Shark / ray tank setup feedback

[Hoop]

Hi Everyone,

Well I have been reading the Shark/Ray section of the site for a long time and finally moved into my new place and setup my big aquarium. The tank is a 360 gallon 8' L x 3'W x 2'H with a 200 gallon sump which should total roughly 500 gallons as sump won't be completely full of water. I will be using live sand approx 3" sand bed and 575 lbs of live rock split between the sump and main tank. Water flow will be combination of 2000 gph main pump and 3500 gph internal water movement (powerheads)

I am looking to keep the following in the aquarium for their entire lives:

1 x Coral Catshark (Atelomycterus marmoratus) Average adult size 22" to 24"
1 x Arabian Carpetshark Bamboo? (Chiloscyllium arabicum) Average adult size 20" to 24"
1 x Cortez Round Ray (Urobatis maculatus) OR 1 x Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis) Average adult size 12" to 14" disc 20" to 24" length

Only other fish might be some large Damselfish, Hamlets or small groupers.

I am hoping to get some feedback from the experienced shark/ray keepers here.

Thanks!

 

[L8braker]

Is the tank up and running? 3" of live sand sounds a bit too deep, but maybe not for a ray? The deeper the sand the more pollutants that get trapped. Those animals should be fine in that foot print, and the size of your sump doesn't matter as much as its effieciency. Will you have a protein skimmer as well? Post pics if you have it going

 

[Hoop]

Is the tank up and running? 3" of live sand sounds a bit too deep, but maybe not for a ray? The deeper the sand the more pollutants that get trapped. Those animals should be fine in that foot print, and the size of your sump doesn't matter as much as its effieciency. Will you have a protein skimmer as well? Post pics if you have it going

Tank is not running at the moment, just sitting empty. Sand is not in the tank currently but I believe 3" will work as the sand will be turned over so to speak by the rays and sharks....dead spots occur when the sand is not turned over like it is naturally in the ocean via waves, fish, sand sifting inverts etc. Sump will contain a large protein skimmer in first compartment, large refugium with live sand / rock in second compartment and then return pump in last compartment.

thanks for the reply.

 

[Deano1956]

I agree, 3" is more than I would suggest, there would be no need for the Rays to go that deep unless their food source is that deep, I have 1" and my Rays can keep it clean by looking for pieces of food they missed

 

[Pazzoman]

Im not much of an expert in sharks and rays but how are you planning on the rock layout if you do rocks? I know they enjoy open space...

If you do rocks then you should probably do a small island on one side of the tank and the other side one....or large island on one side..

However you dont have to worry about that for awhile