Natural seawater tank build.

[426HEMI]

Posted this first part on here before, but figured I'd document this tank on here since I'm also doing it on another board.


New to here, not new to saltwater aquariums. This is my second one, and doing it different this time.

Taking advantage of living on an island (recently moved to Hawaii), and seeing how cheap I can be.

10g Marineland tank. $40
Aquaclear 70 $50
15# Argonite ~ $20
Live rock $50.

HIPARGERO LED $60
Saltwater $0
2 Hermit crabs $1.50

---------------------------------
$171.50


Using natural ocean water and starting out with live rock and hermit crabs. Hawaiian laws prohibit taking of live rock or coral so I went with "grown" live rock that the LFS does. Takes about 3 years for them to go from dead to sale.

Trying out this LED setup and see if it will grow any coral. Has really good reviews and is quite reasonably priced. Wasn't going to spring for an AI Prime or EoTech for this tiny tank.

Will be doing weekly water changes of at least 10% which is probably overkill, but no reason not to since it is free. A state run fishery has a pipeline that runs 2+miles off shore to bring in clean oceanwater for the fishery, and they were awesome enough to put a spigot out for all the hobbyists on the island to use for free. Natural, perfect salt water for free in any quantity. The Waikiki aquarium is unique in that it uses all natural water and sunlight, no artificial lighting in most tanks, it is a really cool place. They also give you free water from their system if you are a member. I'll probably end up becoming a member and volunteering there in the future, but either way I have free water.

So no water testing, no mixing water, no cycling, and into a tank ready to go for under $200. Hard to beat. I'll eventually get a baby fish out of the ocean and put it in there then release it once it is big enough. Probably get a softie or two from the LFS, illegal to remove coral from the ocean as well. Was at the beach yesterday and saw some super awesome baby pipefish (may have been trumpet, too small to tell at a distance), Sgt Majors, and several others I could not identify. You guys would be mad as F if you saw the prices of fish here. Large flame angel for like $25. Christmas wrasse ~$20 etc. I think the most expensive thing I saw was a huge softball sized hairy hermit crab for $70.

The filter is a little strong on the flow now, creating a hole in the sand, so I have to rig that somehow to reduce the flow a little or put in some more rock to disperse the flow. Pretty stoked to have a tank again and really excited to see how this kind of set up works. (have since re positioned it)


Went out today at our favorite fish nursery tide pool while tide was out in search of some snails to add to the tank.


Snails

Another pic of the striped one.

Mr. Crabs. 1 of 4 or 5.

And this little guy says "Hi"

 

[426HEMI]

This is the spigot that bring in the sea water from a couple miles off shore.

Couple of new critters.

Halloween crab.

And a cowry. Have only ever seen the shells before, never knew how odd the animal is. The animal extends its...body? to cover the entire shell. Then runs around, mostly at night, eating algae and stuff. Really odd looking, but cool to watch.

 

[426HEMI]

Went out to Shark's Cove last weekend since the tourists were relatively sparse on that day. Assuming it was because of the surf conditions, was pretty rough. Shark's cove is protected by a barrier wall but the waves were big enough to crash over it by 10' or so and create decent waves inside the barrier. Was pretty fun.

Pic of the barrier wall with a smaller swell hitting it.

Finally found a turbo snail and what I think is an Astraea snail.

Also found a new type of hermit, first time I've seen a blue and white one.

Lost track of where I was during some of the waves and got a little reef tattoo.

Managed to lure out the little mantis shrimp with some...shrimp. Greedy little dude, and strong.

Also spotted this, any idea what it is?

Spent an hour or two in the water looking for critters and had a great time. At one point, a saddle wrasse was following me around picking off the bits of food under rocks I was turning over. On the occasions I found brittle stars, I'd hold them and he'd eat straight from my hand. Was really cool, stayed with me for about 10 minutes.

Finally talked to the LFS guy I've been trying to get in touch with, he's going to give me some frags soon so I can get some growing in my tank.

 

[Bigwrasse]

Awesome! I live at a beach and running a tank with free water too

 

[426HEMI]

Awesome! I live at a beach and running a tank with free water too

I have to say, it is glorious. That and having the ultimate LFS, the ocean.

 

[ScottR]

Went out to Shark's Cove last weekend since the tourists were relatively sparse on that day. Assuming it was because of the surf conditions, was pretty rough. Shark's cove is protected by a barrier wall but the waves were big enough to crash over it by 10' or so and create decent waves inside the barrier. Was pretty fun.

Pic of the barrier wall with a smaller swell hitting it.

Finally found a turbo snail and what I think is an Astraea snail.

Also found a new type of hermit, first time I've seen a blue and white one.

Lost track of where I was during some of the waves and got a little reef tattoo.

Managed to lure out the little mantis shrimp with some...shrimp. Greedy little dude, and strong.

Also spotted this, any idea what it is?

Spent an hour or two in the water looking for critters and had a great time. At one point, a saddle wrasse was following me around picking off the bits of food under rocks I was turning over. On the occasions I found brittle stars, I'd hold them and he'd eat straight from my hand. Was really cool, stayed with me for about 10 minutes.

