Creating a Stream Aquarium

Members
Login
Join Now!
Membership Info

Sections
Home
Articles
The Darter - Newsletter
NFC Forum
NFC TV
Photo Gallery
NFC Store
Joe Tomelleri Store

Grants & Programs
Adopt a Tank
Blue Pike
Exotics Fish Tourny
Grant History
Sustainable Aquaculture
Web Fund

Konrad Schmidt

Most of us have noticed how stream fishes readily accept and use artificial currents provided by air stones or dyna-flo filters. Unfortunately, they don't swim very naturally with their noses pointed up or down. Luckily for us and our fish, technology has come to the rescue. Small, easily concealed, submersible water pumps called powerheads are now available and will adapt to most undergravel filters. Powerheads were "originally" designed to operate on top of the air filter stalks where they more efficiently draw water through the undergravel filter plates than the age-old air lift system. When the powerheads first became available, NANFA member, Don Richmond thought of some interesting possibilities for his seventy gallon aquarium which contained mostly stream species and purchased two Penn-Plax Sacem powerheads. He cut the air stalks just above the undergravel filter plates and placed the two powerheads on the "stumps" at opposite ends of the aquarium. He concealed the powerheads under limestone boulders and convincingly aquascaped the outlet tube into a narrow crevice. The end of the tube was plugged and a single row of holes running the length of the tube directed small jets of currents horizontally across the bottom. The other powerhead produced an opposing flow that created an upwelling in the middle of the aquarium where the two currents collided.

Don's fish appeared to be very happy with the results, especially the gilt darters, speckled chubs, and longnose dace which never seemed to get bored with riding the currents. They hovered a few inches off the bottom, gliding up and down as they shifted in and out of the mainstream. They rarely pursued the currents to their sources and seemed quite content at simply maintaining a "somewhat" stationary position. At feeding time, the seldom-seen "cave dwellers" entered the arena and rode the currents as the food came to them. Perhaps the laziest fish in the aquarium were the sculpins which simply plopped on the bottom with their face's into the current and inhaled the food when it bumped them on the nose.

Don has been running these pumps for two years without any problems, but he asked that I passed on an observation or two. Because the powerheads circulate much more water through the undergravel filters than air pumps, the gravel clogs with debris sooner than normal and can reduce the flow rate to almost a trickle. The aquarium must either be cleaned or for most of us who procrastinate, the gravel should be periodically "vacuumed" with specialized siphon tubes called gravel washers which are available at most pet stores. Don has also noticed an increase in water temperature of about five degrees due to the heat generated by the powerheads. This should be monitored in small or over-crowded aquariums to avoid the possibility of reaching lethal temperatures.

Powerheads can be found at most pet stores and come in a variety of makes and sizes. I checked one store in St. Paul which regularly carries or can order the following items:

1. Penn-Plax Standard EP-201
118 gallons per hour.
Price: $19.95.

2. Penn-Plax Super EP-202
205 gallons per hour.
Price: $29.95.

3. Hagen AquaClear 200
200 gallons per hour.
Price: $16.69.

4. Hagen AquaClear 400
400 gallons per hour.
Price: $24.95.

5. Hagen AquaClear 800
800 gallons per hour (assumed).
Price: Unknown - available Fall 1986.

6. Sicce P-39
160 gallons per hour.
Price: $28.79.

The salesman indicated all six powerheads would work for my intended purpose. I'm sure there are several others to chose from, but they should always meet two criteria. They must be submersible and can be easily fitted with a "customized" outlet tube previously described. The same store also carried three types of gravel washers which ranged in price from $7.00 to $19.00.

Don's dual powerhead system, admittedly, did not create the "typical" stream conditions. Only one powerhead is really necessary and would provide a more realistic single direction current while an air pump operated the remaining undergravel filters. These elaborate plans may sound like a great deal of work to provide our stream fishes with a more natural environment, and some may consider it a glorified hamster wheel, but I believe the end results are definitely worth the effort.