creating calm areas in river tank

[Phoenixphire55]

If someone wanted to build a tank with a unidirectional current using pvc tubing and powerheads, etc, how hard would it be to create a large portion of the tank (around 1/2) that has a much slower current than the other part. I've been thinking up several different tank ideas for my future goldfish tank. I want the tank to be 55-60 gallons and I will have some fantails, pearlscales, comets, shubunkins and probably ryukins (I'm guessing around 7-9 fish). I'm prepared to spot feed and take the necessary steps to ensure that all the fish are getting the same amount of food, but now I have to figure out how to provide a decent current in one part of the tank for the comets, shubinkins, fantails etc, and also have an area where the pearlscales and ryukin can relax. Would the higher current side be bad for the pearlscales? I figure they'd be fine as long as they dont need to stay in the current at all times. Possibility for some weather loaches as well, or maybe hillstream loaches instead.

 

[Purrbox]

You'd just need to baracade part of the aquarium off from the direct flow.

 

[jadedragen]

keep in mind that goldfish need quite a bit of space, with fancy goldfish needing about 10gals, and long bodied goldfish(commons/comets) needing 20gal per fish. if you going to have a strong current i wouldn't recommend fancies as they really aren't strong swimmers

 

[Phoenixphire55]

I've considered this, but I've read many places that goldfish do well with currents; its good for oxygenating the water, it looks really cool, and they come from river carp so its what I'd like to do. I picture half the tank being kind of open flowing water with some kind of break/barrier in the middle with the calm waters on the outer side of the break. The current wouldn't be very strong. I could do a break in the center of the tank going from front to back to that the break is perpendicular to the front of the tank, or do a longer break that is in the center but parallel with the front of the tank.