Carribean biotope style IM 20

Ichtha_yo Stuff · May 10, 2023

This is a thread about the journey this year with my classroom tank. I set up this tank in August. The tank was kindly donated to me by a LFS in the area. It is a used IM 20. It had some other equipment such as heater and I also pieced together some other equipment I was not currently using. I wasn't sure of the direction I wanted this tank to go but I wanted it to be something that would interest students and allow them to interact with the tank. Last year I had a tank, and I fragged some coral with them, and they watched their pieces grow out throughout the year measuring and weighing them. At the end of the year, I took them to a LFS and traded them in for store credit so students could see the value of fragging coral, the growth rate and learn about aquaculture. This year I was working with a younger group of students, so I wanted to do something different. The tank started out as a clownfish tank with a pair of aquacultured oscellaris clown fish, ala "FInding Nemo". My plan was to add some anemones and have the students learn about the symbiotic relationship clownfish have with anemones. Maybe in the future even try to breed and raise some clownfish of our own. The problem was is that these clownfish were very aggressive and territorial. They would bite anytime you put your hand in the tank, so I decided put them in their own tank and that is where they currently reside, and they are very happy. So, I had the idea of using this tank as an invert only tank. The students could interact with the inverts and not have to worry about being bit. Then I had the idea to make it a macroalgae tank, which is something I hadn't done yet as an experienced hobbyist but was interested in trying. So I ordered a selection of inverts and macroalgae from a reputable online vendor. Unfortunately, their arrival coincided with an outbreak of diatoms, and wiped out all of the macroalgae and most of the inverts. After ridding the tank of the diatoms and get the tank healthy. I decided to give it another go. This time I had the thought of making a Carribean/Floirda style biotope. I live and teach in Florida and the idea of the students being able to see an ecosystem that is in their backyard appealed to me. So, I placed another with another online vendor, this time a vendor about an 11/2-hour drive away from me. I purchased some additional inverts, macro algae, mushroom coral and gorgonians.

Current:

January

September

Current equipment:
Lighting: Maxspect Razor
Heater: Coblat Nemotherm
Heater Controller: Inkbird
ATO- Gravity fed float valve

Livestock:
Coral:
Purple Ribbon Gorgonian
Golden Plume Gorgonian
Tan Candelabra Gorgonian
Ricordea
Green Umbrella Mushroom
Xenia
Zoas
Macroalgae:
Galaxaura
Hypnea Pannosa
Codium
Halimeda Opuntia
Dragon Breath
Inverts:
Rock Flower Anemone
Astraea Turbo Snails
Cerith Snails
Nassarius Vibex Snails
Orange Claw Hermit Crabs
Halloween Hermit Crabs
Ruby Serpent Starfish

The tank is doing well now. The corals, and macroalgae are growing. Is there some nuisance hair algae in some spots, yes. I am I ok with that yes. In my experience of over 20 years in this hobby I do not obess over a little bit of the undesirables, especially if the other inhabitants are doing well. I manage it. I posted this thread for a couple of reasons. 1) I am proud of how well this tank is doing and looking. I have several other tanks that are also doing well, but this one has my attention. 2) I don't see alot of Carribean biotope style tanks that are very eye catching and I feel this one is a good example of what you can do. I know that xenia, and some of the other stuff is not from the Carribean/Florida, but it looks very close. 3) For the newer hobbyist or those of you whose tanks are not where you may want them to be. I encourage you to stick with it. It takes time to figure out what to do, most tanks don't start to look decent until a year or more, even for an old salt like me.