30B Build for West African Riparium Biotope Input Needed

[Wy Renegade]

I've been working for awhile now on this concept of building a West African Riverian biotope tank. At this point, I've aquired a pair of Kribs, a school of Congo tetras, and a small school of synodontis catfish. I'm working on incorperating a canister filter to drive the return, which will be a PVC pipe channel below the substrate with various outlets, and I'd like to make one of those outlets a small waterfall.

The concept for the channeled return is based loosely on this article, which butterfly_Koi was kind enought to find and link for me;
Constructing Under-Gravel Jets

I'm planning to use a larger canister filter to drive the return manifold.

I'm leaning towards a riparium type tank, but I'm working with a 30 breeder, so height is pretty limited. Since I want to add some African butterfly cichlids (not sure if that may be too much of a bioload), I'm trying to figure all that out with a screen cover.

I've already managed to aquire a number of varieties of anubias and Java fern, and will be adding some plants as I go. The substrate will be white sand and I'll be attempting either a foam 3-D background or a BS foamed type background to cover the rear wall.

Here's the current layout of the channeled return, the return line will enter on the right side via the grey connection and then exit from the various openings. The main portions of the manifold will be behind the background or under the substrate and rock piles will cover the outflows.

At this point, any thoughts or input on the design or stocking are welcome.

 

[Mogurako]

Sorry but this is a petpeeve of mine:

Biotype: a group of organisms having the same genotype.

Biotope: an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals.

This does sound like a interesting project and will be following along! I would just paint the glass though, 3D backgrounds are a pain!

 

[aaronjohn20]

I'm interested in the undergravel jet system so ill def be following along on this one

 

[Wy Renegade]

Sorry but this is a petpeeve of mine:

Biotype: a group of organisms having the same genotype.

Biotope: an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals.

This does sound like a interesting project and will be following along! I would just paint the glass though, 3D backgrounds are a pain!

Ahhh, thank you. I'll get that now.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I subscribed to follow along as I love watching yours and mommas builds just been staying quite. Nice job on the plumbing do you have two canisters going into that?

To what mogurako said I've always wondered what the difference was thanks for that . Lol the dictionary wasn't much help

 

[Wy Renegade]

I subscribed to follow along as I love watching yours and mommas builds just been staying quite. Nice job on the plumbing do you have two canisters going into that?

No, the initial plan is for only one, input coming in on the right hand side. We'll have to see how the waterflow does however.

 

[HUKIT]

I would use a external sump and overflow box, this way a larger return pump may be used to help with the added water movement that's desired.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

No, the initial plan is for only one, input coming in on the right hand side. We'll have to see how the waterflow does however.

Gotcha on the app it looked like one on the right and one on the left.

 

[Wy Renegade]

I would use a external sump and overflow box, this way a larger return pump may be used to help with the added water movement that's desired.

I really don't like overflow boxes (too many floods), but I had considered drilling for an overflow. I do have room behind the cabinet for another tank.

Gotcha on the app it looked like one on the right and one on the left.

The one on the left will hopefully become a waterfall.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Messing around a little with some aquascaping ideas;

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Messing around a little with some aquascaping ideas;

I like that just saying. Are you.thinking about leaving it that way?

 

[Wyomingite]

Looks nice. Think I'd build the rocks up a little higher under the waterfall though, and the coke can has to go. Have ya thought of African water fern (Bolbitis heudelotii)? That would fit into your biotope. I've always loved the way it looks but have never had good luck with it. Ya seem to have more of a green thumb than I, though.

WYite

 

[Wy Renegade]

I like that just saying. Are you.thinking about leaving it that way?

Thanks, I've been thinking about it a bit over the vacation, and I'm thinking its going to undergo some major change. Take me a bit to get it done however.

Looks nice. Think I'd build the rocks up a little higher under the waterfall though, and the coke can has to go. Have ya thought of African water fern (Bolbitis heudelotii)? That would fit into your biotope. I've always loved the way it looks but have never had good luck with it. Ya seem to have more of a green thumb than I, though.

WYite

Yeah I will, I didn't want to try and dry stack them too high. One of my students agreed with you on the coke can this morning LOL. That plant wasn't one I had considered, but will definitely give it a try. Someone said it likes to grow both aquatic and emersed, but it needs high humidity to grow emersed.

 

[butterfly_koi]

Looks interesting, I will be following along!

 

[butterfly_koi]

It's been forever and a day since there was a update on the tank, did you ever get it finished?