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100g Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Biotope Brackish Aquarium - My Dream Tank


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#1 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 08 December 2022 - 05:49 PM

Well, I haven't posted here for a long time about my oyster reef project.  I still maintain a 20g simplified version, but basically, 99% of what was in that biotope aquarium went into this system.  My goal was to create a great habitat for my favorite fish, blennies.  Right now, the only blenny species I have in the tank is the striped blenny, Chasmodes bosquianus.  I hope to collect the other Bay species next spring, Hypsoblennius hentz, the feather blenny.  So far, they have not showed up at my collecting spots, although the Maryland Diversity Project says they've been caught near there.  I found pictures of oyster reefs and even went and made my own videos of Bay locations that match my reef.  The reef took a lot of work and time to build.  Just as a reference, I started this project in 2007.  There was much toiling about how do to things, saving money for the right equipment, and procrastination (mostly caused by fear of the unknown), and over researching.  That's why I had a 20g system for so long.  It finally took a contest and a deadline to get me moving on this project.  Honestly, I didn't care if I met the deadline or not, rather, getting the tank up and running finally seemed like a reality.  It was quite an honor to enter the contest.  I will elaborate on that at a future date.  The end result is that I can watch and feed my fish for hours, and I can't stop loving this tank.

 

Display Tank

This biotope consists of a 36"x36"x18" 100 gallon cubish acrylic tank.  With the help of a few friends to get me started and eventually to the finish line, I was able to get a stand built.  You may have seen pics, posts and videos about this project on my old thread, but now it's time to start a new thread, because this system deserves it.  Why?  It's my dream tank, finally realized.  The tank drains through an external modified Bean Animal style plumbed overflow through my rec-room wall to my basement into the sump.  The return is a Sicce Syncra Silent internal pump that shoots a fair amount of current into the tank.  I have a very strong gyre pump but I have yet to use it because this tank seems to have plenty of current.  The light fixture is a very strong Radion LED XR 30 G4 Pro, and I couldn't be happier with it.  The overhead footprint is 36"x36" and the light works great for the entire tank.  Everything in the display tank came from the Chesapeake Bay, including the oysters that make up the reef, the sand, the inhabitants, the plants, fossils and shells.  

 

The Reef

I built the reef by collecting oysters in the area, from restaurants, my fish collecting spots, and even grocery stores.  I had the shuck the oysters from the grocery stores.  The nice thing about that was that they were matched pairs, but man, curing them was a stinky process after shucking.  Some of the shells that I collected during fish collecting trips were dead oysters and matched pairs.  But, the vast majority of them came from restaurants that I visited or my neighbor visited, and all of them were from the Bay.  Of the loose shells from restaurants, I had to match up the right and left halves of each whole oyster.  I glued each pair together, some with 3/8-1/2" gaps that serve as spawning locations for my benthic fish, but most glued tight.  I then glued each oyster into cultches, or clustuers, ranging in size from small (several oysters) to very large, maybe as many as 50 oysters.  After creating the main reef, I later added bases made of broken cheap tile pieces from a local hardware store.   These bases ensured that the reef structures stay upright and prevent burrowing animals from tipping them over.  Sand over these tiles is a great help.  On top of each section also to form the base of each cultch were local Bay rocks, fossils, and the like to make the base more full and realistic.  All of the sand was collected in the Bay,  I also glued barnacle shells together and added some to the reef for added realism.

 

I am very proud of the reef, because part of it was in my 20g for a long time, and it held up nicely.  I was happy how the fish used and bred in it, and I'm happy to see that happening in my new system as well.  I'm happy with how it looks, and it looks a lot like my original design done long before I ever collected a single oyster.