Finally talked to the LFS guy I've been trying to get in touch with, he's going to give me some frags soon so I can get some growing in my tank.

That little critter at the end is an amphipod. Fish food basically! Btw, where exactly do you get the NSW? I used to go out by diamond head to get my water back in the day. Wish I knew of this tap back then, if it existed then.

 

[BloopFish]

The snail you said that looks like an Astarea snail is a trochus snail, specifically a Trochus intextus, to my knowledge they breed quite well in captivity.
The cowrie is a Hawaiian snakehead cowrie (Cypraea (Monetaria) caputophidii).
The turbo snail is a Turbo sandwicensis.
All of them are Hawaii endemics, so it is highly unlikely most people on this forum have encountered them.

 

[ScottR]

The snail you said that looks like an Astarea snail is a trochus snail, specifically a Trochus intextus, to my knowledge they breed quite well in captivity.
The cowrie is a Hawaiian snakehead cowrie (Cypraea (Monetaria) caputophidii).
The turbo snail is a Turbo sandwicensis.
All of them are Hawaii endemics, so it is highly unlikely most people on this forum have encountered them.

I grew up in Hawaii and oddly, most local people know the Hawaiian names of fish and inverts and not the scientific/English names. Limu, opihi, and uhu are a quick few that come to mind.

 

[BloopFish]

I grew up in Hawaii and oddly, most local people know the Hawaiian names of fish and inverts and not the scientific/English names. Limu, opihi, and uhu are a quick few that come to mind.

Yes, this is true. In addition they will often use Japanese words for certain things like tako or menpachi... or even call octopuses squids... that's just how it is in Hawaii.

 

[ScottR]

Yes, this is true. In addition they will often use Japanese words for certain things like tako or menpachi... or even call octopuses squids... that's just how it is in Hawaii.

Typically for food, Japanese names are more common but sometimes - like you mentioned - tako will be used in lieu of Hawaiian. The melting pot... Oddly, I still call tuna “ahi”.

 

[BloopFish]

Typically for food, Japanese names are more common but sometimes - like you mentioned - tako will be used in lieu of Hawaiian. The melting pot... Oddly, I still call tuna “ahi”.

Having been away from Hawaii for a while, I've notice that the word "ahi" is catching up in the mainland/NYC (I still get teased for using that word here lol) due to Hawaiian cuisine getting popular (poke for example) and restaurants trying to use it to seem more exotic.

 

[426HEMI]

That little critter at the end is an amphipod. Fish food basically! Btw, where exactly do you get the NSW? I used to go out by diamond head to get my water back in the day. Wish I knew of this tap back then, if it existed then.

Thanks for the ID, appreciate it.

Sand Island is where the water spigot is.

 

[426HEMI]

The snail you said that looks like an Astarea snail is a trochus snail, specifically a Trochus intextus, to my knowledge they breed quite well in captivity.
The cowrie is a Hawaiian snakehead cowrie (Cypraea (Monetaria) caputophidii).
The turbo snail is a Turbo sandwicensis.
All of them are Hawaii endemics, so it is highly unlikely most people on this forum have encountered them.

Thanks for the IDs! Appreciate that information. Always interesting to get more info on what I find.

 

[426HEMI]

Having been away from Hawaii for a while, I've notice that the word "ahi" is catching up in the mainland/NYC (I still get teased for using that word here lol) due to Hawaiian cuisine getting popular (poke for example) and restaurants trying to use it to seem more exotic.

Poke is one of life's greatest pleasures. One day when I leave Hawaii, it will be missed tremendously.

 

[426HEMI]

Something new spotted (this is why I love live rock) yesterday. Doesn't look like a good critter, but I assume something in the tank will eat it eventually.

 

[426HEMI]

New, accidental, addition to the tank.

Incredible snakehead cowry and purple shingle urchin we saw today.

 

[426HEMI]

And just saw that I was wrong on the cowry, that isn't a snakehead, but a humpback cowry.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

If you have access to Hickam head over to kamehameha beach (it’s the east side of the Pearl Harbor mouth, just opposite the Iroquois point beach.) There’s usually nobody out there, the reef flat goes out crazy far and stays about thigh high, and there’s tons of critters. There’s always a ton of neat looking red sponges out there. Lots of sharks too. Black tips are around dawn/dusk and pearl is a hammerhead breeding ground and you might see some baby hammers in the flats.

 

[426HEMI]

If you have access to Hickam head over to kamehameha beach (it’s the east side of the Pearl Harbor mouth, just opposite the Iroquois point beach.) There’s usually nobody out there, the reef flat goes out crazy far and stays about thigh high, and there’s tons of critters. There’s always a ton of neat looking red sponges out there. Lots of sharks too. Black tips are around dawn/dusk and pearl is a hammerhead breeding ground and you might see some baby hammers in the flats.

Great tip, thanks! I do have access and will have to try that out. Despite my irrational fear of sharks.

 

[MERKEY]

So cool, thanks for taking us along!