Innovative Marine 15: Project Caribbean

[CD_Scapes]

I am eager to be working with @LiverockRocks to supply rock and sand for my return to saltwater, love all the work they are doing and well I just love the biodiversity of live rock/sand.

Speaking of biodiversity, I want to focus as much as possible on biodiversity. That's one of the best part of saltwater vs freshwater is the variety of creatures that live in your tank. Don't get me wrong there are lots of creatures that can live in freshwater as well but saltwater has way more options. So with all of that here is my tentative plan:

Equipment
Tank: Innovative Marine 15 (Setup 3/31/25)
Fluval Spec III (Taken down 3/31/25)
Filtration1: Media basket w/filter floss/matrix/live rubble
Filtration 2: ~20 Marinepure biospheres
Light: Kessil A80 Tuna Sun
Rock: ~20lbs live TBS rock
Sand: ~12lbs live TBS sand

Livestock as of 3/30/25
Fish: Triplefin Blenny
Clean-Up Crew: Dwarf planaxis, Dwarf limpets, Dwarf chitons, Dwarf cerith, Marginella snails, collostial snails
Mobile Stuff: Random small crabs, devoridae worms, spaghetti worms, baby gorilla crab (need to catch asap)
Sessile Stuff: Cluster dusters/Feather dusters, Sponges, Barnacles, Orange bryozoan, lime green tunicates, hydroids, Caribbean LPS hitchhiker corals, nemerous macroalgae


I think that is about all the updates I have right now, I will continue to update as more happens.

Last Fluval Spec III FTS 3/30/25:

Current FTS 3/30/25

 

[CD_Scapes]

More information on the tank. I was scrolling through marketplace and instantly knew I needed it. The tank is quite literally still new in the box with all the protective wrapping still on the tank and lid. DC pump is huge too, I’ve never had one and I’m so hyped for that. The base “shelf” of the stand has a tiny, tiny, spot where the box got crushed a but oh well it’s literally not noticeable. This tank has been a want for nearly a decade for me and well I just gotta say it feels surreal to own.

I’m going to do this tank the right way with all the equipment I’ve ever wanted and make it my “life’s work”. I’m resisting the urge to upgrade and I’ll keep the IM 10 as long as physically possible. There are only a couple pieces of equipment I want/need as I already own:

-HMA 50W heater w/ Inkbird

-Duetto ATO

-InTank media basket

-Kessil A80



I would want to get:

-Wavemaker of some kind either Nero 3 or Hygger mini gyre

-IM 5 gallon ATO reservoir

-Doser of some kind maybe?

Patch reef/shallow near shore reef is the goal. Gorgonian dominated and inhabited by nano rock dwelling gobies/blennies. Mainly Greenbanded gobies and a Tiger goby or two. Would love the idea of a rusty goby pair or barnacle blennies would be sick too. Holy grail will would be a nineline goby with an urchin for that special symbiotic relationship.

Rocks will be Tampa Bay Saltwater rock as well as sand. So tons of biodiversity which is huge for me. I was also thinking macroalgae but a lot of the ones I’ve been seeing on the reefs are coralline clusters. Feather dusters and sponges too. Some small crabs too and maybe a shrimp. That’s about it I think, time for some pics:

How I got the tank



Tank setup and lit



Lastly some habitat pics

 

[Nano_Tuners]

Cool idea for a little tank

 

[CD_Scapes]

Cool idea for a little tank

Thanks, I found a couple more inspiration pics the other night for the rock scape.



Full picture idea right here:

Single or group of three of a lone species gorgonian, maybe a 2nd species. Either a small seagrass or honeslty caulerpa prolifera on the substrate. Rocks domainted by small goby/blenny species selection.

 

[nickscorals]

Following! The stand combo looks super clean

 

[JoJosReef]

Love the theme! I'd be worried about the Caulerpa taking over, though. I have Caulerpa peltata in my IM 10g and it takes over entirely in a month if left untrimmed--I currently have it on week 3 without trimming and it's halfway up the glass on two sides.

Can't wait to see the scape and getting it stocked!

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Gorgonians ftw !

 

[CD_Scapes]

Love the theme! I'd be worried about the Caulerpa taking over, though. I have Caulerpa peltata in my IM 10g and it takes over entirely in a month if left untrimmed--I currently have it on week 3 without trimming and it's halfway up the glass on two sides.

Can't wait to see the scape and getting it stocked!

Caulerpa prolifera and peltata are two different beasts, prolifera IMHO is way easier to manage.

