Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank

[Michael Hoaster]

I like the back wall too. I especially like how the ulva up high shades it. With it in shadow, the seagrasses get a nice, dark, contrasting background, instead of more green of the caulerpa there before.

I would love to add an overhanging bulge to the top of the back wall, so most of it was shaded. Then I could encrust it with sponges. I wouldn't have to prune those living filters. But that would entail working with foam again. I'll save that project for a time when I'm doing some serious work on the tank.

The condy is in the QT with the live rocks, macro frags and a whole bunch of baby mollies. It looks pretty small, but okay, I hope. I haven't fed it, so I hope it's getting some mollies.

I guess I should start thinking about the return to regular salinity soon. I need to plan out the order of reintroduction, removal of unwanted stuff and the rebuilding of the detrivore community. I need to figure out how to remove the aiptasias from the live rock, without killing the encrusting sponges. I'm hoping that the caulerpa stays gone. Without a fast growing macro, maybe I can get the manatee grass to multiply in bigger numbers.

If I do it right, my little ecosystem will come back better and prettier.

 

[Chasmodes]

I need to figure out how to remove the aiptasias from the live rock, without killing the encrusting sponges.

Below is a link to a thread on RC about this topic. Have you thought about their methods?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1940141

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I checked it out. I've tried some of those methods-none with complete success. Aiptasia-X lead to a population explosion. Peppermint shrimp (and a filefish) seemed to work until I removed them-then they came back. I haven't tried boiling water, so I may give that a try.

After having them die out with hypo salinity in my display, I'm tempted to just move the rocks back in for the remaining three weeks of treatment. But I don't want to kill off the encrusting sponges. Some of the sponges still in the display have recessed, but are still hanging on. Hopefully they will bounce back when I raise salinity. When push comes to shove, I guess I am willing to risk it, for complete eradication.

Maybe I'll give the boiling water method a try this weekend and if that doesn't work, I'll throw 'em in hypo.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

The manatee grass is encrusted. It's not fun to show it looking like this, but I figured ugly milestones should be recorded too. Look closely and you may see some baby mollies. These little guys look to be a welcome addition to the crew. Every day they get bolder, swimming all over the tank now.

The ulva continues to look good. It's starting to shade the back left corner, which is where I planted the original turtle grasses. I haven't clipped any yet, but I will. I'm also thinking I may reintroduce my live rocks into hypo to rid them of aiptasias. I didn't quite get these tasks done today.

 

[zachxlutz]

You're taking all the steps you need to make your tank the best it can be, things can be challenging at times but you're heading in the right direction. I don't always post in your thread but I always enjoy your updates!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Zach!

Yes, things are challenging right now. But there are also things happening that I very much like. Being rid of two of the biggest pests, the caulerpa and the aiptasias, in the tank is pretty awesome. Not to mention, the ICH of course!

Getting everything back to normal shouldn't be too difficult. Plus, being able to refocus on what I really want, and not what I don't, is pretty exciting.

I lost another gramma yesterday. So I should have four left but I only see two, and none appear to be eating. I think I'm going to lose them all. That may be best for the overall health of the tank going forward. It is a testament to how tough these fish are, that they've lasted so long. In my experience, once fish get sick, they go downhill pretty fast.

 

[Chasmodes]

Thanks Zach!
I lost another gramma yesterday.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

Losing fish sucks. Reporting it to people following is even suckier. Being judged about it is the suckiest. I'm here to learn, help and show off. I've been educated, entertained, shamed and admired. And that's cool. I knew going in that it's not always a love fest.

Though your 'comment' is discouraging, I will continue to report info I think could be helpful, whether flattering or not. This thread doubles as my tank journal, so I try to record all pertinent events.

 

[Chasmodes]

Hi Michael.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by the sad faced smiley other than being sad for you that you lost a fish.

I have followed and admired your tank and efforts from the page 1, read every post, and I believe that your philosophy on all of the topics makes a lot of sense. I've learned from you, and from your advice, and I appreciate and thank you for it. I won't judge you or anyone on here at all. Your tank, its story, past, present and future, was, is and will continue to be awesome. That's why I follow...

I'll refrain from emoticon comments in the future. I guess I've used these in the past as a way to stay engaged in the conversation, to let the OP and others know that I'm paying attention, never with ill will. When things get tough for those that I respect on RC, I'll make sure that my comments reflect the support that they deserve.

I wish you the nothing but best of luck in the future.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks, Chasmodes. I appreciate it.

You said some very nice things, and thanks for taking the time to explain.

