Oyster Reef Ecosystem Tank
- Thread starter Chasmodes
- Start date
TarheelFrag
New member
the last bushel of oysters I bought I decided o add some of them to my tank. This was about 3 months ago or so. I acked them them by placing them in a larege bowl and adding a small amount of tank water all day until the bowl was full (thus slowly bringing them up to room temp). Then I placed a air stone in the bowl for about an hour before I went to bed. The next morning I did a app. 50% water change on the bowl from my tank. I then let them set for app. 4 hours and them added them to my tank. Of the 4 large oysters I added all of them all still alive and doing great! I also placed some little neck clams in my tank and they are also doing good. Hope the info helps....
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Yes it does, thank you! That was my initial goal, to keep some oysters alive too, hence my goal of using a natural unskimmed filtration method with heavy use of macro algae for nutrient export. Also, I was hoping to find a bunch of tunicates to put in the fuge as well and a few other filter feeders too for more filtration. I may have to supplement feeding to keep them alive with purchased planktonic foods, but still it would be very cool to succeed at this.
I have no idea what problems I will encounter. Algae blooms are a primary concern, also perhaps parasitism... I have a QT system already in place, so maybe that will help.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Latest update:
Things are much slower getting this project together than I had planned. Hopefully I'll have everthing up and running and the tank stocked by October.
Major progress made on the stand. It helps when you have friends with the right tools and knowledge. I have to give my buddy Bob credit, although I was there he did most of the handywork. I had designed a stand, roughly 3X3 and a sump stand using Google SketchUp 6, brought my plans to his place and immediately went out and purchased materials. The basic design is still there but we've modified it somewhat, so I'm posting some pics to let you know the progress.
Cutting the 4X4 legs to accept the top and bottom frames:
Attaching the top and bottom segments to the legs:
More pics to come in a minute. My plan was to use treated wood, but we had trouble finding any that weren't soaking water logged wet and/or near straight. So, we found some straight lumber and decided to waterproof the frame after assembly.
Things are much slower getting this project together than I had planned. Hopefully I'll have everthing up and running and the tank stocked by October.
Major progress made on the stand. It helps when you have friends with the right tools and knowledge. I have to give my buddy Bob credit, although I was there he did most of the handywork. I had designed a stand, roughly 3X3 and a sump stand using Google SketchUp 6, brought my plans to his place and immediately went out and purchased materials. The basic design is still there but we've modified it somewhat, so I'm posting some pics to let you know the progress.
Cutting the 4X4 legs to accept the top and bottom frames:
Attaching the top and bottom segments to the legs:
More pics to come in a minute. My plan was to use treated wood, but we had trouble finding any that weren't soaking water logged wet and/or near straight. So, we found some straight lumber and decided to waterproof the frame after assembly.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Here's the frame upright after adding supports:
Another angle showing supports:
Here's after we've added the two sides and the top. It's laying on the back, front is up. We've removed the bottom front brace so that we can get this thing out of his place and into my house. Actually, later, we're going to install that front bottom brace and remove the back unfinished one so that we don't ding any of the finished areas:
The sides and front door will be finished using formica then trimmed with dark wood molding, here's what I've picked:
Here's the stand as it sits today, upright, front facing:
This weekend we'll treat the wood frame and plywood in an attempt to waterproof it (we'll have to remove the plywood and replace it, of course). Also, we need to cut the back; cut, fit and install the door; cut, trim and glue the formica; and the cut and fit the molding. More info to come in the next post.