 

[JoJosReef]

Caulerpa prolifera and peltata are two different beasts, prolifera IMHO is way easier to manage.

I've had a bit of the opposite so far. The peltata seems easier for me to rip off of whatever it's growing on, while the prolifera seems to root everywhere. However, the prolifera was easier for me to snip. It did go sexual in my tanks at least twice that I was able to observe. Both will suck up nutrients!

 

[CD_Scapes]

I've had a bit of the opposite so far. The peltata seems easier for me to rip off of whatever it's growing on, while the prolifera seems to root everywhere. However, the prolifera was easier for me to snip. It did go sexual in my tanks at least twice that I was able to observe. Both will suck up nutrients!

For sure! Easier to snip, kinda forgot about the rootlets C. prolifera throws

 

[BristleWormHater]

Following!

 

[CD_Scapes]

Haha well things have for sure changed on my end. A few months ago we got a JBJ 45 gallon AIO that was the main tank for the @LiverockRocks order. This one was a side project and its now way smaller. Had this spare spec III laying around and an ATO so why not. Girlfriend is using the 10 gallon for her celestial pearl danios which she’s wanted for years. I’m 1000% okay with that, I like the challenge of making a smaller tank look just as nice (less money spent on livestock too).

Speaking of live rock, boy was yesterday a trip. Saw that at 6am FL time the rock was pulled off the plane after being cleared Tuesday night. Delta made some excuses, offered to ship rock to ATL then MSP which TBS and I were like no way. Tried to get a midday flight but Delta again was not on their stuff so rock was put on the 6pm flight and I was up until 1am getting rock and sand and goodies out away. 100% worth it and I barely had any die off minus a couple sponges and a mantis shrimp. Thank you again to the TBS team for being rock stars about the whole situation and I can’t wait to order more rock in the spring/summer when there is more macroalgae present!

Here is the 45 JBJ with 20 lbs of premium and 20lbs base rock. We also got some hermit crabs, a trio of tiger gobies, and a couple porcelain crabs! The goal for this tank is more coral focused with the fish being mainly smaller gobies/blennies.

Here is more goodies I found from the Spec III rock. So far I’ve seen a black feather duster, some Caribbean coral (not sure which one), and a baby gorilla crab

That’s all for now, time to do daily 20% water changes to combat any ammonia!

 

[CD_Scapes]

Well this rock is really cool! I’ve seen: larger barnacles, mini barnacles, hidden cup coral, a couple other coral species, 2-3 species of bivalve, hydroids, feather dusters galore, Bryozoa, sponges of all shapes, colors, and sizes, tunicates, anemones, spaghetti worms, and loads of other things. I’m going to try and get pictures to document all the different species I have in my little spec and the 45 gallon.

Speaking of tank sizes, later this year I was given the opportunity to get a WIO 60P (17 gallon) which will allow me to move over my Brachygobius colony into and this freeing up my old AquaMaxx 9.6 gallon. Doing so will let me get more rock, specifically macroalgae rock from @LiverockRocks after talking with the amazing people over there again. So be on the look out for that project coming soon. The goal is a lagoon style tank with a rhino blenny.

Anywho here’s a nice shot I got of the tank this morning and I’ll be updating later after a WC.

 

[CD_Scapes]

Well the “upgraded” light was actually worse than the old light so back the the old one. Here’s a side by side comparison of the two:

As you can see the new light (right) is dimmer, warmer, and narrower in focus which created more shadows. The old light is just fine minus the fact that every time it turns on and off the color channel changes. Still in the hunt for a new light.

Aside from that I did a bigger 2 gallon water change yesterday and got an Fzone ATO. Should help with stability down the line.

Couple cool critters I noticed post WC yesterday include a nice tunicate colony, some neon green tunicates, and some Oculina robusta!

Pondering submitting an order to FloridaPets for some cool little inverts but we shall see. That’s all for now.

 

[Tahoe61]

Nice.

What happened to the A80 Kessil?
Did you decide on a wavemaker yet?

 

[CD_Scapes]

Nice.

What happened to the A80 Kessil?
Did you decide on a wavemaker yet?

Kessil is on my GFs 10 gallon. This is the Spec III. Changed tanks as later this year I’m going to get a 17 gallon rimless and getting my own SW was a last second decision on my end the day we got the rock/sand.

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

updates?

 

[CD_Scapes]

updates?

 

[BristleWormHater]

Amazing!!!! Where'd you get him?

 

[CD_Scapes]

Amazing!!!! Where'd you get him?

New Wave here in MN