Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Biotope Tank

vlangel · Jul 12, 2022

Nice update Kevin. I am happy to hear that you got some adult fish your 2nd trip out. Your new oyster cluster tank is going to have so much activity and life in it. I bet it will settle into mature tank stability very quickly.

jfoahs04 · Jul 12, 2022

Love this thread - my father is a former reefer (he got me into it nearly 20 years ago) and recently retired to the Eastern Shore of VA (about halfway between the bridge and the MD border). He keeps his little center console on the dock in the back yard and has gotten really into fishing, growing oysters, crabbing, etc. He's itching to start reefing again, but I think he'd love to attempt something like what you have here. I'm going to have to share it with him.

Nice work!

Chasmodes · Jul 12, 2022

Thank you Dawn and jfoahs04! I love collecting down that way! One of my female blenny and a hermit crab came from Saxis, VA.

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 · Jul 13, 2022

I have a lot of next steps to do in a short time, but first on the list is to hide that dang black overflow box. I hope that in the final version, all you will see is oyster reef.

Chasmodes · Jul 20, 2022

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:

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).

Last weekend, we collected a bunch of blennies. We got three adult males, two or three sub-adults, and about a dozen juveniles. The adults will go into the 100g DT, the sub adults will be added later, and I'll put the juveniles into the 20g DT until they're big enough to move to the 100g. We also collected about a dozen more small sheepshead minnows.

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)

Invertebrates

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)

Invertebrates

Sea squirts
Red beard sponge
Whip coral (if I'm lucky)

vlangel · Jul 20, 2022

Good luck with the bulkhead leak and the main overflow syphon, Kevin. This tank has created so much excitement and anticipation for me to see it up and running! I can't wait!!!

Chasmodes · Jul 21, 2022

Thank you Dawn! I hope to give it another go tomorrow. Cross your fingers!

Here are some pics after I drained it.

vlangel · Aug 11, 2022

Kevin, how is this tank going? I am hoping that nothing unforeseen happened! Hopefully the bulkhead leak is fixed and it's just summer hecticness that has you away from the forum. I had not updated my threads either because of that.

Chasmodes · Aug 12, 2022

Thank you Dawn! 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:

vlangel · Aug 13, 2022

Chasmodes said:
Thank you Dawn! 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:

I love it! Kudos to you for persevering through the leak issue and trouble shooting the water on the floor. Ha ha, I hate it when that happens,,,water on the floor but where is it coming from! Wow, you are getting so close to adding critters, how exciting is that!

I really like how you have no equipment showing. I have always strived for that but never quite attained it. Also, I did not remember that you planned a shadow box. I am really interested in that as I too have wanted to do something like that if I ever do a future fish tank.

You and Michael have such tremendous patience. I need some more of that when it comes to reefing. Thanks for the great update Kevin.

Chasmodes · Aug 23, 2022

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!

vlangel · Aug 26, 2022

I loved the video. Everyone looks so happy and well adjusted.

Chasmodes · Aug 29, 2022

Thank you Dawn. So far, so good. I have to day that good lighting and my high bioload is making for some strong macro growth. The Ulva is still going strong, from 3" deep in my fuge to completely full! And, I thought that my Gracilaria was dead, but, it's growing, and also from some oysters that I collected last year, that Gracilaria is growing fast. I could never keep Ulva alive, and I'm surprised that the Gracilaria survived in my tank without growing at all for almost 2 years.

Here are some more videos of this biotope from the Biotope Aquarium Project YouTube channel, I hope you all like them:
My Biotope in Nature video (the actual biotope that I'm trying to replicate in my tank):

and my Biotope Aquarium Model video:

vlangel · Aug 30, 2022

Oh wow Kevin, what a cool video! It feels like you are in the wild doing a nature film. Some of those shots you would never know is in an enclosed aquarium. Watching your video almost makes me want to get a lagoon style aquarium myself, LOL.

