18" height tank for rays

[Jez1992]

I can fit a 82" L x 36" W x 18" H tank underneath my main tank where the sump is as had stand built with no legs, this is max size that will fit with enough cleareance to get things in / out of the tank. I will then drill through the wall and put filtration outside in garden into a small shed and insulate thoroughly.

The pic shows the stand and space outside it'd be. Top tank would drain outside into IBC tote for filtration, then from there into bottom tank, then pumped back to top tank?

Question is, is 18" heigh enough for an adult ray? and to breed?

top tank is 30" tall, so this is more a secondary tank to add more space? but could just use as time out tank for males is was too shallow for them to breed in?

Thanks

 

[Dieselhybrid]

I've seen rays breed in 14" of water. That's not ideal. The pair had spawned numerous times and were bonded. Building shallow tanks really cuts back on costs so I know many keepers who do this in growout and other scenarios.

I think 18" will be adequate but not ideal. My largest female is 25" disc. In order for a male to breed in a smaller tank, she must be willing. If you wish to just keep them and care for them safely then yes this is deep enough. But if you want an ideal breeding environment, I think you go for more depth and greater total water volume. That said, I've bred plenty of rays in 36" width (front to back) so you should be ok with that dimension.

I'd suggest a drip as the shorter tanks have a lesser total water volume. Or consider adding a sump to increase the total volume of the system to help dilute waste and maintain stable conditions while maintaining a strict WC regimen.

I love the fact you're trying to fit in more real-estate for your rays

wicked cool

 

[Jez1992]

I've seen rays breed in 14" of water. That's not ideal. The pair had spawned numerous times and were bonded. Building shallow tanks really cuts back on costs so I know many keepers who do this in growout and other scenarios.

I think 18" will be adequate but not ideal. My largest female is 25" disc. In order for a male to breed in a smaller tank, she must be willing. If you wish to just keep them and care for them safely then yes this is deep enough. But if you want an ideal breeding environment, I think you go for more depth and greater total water volume. That said, I've bred plenty of rays in 36" width (front to back) so you should be ok with that dimension.

I'd suggest a drip as the shorter tanks have a lesser total water volume. Or consider adding a sump to increase the total volume of the system to help dilute waste and maintain stable conditions while maintaining a strict WC regimen.

I love the fact you're trying to fit in more real-estate for your rays

wicked cool

Diesel, Thank for the detailed reply!

Thats good to know thanks. my top tank is 30'' tall which is where ill keep the larger rays, but just though this may be a good use of space aswell. I guess i could use the bottom to keep the males in and just plop them in top tank when it is time if it didnt work out!

i guess if it didn't work out for breeding, i could just use it as a grow out tank for pups etc. just want to give them as much space as possible.

Yeah the tank is already on a drip system and the second tank would be tied ino the same system so id just increase the drip level to drip more water. And i already have a sump of K1, i would just move the sump outside into garden and tie into the system. So in esscene i would just be adding another tank in between the current tank and sump.

Yeah tell me about it, im considering building a 16x10 outbiuilding to house a large pond, but that would be lotsss of money so trying to think of other options first as if i did that wife may divorce me lol

 

[Dieselhybrid]

Sounds like a great plan. Tell me more about having the sump outside? Will that impact temperatures during certain times of year? Will it be sealed outdoors to prevent contamination? Inside of a structure perhaps?

 

[Jez1992]

Sounds like a great plan. Tell me more about having the sump outside? Will that impact temperatures during certain times of year? Will it be sealed outdoors to prevent contamination? Inside of a structure perhaps?

Yes mate, well the plan would be to drill 4 x 2" hole in wall and into garden.

Two would drain top tank into sump, then two from sump into bottom tank, then pump in bottom tank to pump back to top again.

I'd probably buy a 600litre IBC tote or 2x 200gal barrels like joeys day sump and then box it in a small wooden lean-to shed and really really insulate it with styro insulation and the spray foam insulation as the winters here are cold!! And I'd put the air pump and uv in the shed too as is noisy and annoying in the house! I imagine it will cost me more to the heat tank in winter but I have no other space in the house for Rays so is a sacrifice I'm willing to make! Lol

The other option would be to just have a big tank underneath, half of which as a sump, the other half as a holding tank, but en I don't really achieve any extra space for bigger Rays! Lol

 

[Jez1992]

The other option is to build a shed at end of garden with bigger tank in, I just really don't feel I'd appreciate it as much having to put shoes on etc to wall up garden and go into a shed, especially when raining, I feel it would take the joy out of it for me with that idea?!

 

[Dieselhybrid]

It might even be worth considering insulating the shed, or wrapping the sump somehow. If you can afford the bill, these are minor details

I'm excited to see how this all turns out. Do you mind posting updates to this thread? Or do you think you'll make a separate?

 

[Dieselhybrid]

It might even be worth considering insulating the shed, or wrapping the sump somehow. If you can afford the bill, these are minor details

I'm excited to see how this all turns out. Will you post updates to this thread?

 

[Jez1992]

It might even be worth considering insulating the shed, or wrapping the sump somehow. If you can afford the bill, these are minor details

I'm excited to see how this all turns out. Will you post updates to this thread?

Yeah the shed and the sump will be very well insulated with a vapour barrier on shed to keep damp out! Yeah I will do. I've seen people on here put they're sumps and filters through walls into garages and unfinished basements so I'm sure it can be done.

I've only just got my current tank installed so won't be for a few months left, will have to talk the wife around first lol

 

[yargnits]

i knew a guy 10 ish years ago who bred leos in a 18" tall tank . 6 foot long cant remember how wide. that was years ago. they were large rays along time ago before rays were as popular as they are now.