 

 

The Sump:

I also have a 36"x18"x16" sump that is 40 gallons full t the top (overflow protection) that brings this system up from 100g to about 130-140 gallons depending on the sump water level.  The sump right side is where the water drains from the tank, into a home made mechanical filtration box that I use sponge material in to catch debris and detritus.  Underneath that, the water flows through a DIY biomedia filter box, full of various ceramic and rock filter media.  I can also use carbon filtration in there or in the mechanical filtration box.  The water flows over and under a couple baffles to the middle return section, where it's pumped back into the tank, and also to the right side of the sump where my refugium resides.  Water is also pumped back into the middle section to keep the middle section water surface from being stagnant.  I have macro algae, and other critters in there that I discuss in the video update at the end of this post.  About 75% of the sand from my 20g tank went in the fuge to aid and seed the biological filtration when I put the finishing touches on the tank.  Also, in the right section where the tank water dumps in, I have old limestone and coral rock that I've collected that is highly porous, for biological filtration.  I hope it serves like live rock in a salt system.

 

Stocking List:

FIsh
Chasmodes bosquianus - striped blenny (showcase fish)
Gobiesox strumosus - skilletfish
Gobiosoma bosc - naked goby
Cyprinodon variegatus variegatus - sheepshead minnow
Leiostomus xanthurus - Norfolk Spot a.k.a. Spot 
Fundulus heteroclitus - mummichog
 
Arthropods
Clibanarius vittatus - thinstripe hermit crab
Rhithropanopeus harrisii - Harris mud crab
Panopeus herbstii - black-fingered mud crab
Eurypanopeus depressus - flat-backed mud crab
Palaemon pugio - daggerblade grass shrimp
Palaemon vulgaris - common grass shrimp
Balanus subalbidus - white barnacle
Balanus improvisus - Bay barnacle
 
Gastropods and Pelycepods
Geukensia demissa - Atlantic ribbed mussel
Ischadium recurvum - hooked mussel
Crassostrea virginica - Eastern oyster
 
 
Macroalgae
Ulva lactuca - sea lettuce
Ulva Intestinalis (I think) - a stringy form of sea lettuce
Gracilaria tikvahiae - a type of red macroalgae
 
And there are a lot of other worms and such, like clamworms (a bristleworm that looks like a bloodworm), copepods, and harmless isopods.

 

The 20g long is now a rearing tank, and maybe eventually a breeder tank.  I have a bunch

 

OK, enough rambling.  I think I have enough info here as a thread starter.  Time for some fun.  The first video is the very first one that I shot after I entered the contest.  The second video was done this past week. In it, I discuss the changes and evolution of this system.  After a few hardships the past couple months and related uncertainty, I can say that I'm finally really happy with the outcome.  I have one minor problem, as some ich or related disease showed up a few days ago.  I QT'd these fish and treated them, so I have no idea how that could have happened.  I guess there was a pretty resistant pest.  Now I have to figure out an eradication plan.

 

First video

 

Latest video

 

 

 


Kevin Wilson


#2 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 09 December 2022 - 10:11 AM

 

I also glued barnacle shells together and added some to the reef for added realism.

 

This should read, : "I also glued mussel shells together and added some to the reef for added realism."

 

And, my sump refugium is on the left side.  I guess I should have proofed this write up.  Sloppy, sorry.

 

And, I didn't finish talking about the 20g, and the only thing that I need to add about that is I have 11 blennies, 6 gobies and 6 skilletfish, all juveniles, in there right now, all collected this summer.


Kevin Wilson


#3 littlen

littlen
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  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 09 December 2022 - 10:47 AM

What an accomplishment, Kevin.  That is an outstanding, natural, public-aquarium-worthy-exhibit,...seriously.  I know I've said it before, but be very proud of all that you have accomplished.  The breeding (of both fish and inverts) speaks volumes of the 'happiness' of the inhabitants.  I'll take a bet that your Skillets, Gobies, and Blennies will breed too.  The Spot act similar to a group of tropical fish in the genus Geophagus, known as 'earth-eaters' which also sift fine substrate looking for food.  

FWIW, if you'd like to improve the clarity of the tank, try adding a large (`6" opening), fine micron filter sock to your bucket where all the return lines dump on top of the sponges.  A 50 micron sock should do it, but they make them even finer.  If you go that route, buy 2-3 so that switching them out when they clog up is quick.  That way you can then take your time rinsing/cleaning the dirty sock.  Send me a PM if you'd like to discuss that further.

 

Your posts make checking the forum worth it.  Thanks for all the effort.

 


Nick L.