I know this project has been a long term one requiring a lot of patience but it was worth the wait! You have done an excellent job providing a wonderful home for your fish and inverts and are well deserving of applause! Way to go!!!!

Chasmodes · Aug 31, 2022

Thank you so much Dawn! I know that I promised it over the years and finally, the burden of completion has been lifted. Although it's never really completed, this is just the start. Thank you for following and not giving up on me LOL.

vlangel · Sep 2, 2022

Chasmodes said:
Thank you so much Dawn! I know that I promised it over the years and finally, the burden of completion has been lifted. Although it's never really completed, this is just the start. Thank you for following and not giving up on me LOL.

Hey, I think it's good that you took all the time you needed on this build. For 1. Although we love our fish tanks there are definitely other things in our lives that should be a higher priority, like family. 2. Taking your time probably helped you clarify in your mind just what you wanted in this build and how best to get there. And 3. hey we got to see your other tank build and it was super cool too, especially the rock wall that you created for it.

So yeah, this biotope aquarium was worth the wait! Now I am excited to watch how it develops as the natural processes in it begin to take hold. That should be a fun journey too!

Chasmodes · Sep 3, 2022

Thank you Dawn!

vlangel · Oct 20, 2022

Hey Kevin, how is the tank doing now that it's been up and running a couple of months?

Chasmodes · Nov 4, 2022

Hi Dawn. Thanks, things have been crazy and I haven't had a chance to post much. I had a bacterial bloom followed by green water. It was so thick, like pea soup, that I couldn't see through the tank to the other side. But, the fish and critters were OK. I decided to starve the algae by going without lights for a week (except for 20 minute feeding times) an cut back my feeding to every other day. About 10 days ago, it went away. Since then, I have a 4 hour photoperiod and feed daily, and everything is going well. I added new species and will shoot/post a new video soon. The tank has really matured a lot and looks good again. It's a bit different, because most of the Ulva died back, but the Gracilaria grew like crazy. I think the Ulva die off caused or contributed greatly to both blooms.

I'm going fish collecting again next Monday, but not for me, for two public institutions. Although, if I catch a fish that I want for my tank, I'll keep it. I don't need much though as my tank is pretty much fully stocked.

BTW, in that contest that I entered, I was fortunate enough to win the North American Division! That was quite an honor. I've never really won anything remotely like that. Video to come this weekend!

vlangel · Nov 4, 2022

Chasmodes said:
Hi Dawn. Thanks, things have been crazy and I haven't had a chance to post much. I had a bacterial bloom followed by green water. It was so thick, like pea soup, that I couldn't see through the tank to the other side. But, the fish and critters were OK. I decided to starve the algae by going without lights for a week (except for 20 minute feeding times) an cut back my feeding to every other day. About 10 days ago, it went away. Since then, I have a 4 hour photoperiod and feed daily, and everything is going well. I added new species and will shoot/post a new video soon. The tank has really matured a lot and looks good again. It's a bit different, because most of the Ulva died back, but the Gracilaria grew like crazy. I think the Ulva die off caused or contributed greatly to both blooms.

I'm going fish collecting again next Monday, but not for me, for two public institutions. Although, if I catch a fish that I want for my tank, I'll keep it. I don't need much though as my tank is pretty much fully stocked.

BTW, in that contest that I entered, I was fortunate enough to win the North American Division! That was quite an honor. I've never really won anything remotely like that. Video to come this weekend!

Good to hear from you and glad that the general tank news is also good. It's funny (not ha ha funny) how a seemingly insignificant die off of one specie can change the balance in a tank. It sounds like your remedy was well thought out and worked well. Kudos to you!

I have never had much luck with ulva even though I like it and folks like Michael could grow it like crazy. I have had one or two bacterial blooms over the years but they were just cloudy water for a day or two and then it was over.

Congrats on winning the contest! I am sure that it was well deserved. I will look forward to the videos.