stingray question?
- Thread starter frostygirl
- Start date
As posted, sounds like your tank is pretty young (new). There isn't enough nitrifying bacteria to break down the waste your ray is producing. You'll have to leave a bit of NH3 in there to feed it, the bacteria will break it down into nitrites, then nitrates. When you see nitrite and ammonia at 0, and start seeing nitrates - you're through the cycle and it will be better suited for your ray.
Alright heres the new updates. I tested the water again and everything is the same as before. I added the other filter(aquaclear 110) back onto the tank and put a new one on the 75. I have noticed that it seems like every time i come into the room, he burrows himself under the sand and just stays there, moving very little. I have a light on the tank, which I turn on when i wake up and turn off when i go to bed. Could it be that he just doesn't like the light being on? Also, to save making this thread longer, how long should I wait to clean the original filter(fluval405) on the tank. And when i notice the ammonia going up in the tank, should i do a water change or just let it be so the nitrites, and then the nitrates form? I do apologize again for asking the "basic" questions, and thanks for any and all responses.
It's good that you added a filter with existing beneficial bacteria in it already. I'm assuming the 75 gallon still has a filter with BB (beneficial bacteria). Just wondering so you don't have problems with that tank too.
It's pretty common for any pup to bury themselves under sand/gravel when scared or just for the heck of it. My new pup does it constantly but now he is getting use to me, as whenever I come in the room...so does food. Lol. But whenever the lights are on and the ray doesn't notice you yet, does it move around a lot? If it does the lights aren't that big of a problem. It's also better for a ray to get use to it's surrounding by turning off the lights, but that is your call.
Whenever cleaning a filter which already holds a good amount of BB...
-Always use the tank's water, which means no tap water!
It's also not recommended to clean out all your filters all at once on any given tank as this might cause a mini cycle or an ammonia spike as the BB have not had enough time to recolonize. You can clean one or two filters at a time depending on how much filters you run on that tank and wait a week or two to do the rest and so on.
As how often you should clean the filters really depends on your stock too. But I usually clean my filters maybe 2 or 3 times a year.
If you still get readings of ammonia, I will still do 25%-30% WC as you already added a AC110 so you will be safe IMO.
Hopes this helps.
It's pretty common for any pup to bury themselves under sand/gravel when scared or just for the heck of it. My new pup does it constantly but now he is getting use to me, as whenever I come in the room...so does food. Lol. But whenever the lights are on and the ray doesn't notice you yet, does it move around a lot? If it does the lights aren't that big of a problem. It's also better for a ray to get use to it's surrounding by turning off the lights, but that is your call.
Whenever cleaning a filter which already holds a good amount of BB...
-Always use the tank's water, which means no tap water!
It's also not recommended to clean out all your filters all at once on any given tank as this might cause a mini cycle or an ammonia spike as the BB have not had enough time to recolonize. You can clean one or two filters at a time depending on how much filters you run on that tank and wait a week or two to do the rest and so on.
As how often you should clean the filters really depends on your stock too. But I usually clean my filters maybe 2 or 3 times a year.
If you still get readings of ammonia, I will still do 25%-30% WC as you already added a AC110 so you will be safe IMO.
Hopes this helps.
Thank you everyone, you have all been very helpful and understanding throughout this all. If i have a sponge filter in one of my other tanks(5 tanks currently running), would it be beneficial to put that in this tank as well? Also, what is a good temp to keep the tank at? I've been reading on it and currently have mine running at 78F. Is that an alright temp or should i turn it up a little?
I think that won't be necessary, as a sponge filter which I'm assuming you are running on an airline pump will do little on a bigger tank. For my ray tank (180 gallons) I have my temp sitting around 88 degrees. I know it's a little higher and most people will suggest not to unless a fish is sick but I do anyways...what can I say, I'm a rebel. Lol.
All of this talk is making me interested in some pictures of this tank of yours.
All of this talk is making me interested in some pictures of this tank of yours.
78 is fine, lower is OK too.I'm sorry, but i cannot seem to figure out how to load them from my computer to this website. As for the sponge filter, i was talking about the biologic filtration that may be in it helping to start the other filter. lol. So then where I have the temp at now is alright, but it can go up a few degrees and not harm the ray? I do have the heaters protected by some home-made heater guards made out of pvc tubes with slots cut into them and then sanded down so the ray wont burn or scratch himself. If you can explain how to upload the pictures onto here, then i would gladly show you my set-up.
Going completely off topic here, but what is the biggest diy tank on here? And just wondering why it seems like nobody makes one out of a 4ft x 8ft sheet?
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