Another angle showing supports:
Here's after we've added the two sides and the top. It's laying on the back, front is up. We've removed the bottom front brace so that we can get this thing out of his place and into my house. Actually, later, we're going to install that front bottom brace and remove the back unfinished one so that we don't ding any of the finished areas:
The sides and front door will be finished using formica then trimmed with dark wood molding, here's what I've picked:
Here's the stand as it sits today, upright, front facing:
This weekend we'll treat the wood frame and plywood in an attempt to waterproof it (we'll have to remove the plywood and replace it, of course). Also, we need to cut the back; cut, fit and install the door; cut, trim and glue the formica; and the cut and fit the molding. More info to come in the next post.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
After the "cube" stand has been completed, then we'll build the sump stand. Here are some facts related to the stand:
Legs = 4X4
Top and bottom frames and the bracing = 2X4
Top = 3/4" plywood
Sides = 1/2" plywood
Finish = stone laminate and wood trim
Here's a pic of my original plan:
At first, I had a 4" lip around the front and sides, but later decided to eliminate that and keep it flush with the tank. The door will be a bit different too, but the basic idea will be the same. The top frame in the plan used 4X4, but we used 2X4 instead.
Here is the plan for the sump stand:
The sump will be supported by the 4 legs furthest apart, made of 2X4s and the top will be 3/4" plywood. The rest will support my return pumps and any other purpose that I may come up with.
Basically, the display tank will be in my recreation room downstairs and the sump will be plumbed on the other side of the wall adjoining my basement, in the basement.
Legs = 4X4
Top and bottom frames and the bracing = 2X4
Top = 3/4" plywood
Sides = 1/2" plywood
Finish = stone laminate and wood trim
Here's a pic of my original plan:
At first, I had a 4" lip around the front and sides, but later decided to eliminate that and keep it flush with the tank. The door will be a bit different too, but the basic idea will be the same. The top frame in the plan used 4X4, but we used 2X4 instead.
Here is the plan for the sump stand:
The sump will be supported by the 4 legs furthest apart, made of 2X4s and the top will be 3/4" plywood. The rest will support my return pumps and any other purpose that I may come up with.
Basically, the display tank will be in my recreation room downstairs and the sump will be plumbed on the other side of the wall adjoining my basement, in the basement.
Serioussnaps
New member
Truly original...I am subscribing. So cool to say hey this is what is in OUR back yard if you know what I mean. Tells a story about who you are and where you are from. I love the blue crabs by the way.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Sorry about the very long delay in putting this tank together. I've had a lot of things going on in my personal life that have put this on hold. Well, I can't stand it any longer so I'm moving forward. I found a very cool YouTube video that shows the biotope that I'm trying to simulate. I'm going to try and duplicate this environment as best I can. Most of the fish you see in this video are gobies, but you get a good look at the blennies at the end of the video (last minute). It would be very cool to exactly duplicate this with oysters and barnacles, but I don't think that it will be possible. Anyway, enjoy the video. In the mean time I have a lot of work to do to get this project going again...next update will be hopefully in the next month or so, maybe sooner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ZtwoTbRfI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ZtwoTbRfI
Fishfish0001
New member
Good luck! Can't wait to see it finished!
The Velvet Sea
New member
I love local ecosystem inspired projects!
In college my roommate and I had a local fish only tank. We caught plenty of fish in our field ichthyology course. Instead of giving some a formalin bath, we gave them homes! Sea robins, star gazers, pipefish, seahorses, sargassum fish, toadfish. It was great fun.
I had a TA who's masters project involved the filtering capacity of oysters. He used cephalopod ink as the media being filtered (we also have a local cephalopod lab in the area that does neurological and behavioral research). My TA had no problems keeping our local galveston bay oysters alive. You might be surprised how easy they are to keep.
Good luck!
In college my roommate and I had a local fish only tank. We caught plenty of fish in our field ichthyology course. Instead of giving some a formalin bath, we gave them homes! Sea robins, star gazers, pipefish, seahorses, sargassum fish, toadfish. It was great fun.
I had a TA who's masters project involved the filtering capacity of oysters. He used cephalopod ink as the media being filtered (we also have a local cephalopod lab in the area that does neurological and behavioral research). My TA had no problems keeping our local galveston bay oysters alive. You might be surprised how easy they are to keep.
Good luck!
This is such a cool idea! I love it. I know so little about the Chesapeake Bay, but its supposed to have some really interesting ecology going on. Apparently back in the day, the oyster beds could filter the entire volume of the water in bay in a day. Which is nuts!
