If I'm lucky I'll get this up next year (current plans)

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J

Jim96Sc2

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2008
110
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New York
So temperate non-tropical bullhead family sharks it is (still debating on PJ's, horns, or zebra horns).

So far my plan is to keep between 2-4 (I understand they tend to school while resting) sharks in a garage that has yet to be built. I'm trying to do things like minimal upkeep, maximum bio filtration, and minimal electrical usage.

Tank sizes have been fluctuating but as of now it will be 8-9ft wide and 12-15ft long by 3ft deep wading pool style using pond liner with wooden supporting structure. Minimal 1" insulating foam on bottom and sides to thermoregulate. I live on long island, NY so winters can get a bit chilly but haven't been too bad the last 5 years. Temps usually sit 35-45 degrees. Summers are warm, but nothing extreme.

Since I don't want to worry about drainage or spillage, I'm using gravity returns. I've figured biofiltration AND mechanical filter mix would do best. Overflow style pickup inlets for the two pumps. I'm thinking I'll use a mixture of rock types to create some ledges/caves for their rest periods. I also want to invert the time cycles so their nocturnal nature makes them awake during the day and sleeping at night.

For biofiltering I'm looking at a W/D system, maybe a 50gal poly barrel filled with biomedia.

Mechanical filtering has yet to be completely thought out, but I'm probably looking at a small pool-sized filtration system.

Added to that and continueing the gravity return theme I was thinking of a 300g refugium, still trying to figure how best to put that in line with the other two, maybe go tank -> fuge -> biofilter? I figure the fuge will be a lot of snails/clams etc which could also be fed to the sharks as live food supplements in addition to help filter. Fuge should, if done right, also add some "settling tank" factor in so I don't have to worry as much about clogged pipes.

Live rock is something I want to pursue, but not sure about the temperatures min/max (especially min). Probably get unseeded live rock and put it in and whatever wants to live on it is more then welcome. Also wondering about lighting requirements.

Macroalgae for nitrate controls. Its a large tank so some sort of starge/containment would work.

Trying to shy away from a chiller system. The garage area is shaded 50% of the day. I have a 25,000g pool that would be fairly close so possibly running a return loop system with fish safe hose from pool -> tank -> pool as a chiller if needed.

Heating TBA, but probably 2 large heaters.

Cliffs:
1000-2000g tank insulated.
Bio/mechanical filter mix
Fuge (also known as "live food storage facility")
Gravity returns on both systems
Still questionable on lighting/LR/fuge placement.
 
Well given the size of pond - your thinking of, and trying to shy away from getting a chiller - I would suggest possible keeping the Cali Horn (Heterodontus francisci).

Zebra Horns & Japanese Horns - tend to be expensive(generally - 1,500-5,000 a piece).

Port Jackson's sharks tend to be the largest of Heterodontids (max out at 4.5-5.5' in length). Plus they tend to be cooler water species & usually prefer water temps below 70F.

Californian Horns tend to do best in water temps that are closer to normal room temps - say 65-75F.
 
krj-1168;1606168; said:
Well given the size of pond - your thinking of, and trying to shy away from getting a chiller - I would suggest possible keeping the Cali Horn (Heterodontus francisci).

Zebra Horns & Japanese Horns - tend to be expensive(generally - 1,500-5,000 a piece).

Port Jackson's sharks tend to be the largest of Heterodontids (max out at 4.5-5.5' in length). Plus they tend to be cooler water species & usually prefer water temps below 70F.

Californian Horns tend to do best in water temps that are closer to normal room temps - say 65-75F.
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Actually, suprisingly, the zebra horns at the LFS were marked at $350 for a 1.5 ft specimen. i think they were returns from some retard (knowing the people on LI).

I'd rather HEAT then chill. If I needed the garage heated I'd just throw in a pellet stove or something which would be cheap source of heat if I find the aquarium heaters lacking. Cooling requires a lot more energy at a bad time.
 
Good start.
You're going to need a pretty good sized heater for winter and a chiller for Summer, though with a system that size. The 1" insulation will help, but it's not going to help as much as you are hoping. You can save money by ditching the refug idea. Just ran a sand filter into a bio tower and call it good. Toss in a stack of unseeded rock about 4 months prior to adding animals, and culture your own 'live rock' that way - but you won't need to if you are running a bio tower. I'd go wtih at least two 50 gallon set ups of bio media (bio balls or bio barrels work).
Don't worry about inverting lighting to have them awake when you are. They'll be active. If they are in a dimmly lit area, a basic florescent light strip will give you enough to see them and still add a nice touch to the whole set up.

For something like this, www.aquaticeco.com is your best friend.
 
I've been on that site a lot lately thanks.

From what I've been reading they sit need kelp beds etc, so I'm going to look into that too.

The fuge was not only for biomedia and filteration, but also their personal "refridgerator" full of clams, mussles, abalone, snails, etc.

Are you saying to drop the dual system idea and just do dual bio filters?

Also, protein skimmer: yea or nay?

Still in question right now:
Lighting requirements for LR? Will I need to run heavy lights for it?


As for the chiller, I think I'll be able to get by without one. The garage is in a shaded area most of the day and throughout the 11-2 blaring sun hours. It looks like it will start to get hit side on by afternoon sun. prior to the build maybe I'll throw a poly-pool of water in there and leave it to measure temps. I've also been thinking of those removeable greenhouses for the winter to help hold heat int he general area.
 
You won't need intense light for LR.
You don't NEED a PT skimmer, but one would be nice.
For bio filters, I'd run one pump into a T that splits half into each container, then have them gravity feed into the tank.

As long as you can keep you water temp under 70F you'll be ok.
 
I thought horns were comfortable from 65-75?
Click to expand...

It depends on the species - while most Heterodontids do fine in that temperature range.

Port Jackson's do best in water temps below 70F. Captive studies on Port Jackson's have shown that - if they are kept at above 70F - they tend to grow faster than normal (maturing in about half the time), get much larger(over 4.5'), and have shortened life spans.

In keeping Heterodontids - it's very helpful in studing the water temps in their natural range. This way you can find the optimum water temps for each species.

For Example with California Horns - the seasonal change in water temps thru out their range - is from low of about 59-61F (Near Santa Barbara,CA-during winter) to a high 79-81F (Near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico -during summer). Therefore the average water temp is about 70F. So 65-75F is a good average range for optimum health of a pet California Horn Shark.

By the same token - in the Port Jackson' s home range - water temps range from a high of 75-77F (in the North- during Summer) to about a low of about 52-55F ( in the South -during Winter). So the average Water temp for Port Jackson's is about 64-65F. With an average water temp range for this species is about 59-70F.
 
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