Do you receive an error Kevin? I wasn't aware of an issue. FYI, You can directly upload to RC now.
Oyster Reef Ecosystem Tank
- Thread starter Chasmodes
- Start date
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Yeah, I guess Photobucket isn't an approved site any more to upload photo links to. But, good news if we can upload directly. I didn't realize that. Thanks John!
I randomly came across your new vid, while scrolling through youtube. That oyster reef looks sweet! Good luck with everything Kevin!
Cool collecting video, Kevin! It looks like you're going to get the Oyster Reef Tank started with a nice collection of fish.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Thank you MIchael. The fish from that trip are too small for the big tank to live with adults, but, they will be future residents. They grow to maturity very quickly. In 6 months, these keepers will be adults.
I shot another collecting video since the last one, and we got some adult fish for the tank, including 3 beautiful blennies. Sadly, one died in QT along with a couple gobies. Of course, it was the only day that I couldn't have been there as I was out on family plans. I think it was a chain reaction type of thing, where a fish died and the ammonia spiked, taking a couple more with it. I did a 75% water change and restocked with bottled bacteria. I've been dosing that every day, of course, except for that one day.
In this trip, we collected several mummichogs, four spot, three blennies, three adult skilletfish, and an accidential goby that hitchhiked in some Ulva that I brought home. All of the fish are in QT at full copper treatment levels. At the end of the video, I give an update of the tank, but it's a little old now. Since then, I've almost completed (cut and dry fitted) the return plumbing, but I'm waiting for a couple parts to come in (tomorrow or Wednesday).
Next steps, sift and wash the sand that we collected, finish the return line plumbing, install the lighting, fill with water and test for leaks, and then mix up salt and seed the tank. After that, it will be time to stock. Sand from the 20g tank will seed this tank along with biological material from the filter, and then I will move everything from that tank to the new tank. After that, it's just a few cosmetic things to finish. Almost there!
I shot another collecting video since the last one, and we got some adult fish for the tank, including 3 beautiful blennies. Sadly, one died in QT along with a couple gobies. Of course, it was the only day that I couldn't have been there as I was out on family plans. I think it was a chain reaction type of thing, where a fish died and the ammonia spiked, taking a couple more with it. I did a 75% water change and restocked with bottled bacteria. I've been dosing that every day, of course, except for that one day.
In this trip, we collected several mummichogs, four spot, three blennies, three adult skilletfish, and an accidential goby that hitchhiked in some Ulva that I brought home. All of the fish are in QT at full copper treatment levels. At the end of the video, I give an update of the tank, but it's a little old now. Since then, I've almost completed (cut and dry fitted) the return plumbing, but I'm waiting for a couple parts to come in (tomorrow or Wednesday).
Next steps, sift and wash the sand that we collected, finish the return line plumbing, install the lighting, fill with water and test for leaks, and then mix up salt and seed the tank. After that, it will be time to stock. Sand from the 20g tank will seed this tank along with biological material from the filter, and then I will move everything from that tank to the new tank. After that, it's just a few cosmetic things to finish. Almost there!
Last edited:
Chasmodes
Well-known member
A few updates on the Oyster Reef Tank:
- I've got the dry return dry fitted...waiting on a few parts to be able to plumb in the pump. I should get them soon.
- I sifted and washed some of the sand that we collected from the Bay. This is the first half bucket. I collected 3 buckets, but after adding this, I think that I only need another 1/2 bucket in the DT tank. I will also add some to the fuge mixed with the sand from my 20g tank. I'll have plenty of sand leftover for future projects. I like the dark look of this sand.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Well, I had the tank set up and running full of FW, checking with leaks and fine tuning the overflow. Then, just before I was ready to start adding salt, I noticed a tiny leak coming from one of the bulkhead seals. I tried to tighten it down but the bulkhead gave way. I could still retighten, but it was leaking worse. I thought that I broke something, either the bulkhead or the tank. I drained the tank below the level of the bulkhead, pulled out some oyster clumps to clear the way, and took apart the overflow. I thought that I was going to have to buy replacement bulkheads, or worse, a new overflow. Luckily, after taking it all apart and examining everything, nothing was broken. I checked the area around the holes, and sure enough, around the first hole were the tiniest of burrs from drilling the hole. There was also a tiny bit of glue and paper (from the original paper that protected the acrylic) where the gasket met the glass. I cleaned that off and took some sandpaper and gently sanded the tank hole edges. I'm' going to put it back together today and test again before I add back the oysters. Crossing my fingers, wish me luck.