The people in my lab are setting up a local biotope tank (Gulf of Maine rocky reef system). But our boss got excited and added a bunch of stuff he picked up diving (frilled anenomes, a wrasse, a bunch of different tunicates) and now the slowly evolving biotope ecosystem has been majorly ramped up. Our boss has a green thumb when it comes to keeping tanks alive though.
Good luck! Looks cool!
The people in my lab are setting up a local biotope tank (Gulf of Maine rocky reef system). But our boss got excited and added a bunch of stuff he picked up diving (frilled anenomes, a wrasse, a bunch of different tunicates) and now the slowly evolving biotope ecosystem has been majorly ramped up. Our boss has a green thumb when it comes to keeping tanks alive though.
Good luck! Looks cool!
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Hi all.
Sorry for the lack of updates on this project. For one reason or another, none that you'd be interested in or that I'd care to elaborate on, this project was delayed for several years. I've been a fan of this site and have followed many threads on here even though I wasn't able to really contribute. But, I've given this project new life and hope to have things fully set up as soon as possible.
Here is my to do list:
1) complete the sump stand this weekend.
2) complete the DT stand in the next two weeks. The only things left to do are to add the front door(s), trim, and laminate.
3) build DIY base rock and associated aquascaping (more on that below), and kure the DIY rock.
4) purchase a new RO/DI unit and establish a water change/top off station
5) purchase a new submersible return pump (looking at the Jebao DC3000)
6) drill and plumb the tank, sump, and water change station. This tank has eurobracing, so I've decided on a simple new style of overflow, the H2Overflow. If I can't purchase one (new company, not sure if they're available yet) by the time that I'm ready to run, then I'll design my own version.
7) purchase a new LED lighting fixture. I'm looking at the Aquatic Life Edge 36" unit. I will start with one, then move to two if I later think that I need it.
8) purchase one powerhead, perhaps two if I can afford it. I'm looking at the Sicce Voyager 3
9) fill and test the tanks, plumbing, and water changing stations for leaks and efficiency.
10) add salt and achieve the proper salinity levels. This is a brackish system, but more on the salty side.
11) build an ATS. I don't want to skim at this point in time, so I'm trying this route first. If I need to add a skimmer, I can do that at a later time.
12) obtain live sand from the beaches of the Bay, hopefully from an area with shark teeth. I hope to have enough for the refugium to start. As far as the DT tank goes, that's a lot of sand to collect, so I'm not sure yet if I'll get it from there or try to duplicate the look and texture of what I do collect.
13) purchase test kits and cycle the tank
14) collect clean up critters and other items from the bay for the tank, not fish yet.
I hope to have all of the above done by October. If I can, then I'll try and do the next two steps also, but if not, I might have to wait for warmer weather in the spring. Most of the fish move to deeper water in the winter.
15) set up a QT tank
16) collect fish.
I'm buying all basically new equipment, or maybe used if I can find what I want, because I'm starting from scratch. A septic flood in my basement caused me to trash most of what I had previously.
MY DIY rock. This will be a DIY Oyster Reef Live Rock. I'm following the recipes found on here pretty much, 1 part portland cement, 3 parts salt, and whole oyster shells. I'm substituting the oyster shells for crushed oyster shell because I want to create those oyster clump shapes. I plan on doing sections, with some having PVC rods to create vertical relief, with the ultimate goal of looking like a real oyster reef. Creating this rock will be a slow process, because in addition to mixing whole shell into the mix and get that clumpy shape, I'll be also cementing oyster shells to complete the look of the live reef. Those oyster shells that I'll be cementing on will be in two forms, to resemble closed live oysters and open dead oysters which will be used as caves for the blennies and gobies.
Eventually, also, I'd like to collect as much compatible bay life that I can for the DT and/or the fuge, including invertebrates and maybe macroalgae.
That's the plan. Hopefully, I'll have an update by the end of the week on my new sump stand!
Sorry for the lack of updates on this project. For one reason or another, none that you'd be interested in or that I'd care to elaborate on, this project was delayed for several years. I've been a fan of this site and have followed many threads on here even though I wasn't able to really contribute. But, I've given this project new life and hope to have things fully set up as soon as possible.
