Powerhead Question

[erk628]

Hello everyone, I am new to fishkeeping and have a question. I have a 55 gallon freshwater tank with 11 fish which are as followed;

1 Tin Foil Barb
1 Tire Track eel
2 red finned sharks
2 Bala sharks
1 flame Gourami
1 black finned shark (catfish)
1 banjo catfish
2 Common Plecos (Algea eaters)

I have two filters a Aqua Clear and one that it came with which has two sections were water comes out.

Now my question is I want to get a powerhead because I read that the black fin shark prefers a current. I just got him today and have noticed that all he does is set towards the top of the tank were the current is. Also he keeps swimming from one side to the other but only on the top of the tank were the current is. So I would like to get a powerhead so there is a current in the bottom of the tank also. So I what I'm asking is what size should I get because I'm not sure if the other fish I have like currents and if they do how much. I don't want to get one to small or one that is two big, so I thought I would ask you guys first.

Thanks in advance to all that reply

 

[tnhowery]

bump?

 

[T1KARMANN]

i think your tank will be a little bit over stocked

i nver see the point of just adding a powerhead you may aswell add a inturnal filter then at least you will be getting the benifit from it

 

[erk628]

i think your tank will be a little bit over stocked

i nver see the point of just adding a powerhead you may aswell add a inturnal filter then at least you will be getting the benifit from it

Seeing how I already have two filters, I'm just looking for sme sort of current. I bought one today a Penguin 660 Submersible Power head 170 GPH. I'll see how that works. And can you really over stock your tank with filteration, from what I have read the answer is no. If anything you have cleaner water and happier fish.

 

[T1KARMANN]

i think your tank will be a little bit over stocked

i nver see the point of just adding a powerhead you may aswell add a inturnal filter then at least you will be getting the benifit from it

Seeing how I already have two filters, I'm just looking for sme sort of current. I bought one today a Penguin 660 Submersible Power head 170 GPH. I'll see how that works. And can you really over stock your tank with filteration, from what I have read the answer is no. If anything you have cleaner water and happier fish.

you have to many fish in the tank so by adding another inturnal filter rather than a powerhead which is doing nothing but move the water

i also think you cant ever have enought filteration thats why i think power heads are pointless

 

[erk628]

i think your tank will be a little bit over stocked

i nver see the point of just adding a powerhead you may aswell add a inturnal filter then at least you will be getting the benifit from it

T1KARMANN, the more i think about it the more I think you were talking about the type of fish I have when you said (overstocked). If this is the case all mine are still small and by the time they get bigger I will have a bigger tank.

 

[T1KARMANN]

1 Tin Foil Barb ( will grow to 10inch+ and should be kept in a shoal)
1 Tire Track eel (will grow to 18inch+)
2 red finned sharks ( not sure about the size of this but i think 10inch+ and you shouldnt keep more than 1 per tank as they will fight all the time )
2 Bala sharks (will grow to 12inch)
1 flame Gourami ( i know nothing about these)
1 black finned shark (catfish) (im not sure what type you have but if it the one i think they can grow to 3ft)
1 banjo catfish (will grow to 8-10inch)
2 Common Plecos (Algea eaters (these grow real big up to 2ft)

 

[erk628]

i think your tank will be a little bit over stocked

i nver see the point of just adding a powerhead you may aswell add a inturnal filter then at least you will be getting the benifit from it

Seeing how I already have two filters, I'm just looking for sme sort of current. I bought one today a Penguin 660 Submersible Power head 170 GPH. I'll see how that works. And can you really over stock your tank with filteration, from what I have read the answer is no. If anything you have cleaner water and happier fish.

you have to many fish in the tank so by adding another inturnal filter rather than a powerhead which is doing nothing but move the water

i also think you cant ever have enought filteration thats why i think power heads are pointless

 

[erk628]

1 Tin Foil Barb ( will grow to 10inch+ and should be kept in a shoal)
1 Tire Track eel (will grow to 18inch+)
2 red finned sharks ( not sure about the size of this but i think 10inch+ and you shouldnt keep more than 1 per tank as they will fight all the time )
2 Bala sharks (will grow to 12inch)
1 flame Gourami ( i know nothing about these)
1 black finned shark (catfish) (im not sure what type you have but if it the one i think they can grow to 3ft)
1 banjo catfish (will grow to 8-10inch)
2 Common Plecos (Algea eaters (these grow real big up to 2ft)

