Setting Up A Moray Eel Tank

[fishermandave333]

Ya for sure, I am just new to SW so just wondered for a 200 system with the heavy bioload of a large eel, what would you suggest, 150-200 lbs?

I found a guy I would really love to keep, Enchelycore pardalis, the japanese dragon moray. Anyone have any clue where I could get one? Or how much to expect to pay?

 

[jeffopentax]

I think living aquarium could get one in for you. About $1500 sticks in my head, but there are a few species of "dragon" eels, so that could be wrong. Either way, it won't be cheap!


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[jeffopentax]

Actually, try here...
http://www.incredibleaquarium.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31_58&products_id=1052


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[fishermandave333]

Sweet thanks, requesting a quote. I am actually so excited to get a moray, it is taking every ounce of willpower not to just get one and think of another temp home for the rays while I reseal their tank. The dragon actually has my eye more than the tessa, I doubt I can justify the money to the old lady.

Any recommendation on live rock, how many lbs and where I should get it? Still need a good skimmer too. Keep it coming with recommendations of where to look for morays. Thanks guys!

 

[fishermandave333]

Almost a year later I want to revive this thread, I am finally getting to the point that I want to seriously start pulling the trigger on this. Had a couple litters of stringray pups, built a large plywood aquarium, have some odds and ends to still figure out, but here is what I have:

Basic T8-T10 Light Ballast - I assume I don't need any special lights for these guys?
180 Bowfront Tank, Stand, Custom Built Lids which I will be velcroing to the tank so I don't get any escapees
75 Gallon sump, water level sitting about 12", 3 basic chambers, one for filter socks and live rock, one of the skimmer and live rock, and a return
2x Mag 9.5 pumps

Things I know I need to get:

Heater
Powerhead
Bubbler
Protein Skimmer
Live Rock
Eel(s)

Did I miss anything in my To Get list?

Do I need an ATO, like with basic lights and this system do you think I will be getting a lot of evap? Considering my moray may be aggressive, how do I handle algae issues, do I make a scrubber?

How do you guys suggest I go about getting the rock situation figured out, go like 50 lbs live and 150 dry? All live? How do I go about getting this rock (and skimmer I guess) without my girlfriend stabbing me in my sleep over the amount of money it costs?

 

[zoomster]

1- you probably don't NEED an ATO but, I would recommend one. beats pouring buckets in every couple of days IMO.
2- as far as not getting stabbed, I cannot help much there. ( I actually sleep in a flax jacket myself ) but to save cost if you have the time to wait for curing then yes, using some live to seed a bunch of dry is the most cost effective I would think.
there are a bunch of members here that could probably help with getting a good skimmer ( if you don't mind used equipment ) and both your live and deadrock at very reasonable prices that may just help save your life.
I have found the " its worth $1000 new but got it from such and such a member for only $200 babe, am I a deal hunter or what!" approach works well.

Hope this helps and good luck with your moray tank. don't forget to post lots of pics along the way!

 

[AdInfinitum]

Bubbler????

Is this Finding Nemo?


Ocean Abyss in Hamilton had Dragons in last time I was there but it was a little while ago...worth a call...

Reseal? Acrylic seams tend to fail catastrophically not just seep...is there a disaster story there??? Share....

 

[fishermandave333]

No disaster at all, quite the opposite. I have a 400 acrylic and the eurobrace was cracked by one of my not so careful friends during a move, and I started to notice some wear on my seams. So I started building a 720 plywood tank so I can rehome the fish while I repair the acrylic tank with Weld-on#40. Project took a bit, but now a year and a bit later there is not very much difference with the seams, and popular opinion of those who work with acrylic tanks have led me to believe I still have several years before I actually have to start worrying about it. So once this plywood is completely finished, instead of moving to the daunting acrylic repair task I will slowly move to the moray eel tank task. Problem is the old lady said that if I get an eel she is buying a pug, and I absolutely refuse to own an oversized rat with its face smashed against the wall, so I have to figure out a way around that. I figure I will slowly get everything going incognito and then wait till I have some bargaining power with something she wants to pull trigger on the live rock and eel.

Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming. If someone thinks they have what I need (particularly a strong enough skimmer with a max height of 28" and working at a 12" water level) please pm me.

 

[AdInfinitum]

If you're comfortable working with Weldon 40, once the acrylic is clean and dry all you need to do is prop the tank at a 45 degree angle and pour a filet of 40 along each seam one at a time and the original seaming becomes irrelevant and cosmetically it just leaves a slight optical distortion at the very edges since the monomer sets perfectly clear and without a visible seam to the panels. Thickness required depends on the depth of the tank and minimum of 24 hrs absolutely motionless cure time to allow proper polymerisation...then on to the next seam...

 

[AdInfinitum]

BTW in my current project I will be repairing a cracked Euro brace by milling out the cracked area and filling with 40 to see if I can get a cosmetically near perfect result...I'll let you know how that turn out.

 

[fishermandave333]

Cool, good to see someone else locally working with Weld-on #40. Stuff is tough to get a hold of even, I wanted to buy a gallon and everyone told me I need to buy 4 cuz they cant sell the other 3 lol. Anyway ya my original intent was to do it quick after the plywood is built, but this whole project has turned me off of taking on another one right away, and the seams are not getting visibly worse at any drastic rate, so I am putting the repair on hold until I see something really concerning. Then I can simply put my stock in the 720 plywood and divide it in half because I will have other stuff in there and do it then. I am far more itching to get a moray setup going, though the expense really is driving me away. Keep me posted on your weld-on successes. I was of the impression that glass leaks tend to be catastrophic and acrylic tend to be slow with a steady rate of expansion. Never had a busted tank so could be wrong. I will for sure msg you when I take on the project, never worked with the stuff and heard that it is a balancing act of not pouring it too quickly to avoid crazing and not pouring too slowly because the container gets too hot to hold. I tend to be a hammer and wrench guy I don't have the most steady hands, not that I am worried about it it is just always nice to have someone that has done it before show you the way.

I was always inspired by Leviathan growing up, so I really would love a sea serpent in my house. People tend to be quite impressed by the stingrays, kind of want to show my house guests that I have more than one trick up my sleeve with a fatty tessy or dragon in there. The teeth are just so awe inspiring.

Wonder if I could track down a viper... LOL