Here is my to do list:
1) complete the sump stand this weekend.
2) complete the DT stand in the next two weeks. The only things left to do are to add the front door(s), trim, and laminate.
3) build DIY base rock and associated aquascaping (more on that below), and kure the DIY rock.
4) purchase a new RO/DI unit and establish a water change/top off station
5) purchase a new submersible return pump (looking at the Jebao DC3000)
6) drill and plumb the tank, sump, and water change station. This tank has eurobracing, so I've decided on a simple new style of overflow, the H2Overflow. If I can't purchase one (new company, not sure if they're available yet) by the time that I'm ready to run, then I'll design my own version.
7) purchase a new LED lighting fixture. I'm looking at the Aquatic Life Edge 36" unit. I will start with one, then move to two if I later think that I need it.
8) purchase one powerhead, perhaps two if I can afford it. I'm looking at the Sicce Voyager 3
9) fill and test the tanks, plumbing, and water changing stations for leaks and efficiency.
10) add salt and achieve the proper salinity levels. This is a brackish system, but more on the salty side.
11) build an ATS. I don't want to skim at this point in time, so I'm trying this route first. If I need to add a skimmer, I can do that at a later time.
12) obtain live sand from the beaches of the Bay, hopefully from an area with shark teeth. I hope to have enough for the refugium to start. As far as the DT tank goes, that's a lot of sand to collect, so I'm not sure yet if I'll get it from there or try to duplicate the look and texture of what I do collect.
13) purchase test kits and cycle the tank
14) collect clean up critters and other items from the bay for the tank, not fish yet.
I hope to have all of the above done by October. If I can, then I'll try and do the next two steps also, but if not, I might have to wait for warmer weather in the spring. Most of the fish move to deeper water in the winter.
15) set up a QT tank
16) collect fish.
I'm buying all basically new equipment, or maybe used if I can find what I want, because I'm starting from scratch. A septic flood in my basement caused me to trash most of what I had previously.
MY DIY rock. This will be a DIY Oyster Reef Live Rock. I'm following the recipes found on here pretty much, 1 part portland cement, 3 parts salt, and whole oyster shells. I'm substituting the oyster shells for crushed oyster shell because I want to create those oyster clump shapes. I plan on doing sections, with some having PVC rods to create vertical relief, with the ultimate goal of looking like a real oyster reef. Creating this rock will be a slow process, because in addition to mixing whole shell into the mix and get that clumpy shape, I'll be also cementing oyster shells to complete the look of the live reef. Those oyster shells that I'll be cementing on will be in two forms, to resemble closed live oysters and open dead oysters which will be used as caves for the blennies and gobies.
Eventually, also, I'd like to collect as much compatible bay life that I can for the DT and/or the fuge, including invertebrates and maybe macroalgae.
That's the plan. Hopefully, I'll have an update by the end of the week on my new sump stand!
Chasmodes
Well-known member
I've decided on an external return pump, sump drilled accordingly.
Update: DT stand cabinet doors are finished and need to be painted. Things are going slow since I'm busy at work and in my home life, my family is going through some things where they need my time. I want it done, but can't...frustrating.
Question: should I paint the sump stand? I'm thinking that I should...
Update: DT stand cabinet doors are finished and need to be painted. Things are going slow since I'm busy at work and in my home life, my family is going through some things where they need my time. I want it done, but can't...frustrating.
Question: should I paint the sump stand? I'm thinking that I should...
I enjoy spending my time in the mud flats and oyster beds around Assateague and Chincoteague myself - you should have lots of interesting things in there by the time you're done. I have a few oysters, sponges, a couple types of algae, and of course a handful of grass shrimp in a spare twenty. Haven't been lucky enough to find a seahorse yet, but they're out there, too. I kind of like the model they have at the National Aquarium in Baltimore...it has the "real feel" to it.
Should be a neat project!
Should be a neat project!
