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Am thinking of making my 20 gallons long a mini river tank....or in other words, tossing on some filters for larger tanks to really get some current going! I'd go the route of powerheads, but my substrate is sand, and I've never had luck with setting up powerheads without shooting the water out of the tank.

For animals, I'm thinking of a few rubbernose plecos, some otos (leftovers from another tank), and maybe some hillstream loaches? Would these guys all work well in a tank with strong current?

Well, hillstream loaches are a good choice, they can tolerate wide range of temperatures, Gastromyzon, that is...
But my advice with them is that put them last cuz they feed mostly on algea and sometimes they don't want to eat anything else, so this is the main reason why they are not sutable for new aquariums...
If you look at river tank, you will se a good setup of powerheads, maybe this will help...
also you have a good step by step setup on http://www.loaches.com!
what about some other small loricariids!?
Something like hypancistrus?!
regards

I've got a 26 gallon set up as a pleco grow out tank. It's 36"long, has sand substrate, and a 300gph powerhead. The one I bought came with an attachement that lets you direct the flow however you want, I have mine angled slightly downward, haven't had any problems whatsoever.

Does anyone think this would work with a 10 gal?

The current would be less directional of course, due to the square-er dimensions.

I would use a small powerhead fed through some sponges so it would be a high flow rate filter. How much flow would be too much for a 2 or 3 rubbernoses? Could those breed?

I know that it is a fairly well stocked tank with hthe trio, but with the heavy filtration and big water changes, it seems reasonable enough to me. I would only keep the cats and maybe a few danios for the top level.

Psy,
I have tried it in a 10 gallon and it just does not work that well. You end up with more of a vortex tank. A 20 long would be the minimum with a 33 long being even better. Besides, a ten is pretty full with just two Chaetostomus.
-Shane

I figured as much really. Its just that my 20 long is currently occupied by a rather rude pair of convicts!