Touch Pool

[ichthyogeek]

Whoa now! Calm down, please! If I didn't make this clear, let me clarify: I HAVE NO PLANS TO MAKE SUCH A TANK FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. This was just an interesting idea that popped into my head because of my trips to Seaworld and various public aquariums. Do I wish I could have one now? Yes. Can I feasibly have one right now? No. I'm a senior in high school, and just the thought of leaving my current tanks scares me. Getting a pool like that would be literally tossing my parents to the sharks... "Oh don't forget, the cownoses need 5 pounds of clams every other day while I'm gone. The bonnets need 10 pounds of shrimp, whole as well.They only eat whole, and make sure to buy organic please!" *walks into airport terminal*. Shudder* NO!!!! As warm as Arkansas is at the moment, I could never possibly think that I could actually keep sharks and rays alive here, as seafood is too expensive, it gets way too chilly, and the ever present squirrels, birds, and pet dogs that might accidentally jump into the pond. I'm having enough trouble trying to figure out a plan to keep all my fish alive, and have come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to tear down 2 10 gallons, and hope that my parents/sister can deal with 3 tanks, a 30 fresh (convict and pictus cat), 29 reef, and 55 planted (most of the other fish...) . *EEP*! Okay, rant over.Sorry...

Thanks AR! Since this is a hypothetical project (and I can't stress the hypothetical part enough), I'm just curious to see what it takes. If I ever ever ever have enough money to not go into debt at building this, I will try. Price is an issue, which is why I'm glad that you posted the calculations. Umm...Why would I need some of the things you mention? Fuge-I don't think that cownoses and bonnets need copepods...and they also aren't vegetarian, so I could just plant some Caulerpa prolifera in a sectioned off area of the tank in the middle, right, or at least just plumb a large tank into the main system. Bead filter and protein skimmer-they're giant carnivorous fish, I can see needing these. UV-umm....what? I was actually looking at some of the build threads here, and, if I ever fully give the green light on this, contacting sea-world, the Georgia aquarium, or other places would be a good starting point for finding building materials. Sorry to get your hopes up, but I'm only 18, full of naivete and idealism .

I do have even more questions though! If I were to live in a nice balmy, tropical environment like southern Florida, would I be able to put part of the pool outside? I figure I could save a little just by letting clean rain water (after 5 minutes of constant rain, allowing the water in) enter the system as top off water. I might also be able to save a bit on heating since Florida gets so warm, right?

 

[TNTtropical]

Good to have a dream and to be asking the right questions, keep doing your research and don't let people discourage you, you are the next generation of Shark and ray keepers! Good luck man!

 

[mudbuttjones]

I dream of a 6ft freshwater tank in the basement with a bar built in front of it

Way to dream big, kid. Nothing wrong with that. That's cool.

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[Zoodiver]

Hmm...can you point me to a thread where I can learn more about this? I don't doubt you, but this just seems incredibly interesting.

Yes. This would be an example of a build for you. Not a great bonnet pool, but perfect for the rays.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...294225-Possibly-the-best-teaser-thread-on-MFK

Reading through this, and have a few questions. If I ever get juvenile bonnets and cownoses, would it be better to put them in the tanks for adulthood? Or would I be better off putting them in smaller tanks then move them to the adult tanks?

Regarding food: Not something I'd do on a constant basis, but what are y'alls thoughts on adding properly quarantined live shrimp, oysters, clams, and fish to the aquarium every once in a while to provide...is the word enrichment right?

I would start them in the destination pool.
As for adding live food as enrichment, I have seen both ups and downs of it. Luckily, elasmobranchs are fairly resistant to the junk that most feeders carry. Live shrimp would be ok from time to time as long as it's from a quality supplier. Most of the drugs you would use to clean up a fish during a proper quarantine will kill any invert food.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Wow that's a lot of filters...

Mr. Matt, for this theoretical tank, about how many cownose rays and bonnethead sharks would you suggest I fit comfortably? Once the space requirements are met, can I just put a very large group of both in there as long as filtration's superior? I'm also wondering if I could add additional clean up fish into the tank, like two small schools of tangs (one Ctenochaetus, one Zebrasoma) to combat algae as well as about 3 goatfish to keep the sandbed stirred? I'm also thinking about a separate plumbed tank filled with clams, shrimp, and Caulerpa to act as biofilters, sucking out particulates, leftovers, and nitrogenous wastes left in the system, as well as serve as live food from time to time. Will this work?

 

[Zoodiver]

Stocking is variable on water volume, foot print of the exhibit, filtration and biological process of the animals (IE, warmer water and growing animals consume more food than cooler water animals who are consuming less - therefor producing less waste).

I would skip the idea of 'clean up crew'. Leave that to the small tanks. Same with the algae scrubbers and stuff like tanks use. At this size, you are playing at a who new level. The sand filters will be both mechanical and biological for you. Tangs and any other fish that pick at algae will also be a hazard to your sharks / rays from time to time. Typically not worth the risk for most situations.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Okay, so at around 70 F (if that's safe for the fish), how would I be doing stockwise? 75 F?

I don't know where to even start researching dietary and home requirements of cownoses and bonnets besides MFK!

So skimmer and sand filter for filtration? Okay...

Is it because the tangs will feel threatened and go all surgeon-fish on the sharks and rays if they get too close? I'm foreseeing lots of algae problems within the system due to high nitrates, which is why I was thinking of a different sump. Not just to provide a little bit of food, but as an additional source of filtration.

Are cownoses and bonnets messy eaters? If they're okay with consuming the entire food and not leaving specks here and there, I'm perfectly fine with no goatfish or other scavenger type fish.

 

[Thekid]

Okay, so at around 70 F (if that's safe for the fish), how would I be doing stockwise? 75 F?

I don't know where to even start researching dietary and home requirements of cownoses and bonnets besides MFK!

So skimmer and sand filter for filtration? Okay...

Is it because the tangs will feel threatened and go all surgeon-fish on the sharks and rays if they get too close? I'm foreseeing lots of algae problems within the system due to high nitrates, which is why I was thinking of a different sump. Not just to provide a little bit of food, but as an additional source of filtration.

Are cownoses and bonnets messy eaters? If they're okay with consuming the entire food and not leaving specks here and there, I'm perfectly fine with no goatfish or other scavenger type fish.

I have a small goatfish and it spends more time scavenging on live rock than sifting the sand bed. It was more predatory than my puffer when it came to live shrimp.


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[Zoodiver]

The first step in a mega pool like this is ditch all of the ideas that apply to home aquariums.
With proper filtration and lighting, algae shouldn't be an issue. Tangs (and any fish that graze) like to 'graze' eye balls right out of rays and sharks.

Most rays have similar dietary needs. Just look at what they eat in the wild if you want ideas about what to offer under human care.

 

[GoodDog]

I work at a public aquarium with two different tanks with Cownose, and in the smaller, round tank (~5500 gallons) the juveniles display stereotypical stress behaviors like obsessive circling; they mellow way out when they move to the big tank (~117,000 g, 57'x30'x12' deep). They are very charming. Probably your best bet to work with them would just to go into the industry and husbandry for a large aquarium, especially since you're so young. Follow your passion and let someone else pay the bill AND you for the pleasure.