# Stream tank build?



## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

So after watching the Interzoo videos from George Farmer I really want a stream tank. I looked at the revised new Panta Rhei design and it looks like a simple build. This is the link to the tank.
https://youtu.be/6QsfWfKQ6ow?t=8m47s

I have two maxspect gyre pumps from my old reef tank which are perfect for this as they push an insane amount of water in a circular flow. So 2 bottoms, one suspended about 6 inches up with the ends open.

Question is what you think will be an acceptable length and width to maximize the style? I can probably get away with 4ft long with 3ft long display section and 6 inch stream input and outputs. Although 3ft long would be ideal with 2ft display. For width 18" would be ideal. Not sure about depth of tank but I am thinking most are 18 inches tall with the understream section being 6 inches tall and 12in tall display?

This is the prototype I'm submitting to tank builder.

2 tanks, stream tank and waterfall tank.
Stream tank is 36x14x16. Display section 24x14x10.
Waterfall tank is 12x14x12


























2 lights will be used. DIY aquasky type with 28cm EB Gen 2 strip on the waterfall tank with a dhg belem carpet. Stream tank will have a EB Gen2 strip as well but on a gooseneck.

Maxspect Gyre 250 will handle the stream. At full power it can push 5000gph so should be plenty.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Ambitious and fun...


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

jeffkrol said:


> Ambitious and fun...


Thanks just realized that my waterfall tank is way too tall. Also don't think I need 6 inches of height under the floating bottom for the stream generation and maybe 4 inches? Thinking of changing the waterfall tank to 8 inches height with 1.5 inch lip which would put waterfall height at 8 inches. Then stream area size at also 8 inches of water height.


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## Jontym (Mar 2, 2018)

I imagine that the longer the tank the better, also a narrow channel for the water. 
This is a very different design but with a similar effect;

Stream aquarium - construction and a few comments - YouTube

Mind, this is awesome! And a wide design. I love Oliver Knott's set-ups. 

Oliver Knott explains the water streaming tank - YouTube


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Jontym said:


> Mind, this is awesome! And a wide design. I love Oliver Knott's set-ups.
> 
> Oliver Knott explains the water streaming tank - YouTube


That's exactly what I am basing my build out of but with the added waterfall tank. Mine is just more of a nano concept as I can't go super wide. A gyre 250 is 12 inches long and tank is 14 inches wide. The gyre can push some serious amount of water. At full power it moves 5000gph which should be enough for a very strong stream current.

I have modified the height of the tanks as they are just too tall for a nano concept.

Stream tank - 36x14x14
Floating bottom - 5 inches above bottom of tank
Waterfall tank - 12x14x10 (4x2 mouth size)

The ends are going to have an acrylic frame with a plastic mesh.


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## Jontym (Mar 2, 2018)

I used to have a waterfall in a tank, but got bored with the main aquarium having to have a low water level to accommodate it (I had the back of the tank sectioned off as a reservoir) especially as my white cloud population grew and needed more space. However the concept of an "upper section" built like a different tank solves that. I really hope you can do it. 
My only thoughts are to take care to make sure the water flows freely from the upper to lower level. But also, make sure to contain any splashes from the fall so it doesn't wet outside. Just things in my head, from experience with experimenting in tanks.
Those Alabama rainbow shiners are awesome to keep. They are very fast swimmers, practically coming out of the water to feed from the surface!


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

I think I got the final build schematic sorted out.










Basically going to have a canister filter for bio. The canister takes the water out of the stream tank but dumps it into the waterfall tank. With this the part that fluctuates in water level will be the stream tank so that is where I will put the ATO sensor.


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## Bandit1200 (Dec 11, 2010)

Your canister filter may not work with that additional height. Typically canister filters are only designed to return water to the same water level as the intake. You might be able to supplement it with an additional inline pump, but that may add further complications.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Bandit1200 said:


> Your canister filter may not work with that additional height. Typically canister filters are only designed to return water to the same water level as the intake. You might be able to supplement it with an additional inline pump, but that may add further complications.


Ahh ok I guess I will try it out. Worse comes to worse and it doesn't work I have a Neptune COR-20 I can use externally and just get an Inland Seas Nu-Clear filter.


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

The Pana Rei pump is way more powerful than a gyre. I have seen them right next to each other at MACNA.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

EdWiser said:


> The Pana Rei pump is way more powerful than a gyre. I have seen them right next to each other at MACNA.


Hydrowizard 42 is rated at 2500gph. Gyre 250 is rated at 5000gph with the propeller upgrade. Even if maxspect is fudging a little there's no way its by 50%. I've seen a gyre 250 create a pulse wave on a 4ft tank so strong that it splashes the water right out of the tank.

Sent from my LGUS997 using Tapatalk


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

But it is a wide flow not a jet. Good luck with it is a neat tank design.


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## rafini (Oct 25, 2015)

Nice design!, i`m not familiar with the concept. Is the water line below that shelf? looks like a very interesting idea actually.

Did you use Sketch-up or FormIt for the design?