Cutiewitbooty
New member
. following 
Chasmodes
Well-known member
It's been a while since I've updated, but that isn't for lack of not wanting to. Funding for equipment is my issue. Hopefully, I'll be able to buy all that I need in the next few months (looks like it). The good thing is that even allowing for the tank to cycle after set up, it will be at least six months before I can really collect the specimens that I need for this tank to be a success (striped blennies).
In the meantime, I've been working on the stands and also building the oyster reef itself (the aquascaping). The problem with that is that I'm picky and want it to look perfect, not just scatter some oyster shells in there and hope it looks OK. I decided to make this fish only for now and after the tank cycles and fish introduced, maybe later collect other invertebrates to complete the tank. Some will be introduced along with the fish or maybe sooner toward the end of the cycle (hermit crabs, snails, etc.).
So, at the very least, I want this to simulate an oyster reef as much as possible. I have amassed oyster shells in several ways. Some of my larger ones came from a buddy of mine that camps along the Chesapeake Bay, that came from one of his favorite restaurants. I also bought some at Wegman's and shucked them myself (nasty), and saved the oyster meat (and also slipper shell critters) and froze them for food down the road for the fish. Those dried out and stunk up my basement for a while, maybe I missed a slipper or two :lolspin:. Anyway, my wife wasn't happy about that. But the shells from my buddy had been outside for a long time and were pretty dry.
So, my progress on building the reef has been meticulous and slow. But, it's coming along. Having oyster shells and my ongoing projects in the living room isn't making my family happy with me, but it's a great thing to do while watching TV (putting my reef together). It's like art, to me, in a way. My next posts will be a few pics of my oyster reef progress. But first, here is a picture of an oyster cultch, basically a sub-component of the oyster bar/reef that I'm trying to simulate:
That picture is from an oyster restoration site, Barnegat Bay Shellfish Home Page: http://barnegatshellfish.org/identify_wild_oysters.htm
A cultch is simply a bunch of oysters that have settled from their larval or spat stage onto other oysters, and over time forming the reef. Actually, they attach to many other shellfish too, and vice versa to form the reef.
The picture below is from another oyster restoration site and is the one that inspired my aquascaping quite a bit, how the oysters grow in a shallow environment: http://www.naplesgov.com/index.aspx?NID=357. It doesn't matter that it's in Naples, Florida because they're the same species of oyster, and the natural reefs along the bay grow in much the same way, a shallow water environment. I've studied this quite a bit since I began this project, and have learned quite a bit about oysters, oyster reefs, and the wide variety of marine and/or estuarine flora and fauna.
In the meantime, I've been working on the stands and also building the oyster reef itself (the aquascaping). The problem with that is that I'm picky and want it to look perfect, not just scatter some oyster shells in there and hope it looks OK. I decided to make this fish only for now and after the tank cycles and fish introduced, maybe later collect other invertebrates to complete the tank. Some will be introduced along with the fish or maybe sooner toward the end of the cycle (hermit crabs, snails, etc.).
So, at the very least, I want this to simulate an oyster reef as much as possible. I have amassed oyster shells in several ways. Some of my larger ones came from a buddy of mine that camps along the Chesapeake Bay, that came from one of his favorite restaurants. I also bought some at Wegman's and shucked them myself (nasty), and saved the oyster meat (and also slipper shell critters) and froze them for food down the road for the fish. Those dried out and stunk up my basement for a while, maybe I missed a slipper or two :lolspin:. Anyway, my wife wasn't happy about that. But the shells from my buddy had been outside for a long time and were pretty dry.
So, my progress on building the reef has been meticulous and slow. But, it's coming along. Having oyster shells and my ongoing projects in the living room isn't making my family happy with me, but it's a great thing to do while watching TV (putting my reef together). It's like art, to me, in a way. My next posts will be a few pics of my oyster reef progress. But first, here is a picture of an oyster cultch, basically a sub-component of the oyster bar/reef that I'm trying to simulate:
That picture is from an oyster restoration site, Barnegat Bay Shellfish Home Page: http://barnegatshellfish.org/identify_wild_oysters.htm
A cultch is simply a bunch of oysters that have settled from their larval or spat stage onto other oysters, and over time forming the reef. Actually, they attach to many other shellfish too, and vice versa to form the reef.
