Leonardo's Lab

[Leonardo_]

Hello guys,

Glad to be back on the bulletin boards again! I've been absent for quite some years, only posting photos once in a while on several social media. Thinking back I always enjoyed boards like these for the quality input I get from other members and because it's possible to give back experience and knowledge to others, creating a community and share the passion for reefkeeping!

You may know me from several previous projects like the Formosa Forest and Apogon Reef, but its time for a new adventure now!

Apogon Reef

Formosa Forest

Pocillopora Garden


I rented a lab space that will be fully dedicated to reefkeeping. I would like to do three things here;

1. First of all, create a new display tank, and just enjoy reefkeeping :)
2. Next to that, I created a large bed (80"x 50") for propagating corals. Nothing commercial, the approach is purely for research/sustainability and if I can, partially earn back my (quite steep) costs for this operation
3. Last but not least, I'm a University lecturer in Biology and I will use this lab for my research.
   A lot of research on corals is already done, mostly related to their natural environment, but I would like to do more research on corals specifically in aquaculture conditions. This is also where I need your input. Of course I have topics at hand that I would like to research, but maybe you have better of more urgent topics. So please chime in!

Some more information about the new setup for the Lab so far:

Display tank:

60"x 35"x 24" Rimless glass reef
30"x 15"x 15" glass Sump

10x80 Watt ATI Powermodule
2 Orphek Actinic LED bars
RE Double Cone 250 Skimmer
ATB Returnpump 1500 G/h
DASTACO Ca Reactor
ATB Kalkwasser（Limewater) Reactor
JBL 36 watt UV Sterilizer
2x Jebao Crossflow CP40 (2x5300 G/h)
2x Tunze 6095 stream pumps (2x 2500 G/h)
220 aH Boat Battery with Inverter and charger (good for at least 24h of backup power for flow)

80"x 50"x 12" Propagation tank
16x80 Watt (several ATI pendants)
4x Jebao Crossflow CP40 (4x5300 G/h)
2x Jebao OW50 (2x5300 G/h)

These tanks are connected to the same sump, forming one integrated system of roughly 450 Gallon.

Here a video when I just got the keys to the lab. I will update later this week with some recent photos.
Your input is highly appreciated! Let me know what you think.

Kind regards, Leonardo

 

[Tahoe61]

Wonderful to see you back

 

[Dave Cureton]

I really enjoyed your previous setups. Looking forward to following along with this one too.

 

[ycnibrc]

Cool welcome back still love the Formosa forest

 

[Halo_003]

This looks awesome! Any chance one of your research items involved what causes BTAs to form bubbles or not?

 

[IKD]

How did you get such perfectly rounded favia corals? I’m really jealous!

 

[Leonardo_]

This looks awesome! Any chance one of your research items involved what causes BTAs to form bubbles or not?

Thank you! That’s interesting indeed! I will add it to the list :)

How did you get such perfectly rounded favia corals? I’m really jealous!

Don’t be ;) It’s a matter of time. This colony was in my possession for about 8 years and was already a little bit dome shaped when I got it. In those 8 years it grew out to a perfect ball. People tend to forget all Favia, Favites etc. tend to do that if you don’t frag them up constantly ;)

HTH, Leonardo

 

[Leonardo_]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! :)

 

[Lorenzo Angotti]

Hi, welcome back your previous tanks looked amazing, so clean and well organised, hope to follow and learn from you.

 

[lavoisier]

What do you have in mind for a project?

 

[Leonardo_]

What do you have in mind for a project?

I described it in the opening post ;)

Regards, Leonardo

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hello guys,

Glad to be back on the bulletin boards again! I've been absent for quite some years, only posting photos once in a while on several social media. Thinking back I always enjoyed boards like these for the quality input I get from other members and because it's possible to give back experience and knowledge to others, creating a community and share the passion for reefkeeping!

You may know me from several previous projects like the Formosa Forest and Apogon Reef, but its time for a new adventure now!

Apogon Reef

Formosa Forest

Pocillopora Garden


I rented a lab space that will be fully dedicated to reefkeeping. I would like to do three things here;

1. First of all, create a new display tank, and just enjoy reefkeeping :)
2. Next to that, I created a large bed (80"x 50") for propagating corals. Nothing commercial, the approach is purely for research/sustainability and if I can, partially earn back my (quite steep) costs for this operation
3. Last but not least, I'm a University lecturer in Biology and I will use this lab for my research.
   A lot of research on corals is already done, mostly related to their natural environment, but I would like to do more research on corals specifically in aquaculture conditions. This is also where I need your input. Of course I have topics at hand that I would like to research, but maybe you have better of more urgent topics. So please chime in!

Some more information about the new setup for the Lab so far:

Display tank:

60"x 35"x 24" Rimless glass reef
30"x 15"x 15" glass Sump

10x80 Watt ATI Powermodule
2 Orphek Actinic LED bars
RE Double Cone 250 Skimmer
ATB Returnpump 1500 G/h
DASTACO Ca Reactor
ATB Kalkwasser（Limewater) Reactor
JBL 36 watt UV Sterilizer
2x Jebao Crossflow CP40 (2x5300 G/h)
2x Tunze 6095 stream pumps (2x 2500 G/h)
220 aH Boat Battery with Inverter and charger (good for at least 24h of backup power for flow)

80"x 50"x 12" Propagation tank
16x80 Watt (several ATI pendants)
4x Jebao Crossflow CP40 (4x5300 G/h)
2x Jebao OW50 (2x5300 G/h)

These tanks are connected to the same sump, forming one integrated system of roughly 450 Gallon.

Here a video when I just got the keys to the lab. I will update later this week with some recent photos.
Your input is highly appreciated! Let me know what you think.

Kind regards, Leonardo

Welcome back, comrade
I returned on 10/2017, Reef keeping in most of the 80's. Wish I never left. My goal to aquaculture nps softies, dendronephthya and scleronephthya, especially.
I think I cracked it. Right now I'm like a farmer, waiting on the harvest. 2-3 years we'll see.
Here's some of my children of the sea.

 

[tripdad]

Welcome! Enjoyed your past projects back on RC, especially the apogon reef.

 

[Jeto2004]

Awesome looking systems! Welcome back! Looking forward to see how the “lab” will come together....

 

[Perry]

Hey Leonardo,
Great to see you back again, have always been intrigued by your past projects, this should be a lot of fun :)
Cheers

 

[lavoisier]

I described it in the opening post ;)

Regards, Leonardo

Aquacultered corals is a large topic. Anything more specific?

 

[Halo_003]

Thank you! That’s interesting indeed! I will add it to the list :)

Thanks! That'll be really interesting to see. I would love to run controlled tests and see if it's a factor of flow/lighting/temperature or some water chemistry but I don't have the space for something like that yet. :rolleyes:

 

[backdraft_reefer]

Amazing setups and corals! Will definitely be following

 

[Leonardo_]

Thanks for all the kind words! :)

Aquacultered corals is a large topic. Anything more specific?

You’re right. I would like to aquaculture SPS and soft corals, just to have enough “material” for our research. With aquaculture I mean propagate by fragmentation of captive grown colonies.

Thanks! That'll be really interesting to see. I would love to run controlled tests and see if it's a factor of flow/lighting/temperature or some water chemistry but I don't have the space for something like that yet. :rolleyes:

Yes, we will definitely do research on mesocosm parameters like flow, water chemistry and lighting conditions.

~Leonardo

 

[BAUCE]

Cant wait to follow along with this new project!