cleaning up advice needed

[top dog]

Hi all
looking for some advise on how to clean up after my 2 young hybrids. Have not quite got there portions rite yet and with young fussy eaters think leaving a bit of excess around not the end of the world. Larger of the 2 seems to bully smaller one away from the food so have been feeding bit more and more spread out to ensure both getting there fill. Have them eating earth worms and shrimp mix, larger one eating great smaller one eating okay but not great yet. Feeding 3 times a day.
This is leaving a lot of excess food and small chewed but not eaten peaces of food floating threw the tank, the wave maker pushing the food around well but is not getting enough of it into overflow, obviously i want it removed to keep water clean as possible. I am doing a 30% water change on tank every 3rd day, so ideal i do not want to siphon water 3 more times a day and add water to top up from the siphon.
best 2 options i can come up with:
I have been told and read that adding fish to eat excess is not a good idea with young rays, so do not want to run that risk, but was thinking clown loaches would be perfect. Maybe some angels for short term.
or
I Have a canister filter from a 100gal tank that is not being used, was thinking of running the canister in addition to the sump and hopefully catch the food that is left in the tank this way. But the canister is mission to clean and the way it seems to be going thus far it will be a weekly job.

please give me some imputing and suggestion

Many thanks Mark

 

[vader2nd]

I just take a net and scope out the big stuff and let the filters do the rest. I make sure I have good water flow moving the stuff toward the intake for my sump and change out the pre-filter every couple of days. Keeps water parameters good and the water clear

 

[MariaS]

T top dog , your tank is big..
Where is the overflow, centre or side and where have you placed the wave maker?
You 'might' need two in that size tank

I have had clowns and geos (brasilienses, no Tapajos they cheeky) with my babies for years with no problem and they do eat up left overs to a certain extent.. depends how much you overfeeding

Scooping up with a net as has been suggested also works, I sometimes do it too
Switch off the waver maker for a few minutes for particles to settle, scoop up what you can and then switch on again

Alternately you can join the 'crazy' people like me..
When there is only two or three pups.. I target feed them with a long tweezers...
First day they nervous of it second/third day, the minute they see tweezers they come running and I feed them that way...
I know... its for crazy people but then I know how much each one ate and I have no mess

The down side... my rays are not scared of anything that goes in the tank so they very inquisitive when you try move things around.. and you have to push them out of your way.

 

[top dog]

I just take a net and scope out the big stuff and let the filters do the rest. I make sure I have good water flow moving the stuff toward the intake for my sump and change out the pre-filter every couple of days. Keeps water parameters good and the water clear

Thanks, simplest solution often best answer, was a bit worried it would be quite intrusive as rays are very new and dam tiny. But guess if they eating and happy with clean water they will get used to post feeding clean up.

T top dog , your tank is big..
Where is the overflow, centre or side and where have you placed the wave maker?
You 'might' need two in that size tank

I have had clowns and geos (brasilienses, no Tapajos they cheeky) with my babies for years with no problem and they do eat up left overs to a certain extent.. depends how much you overfeeding

Scooping up with a net as has been suggested also works, I sometimes do it too
Switch off the waver maker for a few minutes for particles to settle, scoop up what you can and then switch on again

Alternately you can join the 'crazy' people like me..
When there is only two or three pups.. I target feed them with a long tweezers...
First day they nervous of it second/third day, the minute they see tweezers they come running and I feed them that way...
I know... its for crazy people but then I know how much each one ate and I have no mess

The down side... my rays are not scared of anything that goes in the tank so they very inquisitive when you try move things around.. and you have to push them out of your way.

MariaS do not know why I did not just message you directly, thanks for answers. wave maker is a large double head one, so really show have power to push food into overflow, but it seems to be catching most of excess food instead. Still option as it making it easier to clean up.

 

[cigars]

T top dog , your tank is big..
Where is the overflow, centre or side and where have you placed the wave maker?
You 'might' need two in that size tank

I have had clowns and geos (brasilienses, no Tapajos they cheeky) with my babies for years with no problem and they do eat up left overs to a certain extent.. depends how much you overfeeding

Scooping up with a net as has been suggested also works, I sometimes do it too
Switch off the waver maker for a few minutes for particles to settle, scoop up what you can and then switch on again

Alternately you can join the 'crazy' people like me..
When there is only two or three pups.. I target feed them with a long tweezers...
First day they nervous of it second/third day, the minute they see tweezers they come running and I feed them that way...
I know... its for crazy people but then I know how much each one ate and I have no mess

The down side... my rays are not scared of anything that goes in the tank so they very inquisitive when you try move things around.. and you have to push them out of your way.

I also use tongues to feed smaller rays too my larger female marble motoro is an aggressive feeder she leaves no scraps for anyone else. MariaS my little ones also recognize the tongues rays are very smart

 

[MariaS]

Thanks, simplest solution often best answer, was a bit worried it would be quite intrusive as rays are very new and dam tiny. But guess if they eating and happy with clean water they will get used to post feeding clean up.



MariaS do not know why I did not just message you directly, thanks for answers. wave maker is a large double head one, so really show have power to push food into overflow, but it seems to be catching most of excess food instead. Still option as it making it easier to clean up.

Pleasure, you can message me or Cesar anytime but Its also nice to post here as then you get other even more experienced people's advice and opinion which is awesome

Maybe the double wave maker on one side is too strong and throwing the food everywhere
I have two singles, one on each side so the debris gets blown from both sides to the centre of the tank (my overflow is in the centre) and it just has to go into the overflow
Have a look and see what you can do with yours based on this

Don't be worried about stressing them with the net or tongs
Do it slowly not to startle them and 2/3 days later they will come running the minute you put the tongs in the water


cigars hehe.. they not only very smart.. they beggars too!!