Also, I had trouble getting my Bean Animal set up's main drain to fully siphon. I got it to work the first time, but made some adjustments in the sump, and after that, I could not achieve a full siphon on that drain. The overflow would drain alternating between a full siphon on the secondary and emergency drains. I did some research and discovered that my overflow tubes were set up too deep in the sump. So, I'm looking forward to fixing that and hopefully that problem will be solved. If all that works, next steps:
Stocking list so far of fish collected for the 100g when fully stocked:
Fish
Wish List
Fish
Also, I had trouble getting my Bean Animal set up's main drain to fully siphon. I got it to work the first time, but made some adjustments in the sump, and after that, I could not achieve a full siphon on that drain. The overflow would drain alternating between a full siphon on the secondary and emergency drains. I did some research and discovered that my overflow tubes were set up too deep in the sump. So, I'm looking forward to fixing that and hopefully that problem will be solved. If all that works, next steps:
- Paint the return section on the tank side black.
- Add salt
- Add bottled bacteria
- Add about half of the substrate and almost everything from the 20g display, fish, shells, Ulva, inverts...everything almost, leaving only 1/2 the sand,l and moving it into the new tank or the sump refugium.
- Install the lights to the ceiling
- Make/install the mesh screen top for the tank.
- Build the shadowbox background and lighting
- Somewhere in that time frame, add the fish from the QT tanks when their QT regimens are done (and add more bacteria).
Stocking list so far of fish collected for the 100g when fully stocked:
Fish
- 7 adult striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianus)
- maybe 10 naked gobies (Gobiosoma bosc)
- about 6 skilletfish (Gobiesox strumosus)
- maybe a dozen mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus)
- 4 small spot (Leiostomus xanthurus)
- maybe a dozen sheepshead minnows (2 adults, the rest small)
- Harris mud crabs
- Black-fingered mud crabs
- Thinstripe hermit crab
- Ghost anemones
- Possible orange striped anemone
- Hooked mussels
- Oysters (a couple possibly alive still, they're out of my view. Although I feed them every day, they don't live long and they're about the end of the time frame that I've been able to keep them alive)
- Barnacles (white and bay)
- lots of clam worms
- assorted other fouling tiny organisms
Wish List
Fish
- Feather blenny (Hypsoblennius hentz)
- Spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus) or any other tropical stray in this family
- Striped burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)
- Small hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus)
- Sea squirts
- Red beard sponge
- Whip coral (if I'm lucky)
Good luck
Looking good Kevin. I'm so psyched for you!
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Well, I bought new gaskets and tried again and it still leaked, even worse, for some reason. I thought that by adding gaskets between the nut and inner wall of the outside overflow box would work, but epic fail. It leaked worse than before, this time coming from the threads of the bulkhead. Then, it dawned on my that I shouldn' t have put the gasket behind the nut. I read it somewhere a long time ago and it stuck in my brain. So, I moved the gaskets around, placing them on either side of the glass. It was better, but still leaked a little, so, gritting my teeth, I tighted each bulkhead nut down a little at a time, and the leak stopped! I was back in business! All I had to do is add salt and replace the oyster cultches that I took out. The video below brings you up to date as of now:
Chasmodes
Well-known member
Well, although I have stuff to do to complete my system, the important part is done. My 100 gallon Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Biotope Aquarium is up and running, and almost fully stocked (I still have fish in QT for another week). Still, there is a lot of life in there. I posted a stocking list so far in the YT video description. I can't believe it. When I go down to feed them, I can't stop watching this tank. I'm very excited about this and it's been painful to not share because this tank has been up and running since Friday. This has been my dream tank for a long time, and I've been working on this build since 2007. It's finally come together. I will post more details about it soon. I hope you all like the video!
It’s looking incredible!
Similar threads