The picture below is from another oyster restoration site and is the one that inspired my aquascaping quite a bit, how the oysters grow in a shallow environment: http://www.naplesgov.com/index.aspx?NID=357. It doesn't matter that it's in Naples, Florida because they're the same species of oyster, and the natural reefs along the bay grow in much the same way, a shallow water environment. I've studied this quite a bit since I began this project, and have learned quite a bit about oysters, oyster reefs, and the wide variety of marine and/or estuarine flora and fauna.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
So the first step in building the oyster reef (cultches), and to simulate it as accurately as possible is to match up oysters with matching halves. There are two ways to do this, the first is to shuck oysters, clean them out, and then glue them back together (saving the meat as future fish food). The second method is to gather oyster shells from restaurants and such (of course, with permission), and then go through them and match them up. It is a very tedious process, but can be done while watching TV. My family was somewhat annoyed by this because when you try and match them, the clacking sound is annoying, and it's not exactly a clean process. Oyster shells can be pretty dusty and dirty, not good for living room furniture :fun2:. I made sure to cover the furniture and sweep up after every work session on the reef.
But, before you can match them up, you have to separate the two types of shells (left or lower shells, and right or upper shells).
In Paul S. Galtsoff's 1964 publication (The American oyster, Crassostrea virginica), he observed the following, "In C. virginica the left valve is almost always thicker and heavier than the right one. When oysters of this species are dumped from the deck of a boat and fall through water they come to rest on their left valves."
The left/lower shells most of the time tend to curve to the right when looking at the open side, while the right/upper shell curves to the left when viewing it open. But wait a minute...To make things more confusing, oysters don't always follow their own morphology rules. There are times when they don't curve at all, or now and then, you find some that curve the wrong way!
So, as I matched them up, I used big rubber bands to keep them together until I went back and glued them later.
Matching them up and keeping them together until time to glue:
After going through a ton of shells, I matched up 37 oysters. I found a few later on too, not sure how I missed them. I added another 30 oysters that were perfect matches that I bought from Wegman's. I'm not going to show pictures of the shucked ones or that process...they're still a bit stinky :hmm3:
So the next steps are pretty basic, wet the halves and glue them together with Gorilla Glue. Now, this is the first time that I've used Gorilla Glue, and I've read and heard about how it expands, and let me tell you that even if you clamp it, it will expand, so use sparingly. I later learned that it's great for filling gaps, but the trick is to keep it from moving from that gap while it's wet.
But, before you can match them up, you have to separate the two types of shells (left or lower shells, and right or upper shells).
In Paul S. Galtsoff's 1964 publication (The American oyster, Crassostrea virginica), he observed the following, "In C. virginica the left valve is almost always thicker and heavier than the right one. When oysters of this species are dumped from the deck of a boat and fall through water they come to rest on their left valves."
The left/lower shells most of the time tend to curve to the right when looking at the open side, while the right/upper shell curves to the left when viewing it open. But wait a minute...To make things more confusing, oysters don't always follow their own morphology rules. There are times when they don't curve at all, or now and then, you find some that curve the wrong way!
So, as I matched them up, I used big rubber bands to keep them together until I went back and glued them later.
Matching them up and keeping them together until time to glue:
After going through a ton of shells, I matched up 37 oysters. I found a few later on too, not sure how I missed them. I added another 30 oysters that were perfect matches that I bought from Wegman's. I'm not going to show pictures of the shucked ones or that process...they're still a bit stinky :hmm3:
So the next steps are pretty basic, wet the halves and glue them together with Gorilla Glue. Now, this is the first time that I've used Gorilla Glue, and I've read and heard about how it expands, and let me tell you that even if you clamp it, it will expand, so use sparingly. I later learned that it's great for filling gaps, but the trick is to keep it from moving from that gap while it's wet.
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