companions for reticulated ray

**Fishguy2727** · 09-02-2008, 03:52 PM

The biggest issue is water quality, which is mainly water changes. Filtration keeps the water good between water changes, but without adequate water changes you are just letting things build up over time.

To complicate things further, water stability is absolutely vital with rays. You may do 80% water changes twice a week and have tons of filtration, but if the temp or pH is off a little it does a lot more harm to a ray than it would to an oscar. This is why so many ray keepers have giant vats of water they use to store water in to use for water changes. This way they can ensure the water parameters of the new water match those already in the tank when they do water changes. This was actually why I ended up not doing rays, I do not have a big vat to use for water changes to ensure stability and the pH changes over the course of a day or two after coming out of the tap.

**mynheers_a_pint** · 09-02-2008, 05:12 PM

the stability side is the only part that is causing issue. however, having spoken to a few of the 'ray guys' on MFK they seem adiment that general warm tap is perfectly fine. I asked about using RO and so on but their opinion was it was not necessary.

i guess i will jsut have to keep gonig on the research- i have bought a book that was recommended regarding the care of SA stingrays so while i wait for the tank to cycle i shall keep on reading.....

...And reading...

...And reading...

**Fishguy2727** · 09-02-2008, 07:39 PM

Make sure that you understand the difference between stability and precision in parameters. Yes, in almost all cases tap water as it is (with dechlorination if it is city water) is perfectly fine. They do not need a pH of less than 6.5 to live or anything like that. However, if your tap comes out at 7.0 (most systems (city or well) have neutralizers) but over the course of the next two days goes back to its natural pH of 7.8, although 7.8 is fine, that change is not. That is how it is in my house. The water comes out at 6.8-7.0 but settles back to its natural state of 7.8-8.0. This shift is what would be problematic, not the fact that it is 7.8.

Take a pH test of your water right out of the tap. Then take a sample of water and put it in a small bucket with an air stone for three days. Test that sample after this time and see how different it is. If it is different by much then you should not just use fresh tap water, but water that has been aged for a few days (refill holding tank after a water change and then let it sit and aerate over the next few days until the next water change).

**mynheers_a_pint** · 09-02-2008, 08:01 PM

that is very intersteding you should say that. I have done such a test and it comes out at 7.8, as mear as i can tell atleast and so far, the water test i have done on the tank have matched. Obviously the chemical tests i am doing have a certain margin of error as with all of the tests, but i am reasonably confident the water has not changed... yet.

I live right out in the country and most of the water comes from chalk aquifers so i have always thought we were in a hard water area. I'll keep an eye but so far.... no change.

EDIT- tonights result (left) compared from water straight from the tap (right);

It's not very clear but as far as i can see, there is no difference.

**Fishguy2727** · 09-03-2008, 01:52 AM

Good. Hard water, but with stability and high water quality (lots of water changes) it should do fine if it settles in well.

**mynheers_a_pint** · 09-03-2008, 08:56 PM

well i'm still smiling/pissing myelf laughing, having jsut won a 150 gal/700l tank on ebay with all equipment(tank, stand, heater, filters, lighting, substrate etc) for the grand sum of......

..... $160.

This will now be my Ray tank.

**Fishguy2727** · 09-03-2008, 09:29 PM

Much better tank. I hope it is not a bunch of useless equipment, but at that price as long as the tank holds water it is worth it.

At first I would add one female. Once she settles in add a second. Once they are settled in add one male. If all goes well you could have baby rays.

**mynheers_a_pint** · 09-03-2008, 10:37 PM

i'll be honest; it was a consideration i had.

I'm just happy i stopped messing around and sorted out an 'issue'.

The equpment is all good stuff and appears newish too. Recognised international brands too.

**Fishguy2727** · 09-04-2008, 01:13 AM

What filtration system will it be?

I assume you are using sand, do you know what type yet?

**mynheers_a_pint** · 09-04-2008, 02:15 PM

Fluval filtration so not too bad. Perhaps a bit too small as its only a 404/5 but i have an abundance of external filters at the moment so it will probably get 2 external filters as i had previously intended.

As for the sand, it is a very light, fine grain sand. I already have it in my 75 and it is the same as the LFS is using in their tanks including the ray's-

Here is my 75 about an hour after i filled it with water-

I have a lot of substrate left...