Good luck to you too!

 

[Chasmodes]

You're welcome. It was easy, because I meant them.

BTW, about your tank, what is encrusting your manatee grass? Coralline algae? Is it causing ill effects on the grass, or just there?

I'm curious because if it is, then my oyster tank might develop coralline at the lower salinity. That said, I guess it has to be in the tank first, or introduced.

Actually, that leads me to another question. When your tank was at full salinity, did you get any coralline?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I have had coralline encrust the grasses before, but this is cyano bacteria, I think, the same stuff encrusting the back wall. It does resemble coralline though.

Coralline algae is dying out in hypo, but I had a lot with my 'normal' salinity of 25ppt (manatee grass' preferred salinity). I've never run this tank at full, natural seawater salinity levels-35ppt. What salinity level will you run the oyster tank?

Don't forget I'm running a calcium reactor of sorts in my canister, with CO2 and cancerous media. I doubt I'd have much, if any coralline without it. I suspect your oyster tank will get a little, but not much coralline, assuming you don't add CO2.

 

[Chasmodes]

Oh yeah, you did say that. I forgot. Interesting about the coralline. Maybe later in my tank's life it will show.

The Chesapeake Bay salinity varies greatly. My collecting spots range ftom 10-15 ppt in the spring to as much as 22 ppt in the fall. I will adjust to the salinity that I find when I collect. I have a 10g "QT" tank that will hold later additions until I can acclimate them to my tank levels.

Eventually, my plan is to bring it up to 20-25 ppt, the levels further toward the mouth because I'd like a diverse invert population and a shot at tropical strays if I collect further South. I will also pick macros and/or grasses accordingly. It will be a huge experiment.

Fortunately, my star characters starting out are very hardy because of the harsh environment.

BTW, my wife wants a spiny box fish bad! Another reason to increase salinity. Inverts will be in trouble then!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

A huge experiment sounds fun! So, you're going to collect what you can, in areas you might find oyster bars, right? Collecting local plants and animals to stock your local biotope! I'm looking forward to it.

Keeping local plants in your aquarium is going to look so authentic and natural. Sounds like you've got some cool fish and inverts to work with too.


Today, my tank is still a zombie apocalypse with undead plants and a little cyano. With the ulva, most of the wall cyano is gone. I have two weeks until hypo is over. I think it's going to work out. I can't wait for it to be pretty again! Even prettier if I play my cards right.

Also it's cool finally getting baby mollies. I had, what twenty before, to feed the Lookdowns, and no babies. Now with three, I get babies. They're so cool and tiny, swimming about, eating stuff. Something about small fish in a big tank I really like.

Mollies really have incredible utility for aquariums. They consume algae and turn it into live food for carnivores. This closes a gap between producers and consumers. Food chain stuff yo, Heisenberg!

Which of course brings me back to the old self-sustaining aquarium ideal. How big of a tank, to grow how much algae, to feed how many mollies, to support how many carnivores? The aquarist supplies light, nutrients and current, Mother Nature does the rest.

 

[Chasmodes]

A huge experiment sounds fun! So, you're going to collect what you can, in areas you might find oyster bars, right? Collecting local plants and animals to stock your local biotope! I'm looking forward to it.

Keeping local plants in your aquarium is going to look so authentic and natural. Sounds like you've got some cool fish and inverts to work with too.

Yep, I'll check oyster bars, but also grass beds, rocky shorelines, piers and pilings, because although most of the critters prefer oyster bars, they also can be found along other structure. The primary factor with my collecting is access.

Which of course brings me back to the old self-sustaining aquarium ideal. How big of a tank, to grow how much algae, to feed how many mollies, to support how many carnivores? The aquarist supplies light, nutrients and current, Mother Nature does the rest.

I think that you summed things up well. That's my goal too. I might be able to do something similar but there aren't any mollies in the Bay. But, there are mosquito fish...hmmm... They don't like flow, so I think that perhaps I can find room in the sump for a good supply of food for the main tank.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

How do you access your collectees? Are you wading, snorkeling or boating? I'd love to hear more about your collecting methods.

I love the self-sustaining ideal, and it's a great way to think about filling in your tank's food chain. Getting all the way there is another matter! I really enjoyed my self-supported atlantic blue tang experiment, but I didn't quite have a sustainable (big enough) food supply to last much more than six months. But what a lovely six months! No pruning duties and a gorgeous, personality fish to boot. I'd love to get another one, but I'll wait to get a bigger tank.

No mollies that far north? I think they're from the Carolinas south. Are you going with a strict biotope?

