tanks

Depending on your planned tank size, the white cloud minnows or Denison barbs ("roseline sharks") Sahyadria denisonii would work well as tankmates.
Keep the tank coolish - 65-75F - and pick tankmates like those that enjoy the cooler temps and high flow.
Anubius are probably the easiest plants to use in a setup like this, but I would stick with the shorter stem varieties and put them in the eddies and sheltered spots not right in front of the powerheads.

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Admin
Post subject: Re: Hillstream Loach tank
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:18 am
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Location: Millis MA
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make a big wide wet rock with a pool on top of it

the loaches might climb it !

I suggest pH 6.8 - 7.8

temp 74 - 78 F

gravel shouldn't matter much
just don't get super Large grain, or powder size sand

we sell Danner internal power filters that are very diverse with lots of attachments for making terrarium waterfalls and such

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JBurli66
Post subject: Re: Hillstream Loach tank
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:24 pm
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Admin wrote:
make a big wide wet rock with a pool on top of it

the loaches might climb it !
I really like this idea mixed with the waterfall one. I'm going to see how best to incorporate it into the design.

gravel shouldn't matter much
just don't get super Large grain, or powder size sand
any specific type of substrate or just medium grain sand?

we sell Danner internal power filters that are very diverse with lots of attachments for making terrarium waterfalls and such
I bought a small one of these to play with last time I was in the store (I was asking about powerheads.) I like it's design and how easy it would be for me to customize. One idea I was playing with was using a few of these as pumps to move water from one side to the other and help generate current along with a powerhead setup, but I haven't gone into any head loss math yet to see if they can do it efficiently
redpaul, that site was where I started when researching the fish and drafting the design after I first saw them in the store a while back. Lots of great info.

I'm not a fan of the sharp bends with bottlenecking inlets of that design. I'm afraid of it causing too much resistance in the return and not running even in-tank vs return lines, hence the idea of using the danner heads as a primary source of water movement. They would be in a section at the end of the tank separated by something like foam in a rigid frame/drilled acrylic to make it independent of the habitat, with a flexible hose leading to the other end. I'm still playing with different layouts.

I like the look and size of the minnows as I don't want bigger fish to take too much attention from the loaches. Anything else along those lines?

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Jonny
Cichlid-too many, featherfin catfish; Brackish-GSP, Green Scat, zebra nerites, 1 ghost shrimp that refuses to be eaten; Pond project-raising young butterfly koi pair atm; Axolotl-Leucistic and Melanoid; Hillstream river project-under construction.


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