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

rafini said:


> Nice design!, i`m not familiar with the concept. Is the water line below that shelf? looks like a very interesting idea actually.
> 
> Did you use Sketch-up or FormIt for the design?


I used SketchUp. So the part below the shelf will be hidden. I will use black vinyl or similar. The water level will be like a normal tank. Basically the gyre pump will suck in water from one end and spit it out the other in a circular motion. The open ends at the end of the shelf will be covered. I will make an acrylic frame with legs and use poly netting so fish can't get through it.

This video from George Farmer explains the concept.
https://youtu.be/vbxnzkDUkXI

Sent from my LGUS997 using Tapatalk


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Still no word from builder. As a contingency if the price is outrageous this tank from IM is the perfect dimensions.
Innovative Marine

Question is where can I get the pieces of glass for the floating bottom cut?


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## rafini (Oct 25, 2015)

Thanks for the explanation, seems like a really cool project! I hope you get it built, I cant wait to see how it turns out


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## SingAlongWithTsing (Jun 11, 2015)

are you sure there's nothing underneath the floating bottom to help support it? that's been bugging ever since i saw these tanks a couple of months back.

dunno if glass cages still does shipping but thats one place you can check. alternatively you can probably try building the floating bottom with acrylic


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

SingAlongWithTsing said:


> are you sure there's nothing underneath the floating bottom to help support it? that's been bugging ever since i saw these tanks a couple of months back.
> 
> dunno if glass cages still does shipping but thats one place you can check. alternatively you can probably try building the floating bottom with acrylic


Acrylic won't adhere to the silicone good enough. As for anything under the floating bottom the Tropica tank George Farmer showed had no extra supports and it was insanely long so a long and short shallow nano should be no problem. Silicone like RTV can be insanely strong. Plus the floating bottom doesn't have to deal with the water pressure inside the tank like the walls do.


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## doylecolmdoyle (Sep 22, 2015)

Interesting, I have created a kind of stream tank just using canister filters (2x1360 lph filters) using wave makers / pumps in the tank created to much back flow to the wave maker and effectually ruined the uni-directional flow a stream tank should have. 

I have no idea how the oliver knott / Panta Rhei​ stream tanks are plumbed up, but I think the hydro wizards run with some kind of "river manifold" tho perhaps the bottom section of the tanks that they always cover up are just completely empty. Perhaps you can contact oliver knott or Panta Rhei​ to get a photo of the tanks showing how the hydro wizards are configured / plumbed up.

Here is my river tank, much more simple concept but still has the same effect. the tank is 5ft wide but less than 1ft tall and deep.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Well this project is on hold. I am getting back insane pricing for the tanks from builders. Don't understand how a 36x14x14 tank with an extra piece of glass is $1k when a UNS 36x12x12 is less than $200.


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## Brackon (Nov 30, 2017)

I am getting a 33 gallon long and its dimensions are about 48x13x13 and comes with old baffles I won't be using but this is making me rethink my design. I will have a pump thats about 500 gph as the main source of water movements as well as a canister. This will house my silvertip tetras and rainbow shiners and hopefully I can get some gobies and loaches to go in there as well.

I hope this thread keeps going as I'd love to show my progress on it. I need to scape off the ugly blue paint from the background and then find a stand to put in on before I can get it all set up as well as getting large rocks for it and then deciding which plants will be able to move over from the 29 gallon all my fish are in at the moment.


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## tanan (Mar 20, 2009)

I've been looking to make one too since the day i saw OK's tank. Couldnt afford the phanta rays so I went jebao OW-50, cheap pump and should do the trick for a 15" wide, 48" long I guess. I am planning to keep denisonii barbs. Not looking for a waterfall thing though.
Please keep us updated.


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

Oliver was showing off Panta Rhei’s work in the small flow to go tank. Here is the original version. 

https://youtu.be/e_4ZK1_kLcA


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

tanan said:


> I've been looking to make one too since the day i saw OK's tank. Couldnt afford the phanta rays so I went jebao OW-50, cheap pump and should do the trick for a 15" wide, 48" long I guess. I am planning to keep denisonii barbs. Not looking for a waterfall thing though.
> Please keep us updated.


If the specs of the OW-50 is to be believed that's 5000 gph which will not be enough for a 4ft long tank. You will need at least 2 pumps. Tank is too wide for a single.


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## EdWiser (Jul 14, 2015)

https://youtu.be/LDUHE__Geu8

Oliver Knott just posted his presentation from Interzoo on the stream tank design


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## AndreyT (Apr 28, 2011)

Bandit1200 said:


> Your canister filter may not work with that additional height. Typically canister filters are only designed to return water to the same water level as the intake. You might be able to supplement it with an additional inline pump, but that may add further complications.


Exactly. The whole principle of operation of canister filter is based on zero (or almost zero) static head. What the OP is planning there will create quite a bit of extra static head against the pump. Since canister pump is typically an impeller pump (not a positive displacement design), it might simply fail to move water. Or it might cause the pump to fail prematurely.


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