I know what I have and I know how big they will get. Like I said before they are still very small with the biggest being my Tin Foil Barb which is about 6 inch, actually my eel about 7 to 8 inchs. With the size of my fish right now my 55 gallon tank is plenty big enough, and like I said before when they do get bigger I will have a bigger tank (tanks) by then. Also with the red fined sharks (rainbow sharks) they have never once fought. They sleep togther and they swim toghter. That just goes to show you can't always beieve what you read, somethimes you just have to experment. As I have said before I already have two filters one pushing out 300 GPH and the other came with the tank and is made for a 55 gallon and I'm sure its pushing the same, which gives my 600 GPH and I think thats plenty. The reason I wanted a powerhead was because I want a current other then on the top which I have plent there. I have just put my new power head in towards the bottom and now have a current like I wanted. Even though my black fin shark is still swimming back and farth on top of the water on one side of the tank, the others seem to joy it.

Any one have any ideas why he is doing that, I'm thinking maybe he just hasn't took the time to notice the current below yet

 

[erk628]

1 Tin Foil Barb ( will grow to 10inch+ and should be kept in a shoal)
1 Tire Track eel (will grow to 18inch+)
2 red finned sharks ( not sure about the size of this but i think 10inch+ and you shouldnt keep more than 1 per tank as they will fight all the time )
2 Bala sharks (will grow to 12inch)
1 flame Gourami ( i know nothing about these)
1 black finned shark (catfish) (im not sure what type you have but if it the one i think they can grow to 3ft)
1 banjo catfish (will grow to 8-10inch)
2 Common Plecos (Algea eaters (these grow real big up to 2ft)

I know what I have and I know how big they will get. Like I said before they are still very small with the biggest being my Tin Foil Barb which is about 6 inch, actually my eel about 7 to 8 inchs. With the size of my fish right now my 55 gallon tank is plenty big enough, and like I said before when they do get bigger I will have a bigger tank (tanks) by then. Also with the red fined sharks (rainbow sharks) they have never once fought. They sleep togther and they swim toghter. That just goes to show you can't always beieve what you read, somethimes you just have to experment. As I have said before I already have two filters one pushing out 300 GPH and the other came with the tank and is made for a 55 gallon and I'm sure its pushing the same, which gives my 600 GPH and I think thats plenty. The reason I wanted a powerhead was because I want a current other then on the top which I have plent there. I have just put my new power head in towards the bottom and now have a current like I wanted. Even though my black fin shark is still swimming back and farth on top of the water on one side of the tank, the others seem to joy it.

Any one have any ideas why he is doing that, I'm thinking maybe he just hasn't took the time to notice the current below yet

T1KARMANN, I noticed you said the barb should be kept in a shoal, what is this never heard of that. That was my first fish and she seems very happy in the tank she is in

1 Tin Foil Barb ( will grow to 10inch+ and should be kept in a shoal)
1 Tire Track eel (will grow to 18inch+)
2 red finned sharks ( not sure about the size of this but i think 10inch+ and you shouldnt keep more than 1 per tank as they will fight all the time )
2 Bala sharks (will grow to 12inch)
1 flame Gourami ( i know nothing about these)
1 black finned shark (catfish) (im not sure what type you have but if it the one i think they can grow to 3ft)
1 banjo catfish (will grow to 8-10inch)
2 Common Plecos (Algea eaters (these grow real big up to 2ft)

I know what I have and I know how big they will get. Like I said before they are still very small with the biggest being my Tin Foil Barb which is about 6 inch, actually my eel about 7 to 8 inchs. With the size of my fish right now my 55 gallon tank is plenty big enough, and like I said before when they do get bigger I will have a bigger tank (tanks) by then. Also with the red fined sharks (rainbow sharks) they have never once fought. They sleep togther and they swim toghter. That just goes to show you can't always beieve what you read, somethimes you just have to experment. As I have said before I already have two filters one pushing out 300 GPH and the other came with the tank and is made for a 55 gallon and I'm sure its pushing the same, which gives my 600 GPH and I think thats plenty. The reason I wanted a powerhead was because I want a current other then on the top which I have plent there. I have just put my new power head in towards the bottom and now have a current like I wanted. Even though my black fin shark is still swimming back and farth on top of the water on one side of the tank, the others seem to joy it.