#4 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
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  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 09 December 2022 - 11:48 AM

Great looking tank Kevin. Watched the video several times.
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#5 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 10 December 2022 - 03:59 PM

Thank you Nick for the wonderful compliments! Honestly , it means a lot! But the best part is I get to see it every day!

I couldnt find 50 micron, smallest was 200. I am going to look online.

Kevin Wilson


#6 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 10 December 2022 - 04:00 PM

Thank you Todd! We need to hit your feather blenny spot!

Kevin Wilson


#7 Moontanman

Moontanman
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Posted 10 December 2022 - 05:02 PM

 

 

 

This should read, : "I also glued mussel shells together and added some to the reef for added realism."

 

And, my sump refugium is on the left side.  I guess I should have proofed this write up.  Sloppy, sorry.

 

And, I didn't finish talking about the 20g, and the only thing that I need to add about that is I have 11 blennies, 6 gobies and 6 skilletfish, all juveniles, in there right now, all collected this summer.

 

 

Don't you mean oyster shells... lol. That is a great looking tank and a great idea for biotope! 


Michael

Life is the poetry of the universe
Love is the poetry of life

#8 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 10 December 2022 - 05:30 PM

Thank you so much Michael!

The reef is definitely oyster shells mostly, but I also glued some mussel shells onto the oyster shells

Kevin Wilson


#9 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
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  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 10 December 2022 - 06:04 PM

As soon as it warms up I'm up for it.
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#10 Moontanman

Moontanman
  • NANFA Member

Posted 11 December 2022 - 09:11 AM

Thank you so much Michael!

The reef is definitely oyster shells mostly, but I also glued some mussel shells onto the oyster shells

 

Just my twisted humor, great looking biotope though, Do you get Molly Miller Blennies? They were always my fav when I was keeping marine natives, along with cling fish. Love your videos as well BTW.


Michael

Life is the poetry of the universe
Love is the poetry of life

#11 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 12 December 2022 - 03:51 PM

LOL.

Thanks Michael!

I had a molly miller that I bought at my LFS many years ago in my fish only marine tank. It was one of my favorites too. Great fish with awesome personality and character!

Id love to do a Caribbean Biotope someday. My favorite all-time showcase fish other than a blenny would be a queen angelfish, but you can bet that Id have a bunch of molly Millers in there.

Kevin Wilson


#12 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 13 December 2022 - 12:13 PM

As soon as it warms up I'm up for it.

 

OK kewl.  I can't wait!


Kevin Wilson


#13 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 20 January 2023 - 08:21 PM

Here's my latest video, Feeding Time at the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Biotope Aquarium.  I hope that you all enjoy it!

 


Kevin Wilson


#14 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 22 February 2023 - 08:41 AM

The tank is evolving, macros are taking over the tank! It's like The Blob horror movie!

 

I hope you enjoy the update:

 


Kevin Wilson


#15 El Todd

El Todd
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  • Silver Spring Md

Posted 22 February 2023 - 09:36 AM

Looks great!



#16 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 22 February 2023 - 09:50 AM

Thanks Todd! Your skilletfish fits in nicely :)

 

And that huge mud crab is one of my favorites because he comes out all the time!


Kevin Wilson


#17 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
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  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 23 February 2023 - 07:49 PM

Great video Kevin, watched this evening at the gym. Made the time fly. Thanks for sharing.
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#18 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
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  • Central Maryland

Posted 28 February 2023 - 12:07 PM

Thank you Todd!

Kevin Wilson


#19 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 13 March 2023 - 07:08 AM

Well, I went on Vacation to Florida recently, and left the tank for my buddy to care for (top of water and feed once every three days).  I increased the photoperiod to 10 hours a day to accommodate his schedule. The result was crazy macroalgae and nuisance algae growth, turning my tank in to an macroalgal jungle, literally, with little room for the fish. All of the fish were healthy and the tank was fine, but with that much light, despite the increased level of macro algae, also had quite a bit of algae growth on the display tank glass. Here's a video about that, before and after the clean up. I also added some cool decor to the tank to make even more Chesapeake Bay authentic!  :D/ 

 


Kevin Wilson


#20 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
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  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 14 March 2023 - 04:55 AM

Tank looks great Kevin. Thanks for sharing.
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain




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