 

[Chasmodes]

How do you access your collectees? Are you wading, snorkeling or boating? I'd love to hear more about your collecting methods.

Any way that I can. For the Oyster tank, wading or off a pier or dock, using a dip net (I have large ones and small ones), and I have two seining nets. I haven't tried snorkeling for stuff, but I'd give that a go... even for fun if anything else!

I also made extra oyster cultches out of non-matching shells to put in an egg crate box and sink them for the summer. This will attract blennies and other critters. I made two of them, so I can swap them out each time. I got permission to use docks from two people, one on each side of the Bay I will need a collecting partner to help, but basically one person pulls up the box and the other uses the big dip net. Benthic fish will hide in the shells when disturbed and stay in them when you pull out the box. The net is for escapees. I also thought about zip tying bottles to the box. After a catch, I can bring the entire cultch home to put into my QT/Acclimation tank. I also hope to collect inverts like sponges, anemones, hermit crabs and other stuff that way, maybe macros too, especially if I leave them alone for a long period of time.

Now, those pier spots are located on private property but both of them are in the mid-salinity range. I need to find some good private spots further toward the mouth of the Bay. I thought that I'd never get the two that I have, but in less than 2 years, lo and behold, I had them. I wish everything was that easy.

I love the self-sustaining ideal, and it's a great way to think about filling in your tank's food chain.

Yeah, that is tough but I agree, it is the best way to go, as much as you possibly can. I have an advantage as I'm 1 to 1 1/2 hours from my collecting spots. I can literally get live sand, mud, macros, pods, critters, and even water if I need to.

As far as the biotope goes, yeah, I'm doing a strict one, but it does have flexibility because the Bay has a wide variety of life and also conditions. Because of that, I guess technically it might not be all that strict. By that I mean, it's an oyster reef that I'm doing, but I might collect some marsh denizens (like killies, sheepshead minnows, and mosquitofish) along with the species that I'm looking for. That said, I've caught those species before near oyster beds. My only limitation is that those species need to be caught by me somewhere in the Bay :hmm5: Now, if I get lucky and catch a molly, then that will count! You never know!

Strays show up all the time, some tropical, some temperate species that their range is South of us. For example, crested blennies are common in the Carolinas, but a few specimens have been caught in the Bay (according to records). Were those fish misidentified or did they really show up? Maybe I could get that lucky.

Anyway, my tank stocking must haves for fish are striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianus), naked gobies (Gobiosoma bosc) and skilletfish (Gobiesox strumosus), a hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus)and apparently, per my wife, a spiny boxfish. The rest depend on what I can find and compatibility with the above species. I'm on the fence about a spiny boxfish. I also will have room in my sump/fuge (45g). I'd love to catch a spotfin butterflyfish, but we will see.

As far as invertebrates go, those depend on my collecting sites, which right now are in mid-salinity locals. I'll keep anything that is again, compatible.

That blue tang was so cool, especially the color transformation. Man was he ever an eater too. I guess to keep one happy, you'd need a caulerpa grow out tank? If I ever hit the lotto and can move to where I can have a really large tank, I'd love a Caribbean biotope where a queen angel will be on top of my list followed by the blue tang, redspotted hawkfish and of course, blennies galore! The oyster reef blenny tank was my dream tank and now becoming a reality, so I guess my next dream is Caribbean.

 

[Chasmodes]

Michael, how did you attach your ulva to your mud bank? Does it seem to hold up well?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Push pins. I fold the ulva a few times where I plan to impale it to strengthen it.

I would guess if there are any mollies in your neighborhood, they'd be inland, in less salty water.

The Queen Angel is another dream fish for me. Another fish for a bigger tank. They have a nice one at my LFS. From what I've read, they're not a great peaceful community fish though.

 

[Chasmodes]

Cool, thanks. I think that I'll have to use some sort of plastic clips to hold ulva in my oyster tank. I'd also have to check with my NANFA experts that collect near me to see if they've ever found a molly in our neck of the woods. It would be interesting if they did.

I kept a blue angelfish many years ago along with three Centropyge species, and a handful of other types of fish. Everyone got along just fine. The blue was purchased as a juvenile and grew to an adult. It had a ton of personality and was beautiful. I loved that fish. There definitely was a pecking order, but other than a little chasing now and then, everyone appeared happy.

That said, a blue is not a queen. In the wild, they generally occupy different niches. It's possible that all is well but then later when they're fully grown, they may get nasty. I just don't know. But dang, their awesome and worthy of a species tank. Where's that lotto ticket?