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Hi all

I've got what I'm told is an L261 being delivered next week and I'd like to get something resembeling a biotope going but I've hit a bit of a stumbling block with flow and tank mates.

If I set it up with an approximation of river flow in the bottom half, how much would this affect the top half? I cant decide between a manifold and a series of marine style powerheads either.
So far I've found lists of fish from the same area but not that live in the same flow as this does and it's annoying lol

Need some help guys, anything and everything is helpful right now

Thanks

Edit: forgot to mention tank size...it 48x24x21 LxHxW

Typically, the flow in "rapids" isn't linear (that is, it flows a bit this way and that way, swirling, and going turbulent around the rocks and stuff), so using some "low pressure pumps" like the Hydor Koralia [1] to make the water move a lot in the tank will be perfectly acceppable way to keep these guys happy.

Large rocks, stacked so that you get crevices and gaps between them, and some proper "caves" (for example ceramic tubes or "hollowed out rocks") would be my setup if I had fish like these in a tank.

I'm sure there are several dozen other solutions that will "work" by some definition of "work" - to a large degree, it depends on what you like the look of.

[1] I have four Hydor Koralias of different sizes in my tanks, and I like them. But there are similar types of pumps from a lot of other companies that I'm sure are just as good, including some that are really low cost if you buy from places like Ebay.

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Mats

Typically, the flow in "rapids" isn't linear (that is, it flows a bit this way and that way, swirling, and going turbulent around the rocks and stuff), so using some "low pressure pumps" like the Hydor Koralia [1] to make the water move a lot in the tank will be perfectly acceppable way to keep these guys happy.

Large rocks, stacked so that you get crevices and gaps between them, and some proper "caves" (for example ceramic tubes or "hollowed out rocks") would be my setup if I had fish like these in a tank.

I'm sure there are several dozen other solutions that will "work" by some definition of "work" - to a large degree, it depends on what you like the look of.

[1] I have four Hydor Koralias of different sizes in my tanks, and I like them. But there are similar types of pumps from a lot of other companies that I'm sure are just as good, including some that are really low cost if you buy from places like Ebay.

In essence then a marine style powerhead ie the Koralia or something of that sort would be better than a manifold due to not being so linear?
If I were to get two say and place them on the right hand glass in the bottom third to half, what sort of change in flow should I expect for the top half of the tank if any? If there's not much change it would open up my stocking considerably from nothing (can't find any flow loving top ish dwellers) to all sorts of things probably not angels and discus but some activity at least.
I'm starting to think that perhaps a true biotope isn't going to work right now however a relaxed one would.

I think you'll be surprised how well some pretty common fish does with a bit of flow, especially if you don't have the same strength flow all over the tank.

Danios, especially the larger varieties, can really swim very well. Some of the more streamlined barbes too.

And I don't actually think the L261 requires somethig that looks like a washing machine - just some good flow from one or two decent size pumps of that sort, and you'll be fine.

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Mats

Does tht mean angels and glowlight tetras would work?

Angels, probably not ideal. Glowlights, depends on how you arrange your flow and how much "stuff" you have to calm down the water movement. If the glowlights are given a nice area where they can "rest" when they don't want to swim maddly against the flow, I guess it would work. I have a few tanks with more than 10x turnover, and no problem with various common tetras and such.

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Mats

Im working on acquiring more hardscape to put in the tank, between that and the built in internal filter (juwel) there should be places of reduced flow