| A river tank is a tank having a primarily
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| | powerheads and sponges are not touching
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| unidirectional water flow. Intakes for
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| | the walls. The sponges should be at least
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| the filtration system are at one end of
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| | an inch away from the far wall. Drill as
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| the tank, and outputs at the other,
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| | many holes as you can into two shorter
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| directing the water down the long side of
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| | lengths of PVC, that can go inside the
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| the tank. Using a tank longer in sideways
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| | sponges.
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| length and shorter in height is
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| | The frame sits on the bottom glass of the
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| recommended, good sizes being 40 long, 33
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| | tank, powerheads in one end, and sponges
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| long, and 40 breeder. There are several
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| | the other. Pour the rinsed gravel into
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| ways of doing this.
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| | the tank, covering all the white pipe.
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| Plumbing: This way involves using PVC
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| | The pipe is completely safe, so don't
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| piping, 2 or more sponges, an airpump and
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| | worry about covering it, we are only
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| 2 or more powerheads to build an
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| | doing so for aesthetic reasons.
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| undergravel water system.
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| | Next place your larger rounded river
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| Filter: A modified HOB filter can also be
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| | rocks and driftwood where you planned to
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| used, though the tank is harder to cover.
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| | do so, and fill the tank. Connect the
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| External Plumbing: The third obvious way
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| | airpump to the powerheads, remembering a
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| to make a river tank.is to use PVC piping
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| | check valve and extra tubing. Plug
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| outside the tank connecting an intake to
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| | everything in when the tank is full and
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| a pump then to a spraybar.
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| | watch the river effect.
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| First thing to do is get your tank,
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| | Add plants that are good in coldwater -
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| heater, gravel, decorations and cover. -
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| | Java Fern, Anacharis, Hornwort, Lemna
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| Even though this will likely be a cold
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| | Minor, and plastics. Place the cover over
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| water tank, a small heater can be used to
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| | the tank when done planting, and the
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| keep the temp up around 70 degrees,
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| | lights above that. Plug the lights in,
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| preventing dangerous temp drops.
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| | and stare at your tank.
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| Decorations for river tanks are normally
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| | Before you add fish, cycle as you would
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| larger rounded rocks and stones, and
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| | any other tank, as many river dwelling
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| large pieces of driftwood. Lighting will
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| | fish do not tolerate Ammonia or Nitrites
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| depend on your preferences, but many put
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| | in any amount. Many also prefer some
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| lots of light over river tanks, as many
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| | algae growth, so before getting the true
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| of the inhabitants like algae. For a 40
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| | algae grazers manage to grow some, or
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| or 33 long, try to fit 4 4 foot
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| | borrow algae covered rocks from another
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| florescent tubes. It isn't prohibitively
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| | aquarium.
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| expensive, and will make it easy to grow
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| | Good Fish for this Setup:
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| coldwater plants and algaes.
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| | White Cloud Mountain Minnows
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| Decide how you want the river action to
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| | Homaloptera Sp.
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| happen. Plumbing is by far the easiest if
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| | Homaloptera smithi
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| you don't yet have a filter for this
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| | Spotted Hillstream Loach
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| tank. Go to a home improvement store, and
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| | Beaufortia kweichowensis
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| get
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| | Schistura Loaches
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| an 8 foot length of 3/4" PVC white tube
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| | Sucker Belly Loach
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| 4 90 degree bends
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| | Spiney Headed Hillstream Loach
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| 4 T connectors, also in the 3/4" size
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| | Nemachelius maysae
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| (if your tank is more than 13" from back
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| | Chaetostma Spec. Catfish
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| to front, get 2 more T connectors, and
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| | Darter Characin (Characidum spec.)
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| make sure to have enough tubing to go
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| | Botia Nigro
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| back and forth the length of the tank 3
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| | Hillstream Loaches
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| times.)
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| | Good Plants for this Setup:
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| A drill and a hacksaw are also needed
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| | Lemna Minor
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| Connect the PVC. You do not need any
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| | Hornwort
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| compound to permanently connect it, as it
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| | Java Moss
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| will be underwater, and leaking will not
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| | Anarchis
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| be a concern. Make sure that the
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