a ray for the tank

[deejeff442]

i wanted a ray for my 225 but it wasnt set up for it.
well due to some ich and whatever else is killing my fish .i am going to put the remaining fish into a 55 qt for 6 weeks .they look good now with no ich the tank is in hypo but it has come back 3 times.
so i decided to put them in the qt and empty out my 225 dt and 120 sump,completely sterilize it and set it up .
i have 300 lbs of lr in the 55 and a 35 for 8 weeks now so all the ich is gone.
i will get new sand .
what do i need to make this set up ray friendly.
the fish i have now are 3 tangs,foxface and a damsel.
of course i wont put the ray in for months well after the fish are back in after 6 more weeks .
i figure 3 or 4 months.
my rock is plenty cured and stable some of it is over 15 yrs old so i know the tank will establish faster than getting all new .
also i like the blue spot ray how are they to keep?

 

[ophiura]

You can start out with a completely brand spanking new tank...and still get ick. It has really nothing to do with the tank set up. So you will always be at risk for ick.
I don't understand if you want this to be a reef tank...in which case, I would not add a ray.
Substrate is critical for stingrays and should not be too coarse.
Blue spotted rays are very difficult to keep and I would only recommend for experienced hobbyists setting up a species specific tank. even then it can be hard.
I would not keep tangs with a stingray, nor large angels or wrasses.
The live rock may not help the tank "establish faster" than any newer live rock. If the rock has not been kept challenged with a high bioload, then the bacteria has died off a bit and you can be mistaken in thinking it will carry a higher bioload. May or may not be an issue. But in terms of "maturing" the water quality and stabilizing parameters...a new tank is a new tank.

 

[deejeff442]

i know about the ich just that this tank since the ich outbreak ,i havnt been able to get rid of it.
i am going to qt the fish ,the 225 has been coppered so i am going to clean it and resilicone it.
so there is no copper trace left.
i have just givin up trying to rid the ich in this tank.
if i cant have tangs or wrasses what can i put with a ray?
i get you on the rock it makes sense.
i am in no hurry ,i am in construction and am busy till thanksgiving usually so i usually do my fish,coral and invert adding in the winter when i have the time to watch them better.
there will be no corals in the tank.