Has anyone made one of these? River Tank Manifold!

[Sploke]

I had an idea to do this with something like Koralias instead of normal impeller powerheads. It would require a larger tank just because this design would eat a lot of it up, but it would be more of a river-type flow rather than a few strong jets shooting out of the wall or bottom. Basically what I was thinking was using a sheet of ABS plastic or plexiglass and making a full-width false bottom and end. It would have some holes drilled for Koralias (the egg-looking things in the picture), just enough to let the front outlet done through, so the intake slots would remain on the back side of the false wall. The yellow on the right would have to be some sort of eggcrate screen or filter sponge, the water would flow through and back under the false bottom and the koralias would push it out again in a wide, dispersed pattern. I guess you come close to this by just using koralias at one end, but this way would provide truly laminar flow through the tank.



This would be a pretty cool setup for an in-wall tank as you could easily hide the false bottom and walls and just show the display area.

 

[tyler79durdan]

Matt, is this diagram a frontside view or overhead? Looks like a front to me... interesting concept... hmmm.

-Aaron

 

[Sploke]

Sorry, yes front view, I meant to mention that.

 

[Jeremy Smith]

I am suprised I missed this thread. I have three. I have yet to try Sploke's set up but... (I plan on makeing it soon). I have 1 tank wich is similar Martin's design and then 2 with my own.
The point of the manifold is to create a continous flow, anything that dose that, wether it be by manifold or even a canister filter with its intake and output on oposite sides of the tank.

 

[echoofformless]

I'm not a hydrologist, but I suspect that the more concentrated powerhead flow would actually be a better choice. My assumption is that the flow will disperse a great deal just within a few inches of leaving the powerhead; thus by the time it reaches the intakes it will have become nearly nothing. If you start with an already diffused flow, it probably would not even reach the other side with any of its "riverness" left intact.

 

[Kuhlifan]

I'd love to do somethign like this or maybe make undergravel jets. I just need to have the space to get a tank big enough for the effort.

 

[PaulJ69]

i tried making one of those. I now call it my dartfrog tank! I had a 40gal breeder. to make it really well I would go for a skinnier tank and longer.

 

[DAVIDFBT]

Sorry to bump an old thread but... I plan on doing the design originally posted on a 29 gallon tank and set it up with hillstream loaches WCMMs and a couple bamboo shrimp. But since all I have are HOB filters I will use an AC 50 with a PVC pipe mounted to the intake that will take it to the other side of the aquarium. Along with a Penguin 550 adding to the flow.