Critique my furture ray setup.

[koop171]

Ok so I'm looking for someone who's a little more knowledgeable in motoro rays to let me know this will work or what I need to change to make it work better.


I'm setting up a 220. I allready have the tank tops stand and possibly a light. this is what I'm looking to do:

it's a standard 220 (72'x24"x30") On a standard black pine stand.

I'm looking to filter it with at least 2 FX5s, and maybe two sponge filters.
Heated by 2x400watt heaters with heater guards.
basically bare bottom


Looking to stock two nice marbles or one SUPER nice one.
a golden dorardo once it reaches 12" or larger.
And possibly one or two other fish. but not sure what.


So will this work. I guess the things that I need clarified is.....

Will 2 FX5s be enough or should I look into a third for the added flow and just fill it with chemical media like fluval zeocarb b/c rays produce so much waste?

Should I use the sponge filters or not and leave the bottom bare for added swimming room and just add a nice bubble disk for the added aeration(sp)?

Can anyone suggest a good UV that I can plumb into the outlet of one of the FX5s?

and lastly......

What else would make a good ray tankmate. something on the not so easy to come across side and possbily a little aggressive.


I'll try to get some pics of the tank and stand later but it's nothing special. Since it's just in the planning stage. but I hope to have it up and running within 1 month. prolly won't have rays then but it will be running.

 

[Nic]

Ok so I'm looking for someone who's a little more knowledgeable in motoro rays to let me know this will work or what I need to change to make it work better.


I'm setting up a 220. I allready have the tank tops stand and possibly a light. this is what I'm looking to do:

it's a standard 220 (72'x24"x30") On a standard black pine stand.

I'm looking to filter it with at least 2 FX5s, and maybe two sponge filters.
Heated by 2x400watt heaters with heater guards.
basically bare bottom


Looking to stock two nice marbles or one SUPER nice one.
a golden dorardo once it reaches 12" or larger.
And possibly one or two other fish. but not sure what.

hmm not sure what will work with the dorado... maybe a arro or 2? nice datnoid?

So will this work. I guess the things that I need clarified is.....

Will 2 FX5s be enough or should I look into a third for the added flow and just fill it with chemical media like fluval zeocarb b/c rays produce so much waste?
just stick with 2 of them.... add a power head for more flow... chem media is waste of money just do a extra water change
Should I use the sponge filters or not and leave the bottom bare for added swimming room and just add a nice bubble disk for the added aeration(sp)?

add the air pumps to a UPS and that would be perfect incase of power outage

Can anyone suggest a good UV that I can plumb into the outlet of one of the FX5s?

ill dig up the name of mine its perfect for them

and lastly......

What else would make a good ray tankmate. something on the not so easy to come across side and possbily a little aggressive.

rare frontosa? atf are getting popular... problem is your dorado and how it will handle the tank mates

I'll try to get some pics of the tank and stand later but it's nothing special. Since it's just in the planning stage. but I hope to have it up and running within 1 month. prolly won't have rays then but it will be running.

 

[jwong1024]

That all sounds great, I would add 2 air stones and maybe 2 HOB for mech filtration.

Top water fish make good tankmates, especially since you have a tall tank. silver/black aro, gars, pbass.

 

[Nic]

That all sounds great, I would add 2 air stones and maybe 2 HOB for mech filtration.

Top water fish make good tankmates, especially since you have a tall tank. silver/black aro, gars, pbass.

filtration is more than enough... 2 x fx5 is more than enough mechanical and bio for that tank....

 

[skylineiz]

may be you could add a spraybar on one of your FX5's and another one with the outlet below.

if you keep the water surface fast moving, ull greatly increase teh amount of oxygen in the water..

and when u clean your filters.

dont clean both at teh same time, clean one then next tiem the other.

(you dont want them both to get cloged at teh same time.)

 

[StripeGirl]

the problem i found with putting other fish with rays was the other fish get food before any rays got there food so i ended up over feeding all the fish except the rays.I tried arowanas but they seemed to spook the rays at feeding when they swooped down for food.I tried tigers but they are such pigs i had to stuff them first.I tried a big fire eel but he would steel the food right out from under the rays.Maybe a fish like a geo's or anglefish would work but i like monsters.I think a dorardo would freak out the rays.

 

[StripeGirl]

by the way sponge filters worked great in my ray tanks.I could not believe the waste i could squeeze out of them every other week.

 

[koop171]

That all sounds great, I would add 2 air stones and maybe 2 HOB for mech filtration.

Top water fish make good tankmates, especially since you have a tall tank. silver/black aro, gars, pbass.

FX5s are mechanical powerhouses. so I don't think that's an issue. and I want to stay away from aros they are just to common unless I can find a decent size Lei.

filtration is more than enough... 2 x fx5 is more than enough mechanical and bio for that tank....

That's what I was thinking but I didn't know if I should add the third for chem. to try and keep the wate perams. where I want them with the added waste.

the problem i found with putting other fish with rays was the other fish get food before any rays got there food so i ended up over feeding all the fish except the rays.I tried arowanas but they seemed to spook the rays at feeding when they swooped down for food.I tried tigers but they are such pigs i had to stuff them first.I tried a big fire eel but he would steel the food right out from under the rays.Maybe a fish like a geo's or anglefish would work but i like monsters.I think a dorardo would freak out the rays.

Geos and angles are just something that I really can't get into. so that's out of the question. the dorado I will try but if it's an issue I'll sell him off. That's no biggie I more then likely will have to sell him and prolly the rays later to house the GATF but that's 2+ years away and I still have a few dry tanks for stuff.

by the way sponge filters worked great in my ray tanks.I could not believe the waste i could squeeze out of them every other week.

I like the sponges b/c they clean better then most would think. and I can get more air into the tank.

But also I want to give the rays ample room to move about on the bottom without something in the way.




Thanks for all the help guys. and gals. I'll keep looking I just sold a TV of mine tonight and I got a few more bucks to get things moving faster.

 

[Nic]

the chem will be a waste in the long run... i did use chemipure but i had a bio load 10x of what you will have in your 220.... just a extra water change a week or even better a drip system and you will be set and perfect

 

[koop171]

the chem will be a waste in the long run... i did use chemipure but i had a bio load 10x of what you will have in your 220.... just a extra water change a week or even better a drip system and you will be set and perfect

I don't currently use any chem. I'm with you that's it's not something you NEED as long as you do your WCs. but I wasn't sure for rays if it was a must. and not I'm glad it's not lol. A drip system is out of the question simply b/c the location of the tank will be in the dining room and I don't feel like setting up a nice looking drip system if I'm not planning on staying in this house for long. a drip system is a long term goal. but not a goal on this tank. sadly.