rays in an open-topped tank

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the_deeb

the_deeb

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Apr 22, 2006
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I'm going to be starting work on a new DIY ray tank within the next couple of months. The plan is for it to be a shallow, open-topped setup. The interior tank height is only going to be about 17" and the water level will probably be about 1" down from the top edge. The tank will have a 3" eurobrace running all the way around (except for the overflow along the back).

Do you think this 3" eurobrace be sufficient to prevent any overenthusiastic rays from making it over the edge and onto the floor?

Here's a sketchup of the proposed tank:

pool_tank2.jpg

pool_tank2.jpg
 
Needs a glass cover, will almost certainly end up on the floor at some stage, lost one of my all time favourite rays in a tank exactly like this, the overflow is especially dangerous, rays are very intelligent, they will soon escape.
 
Dang. Aquaman, I actually recall hearing about your unfortunate experience with that ray and that was exactly why this concern came to mind in the first place.

Unfortunately, a glass cover will not be possible on this tank - it's going to be a riparium and will also have a some emersed driftwood rising above the height of the tank.

I don't think the overflow should be as much of a problem because there will be a line of riparium planters and emersed plants blocking access to it some extent but the other sides will be open (besides the eurobrace).

Any other thoughts besides a glass cover?
 
My brother had a female hybrid 5" jump out of his tank. He had a cover but there was about a 2 inch gap in the middle of the tank where the front and back piece came together to help keep it cool this past summer as it is in his garage. The ray jumped out of the water through the gap and onto the floor and died.
 
Listen to Aquaman and Fishdog. i know someone who lost a very nice 14" ray down a corner overflowthat was only 8"x8" . the overflow had a very high comb protruding well above the water surface. He came downstairs to find the ray dead and a dry sump from the flow being blocked. I have a 3 " eurobrace on my tank and even whilst cleaning today with the cover glass off, i had to literally push a ray back in with a net as it was being inquisitive at what i was doing. If you really think about it, a 15" ray is about 3" just from tip of disc to its eyes, so even without coming out the tank rays would be able to poke over the top without even trying. My Thoughts would be to have the eurobrace about 6" down from the top of the tank and use the lip of glass as an area for planting all the way round the tank. Could look very good. Even just something like java fern growing above water would look great.
 
Ok guys, thanks for the additional confirmation that the setup as currently designed is a no go. I'll come up with some sort of solution.

As I mentioned before, a traditional glass lid won't work for this setup because the main concept is for it to be an open topped riparium. Right now, the best thing I can think of is some sort of rigid plastic mesh lid with cutouts for the wood and plants. Not sure how I'll go about attaching it to the tank but I'll come up with something.
 
My thoughts are to simply build a vertical wall of glass about 8" tall off the eurobrace,this would leave the top open, it would just extend the height from the waters surface...that would work.
 
if you dont buil vertically from the tank walls and want the plastic mesh you could do egg crate. i have used it alot for various fish displays. it would be availible in good sized sheets 4'x2' do you could cut to fit and have a few sheets to cover it. thats another option, but i would personally build up on the sides. you could use egg crate to cover the overflows to prevent a ray from going down one.


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