Any one have any ideas why he is doing that, I'm thinking maybe he just hasn't took the time to notice the current below yet

T1KARMANN, I noticed you said the barb should be kept in a shoal, what is this never heard of that. That was my first fish and she seems very happy in the tank she is in

I did a quick google search on what a shoal is and it looks like its a school. Am I right on this, also I planned on getting atleast one other tin foil barb. I was going to do it this weekend but ranout of money so i'll probaly get another one next weekend

 

[atmmachine816]

A shoal is usually 6 fish but in my opinion I wouldn't get anymore fish until you have more tanks but it's up to you. I don't think you'v been very nice to T1KARMANN when all he has been doing is being nice to you and trying to help, just wana let you know I don't know if you mean it that way but it sounds like you don't want his help then do later when you have a question though you may not so I may be wrong though Just letting you know i'm not trying to tell you what to do. Is it red tail sharks or rainbow sharks because they are very different.

 

[T1KARMANN]

oh well i tryed to help

it no big deal if its working for you carry on with what you are doing

 

[erk628]

A shoal is usually 6 fish but in my opinion I wouldn't get anymore fish until you have more tanks but it's up to you. I don't think you'v been very nice to T1KARMANN when all he has been doing is being nice to you and trying to help, just wana let you know I don't know if you mean it that way but it sounds like you don't want his help then do later when you have a question though you may not so I may be wrong though Just letting you know i'm not trying to tell you what to do. Is it red tail sharks or rainbow sharks because they are very different.

I didn't mean to sound mean, sorry T1KARMANN if I came across that way. I was just tring to get across the fact that the size my fish are right now my tank size is plenty big enough. Also I understand when my fish get bigger I will need to have a bigger tank and I plan to do that. Also there red finned sharks also known as raindow sharks. I like to call them red finned because thats what they have, I don't see why they call them rainbow sharks seeing how there only black and red. Well one of them is albino. Once again T1KARMANN sorry if I came across mean didn't mean anything by it. Also I have had the power head in there all day and they all love it but the black finned shark (catfish) is doing the same thing swimming back and forth on the top of the tank sometimes he will swim towards the top the length of the tank. He's the main reason I bought the powerhead because I read they like to swim in currents. I've only had him for about two days. Anyone have any ideas why he is doing this.

A shoal is usually 6 fish but in my opinion I wouldn't get anymore fish until you have more tanks but it's up to you. I don't think you'v been very nice to T1KARMANN when all he has been doing is being nice to you and trying to help, just wana let you know I don't know if you mean it that way but it sounds like you don't want his help then do later when you have a question though you may not so I may be wrong though Just letting you know i'm not trying to tell you what to do. Is it red tail sharks or rainbow sharks because they are very different.

atmmachine, why do you think I shouldn't get any more fish for this one tank. I understand they will get bigger, but from what I have read a completly stocked tank for me would be 55 inchs and I'm not there yet. Also Like I said I am going to get more tanks, I'd like to get a 100 or 200 gallon but not sure if the house I live in now floors could support that.lol. What I'm thinking right now the lengths my fish are I still have plenty more room, that is until they get bigger but I'll have more tanks by then.

 

[T1KARMANN]

the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule doesnt work if it was the case then i would be able to have 300inches of fish in my tank

at the monent i have 154inches of fish in my tank if the rule of 1inch of fish per gallon works then im only half stocked and their is no way in the world i can put another 140inch of fish in my tank

 

[erk628]

the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule doesnt work if it was the case then i would be able to have 300inches of fish in my tank

at the monent i have 154inches of fish in my tank if the rule of 1inch of fish per gallon works then im only half stocked and their is no way in the world i can put another 140inch of fish in my tank

I bet you tank looks pretty empty huh. Also if the rule doesn't work then why does everthing I read say to go by that. That include posts I have read here. They say not to measure it by the gallons but the amount of top water space you have, because every fish has to have so much room.

the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule doesnt work if it was the case then i would be able to have 300inches of fish in my tank

at the monent i have 154inches of fish in my tank if the rule of 1inch of fish per gallon works then im only half stocked and their is no way in the world i can put another 140inch of fish in my tank

I bet you tank looks pretty empty huh. Also if the rule doesn't work then why does everthing I read say to go by that. That include posts I have read here. They say not to measure it by the gallons but the amount of top water space you have, because every fish has to have so much room.

Before anyone says anything I didn't mean to sound mean T1KARMANN, Also I was wondering how did you know when enough was enough (fish wise for your tank) since you didn't go with the rule 1 inch per gallon