Now that I am settling into my new home, time to start thinking about a new tank. I haven't figured out everything yet, but I know where I am going with this so its just a matter of working out the details.
One thing I have always like about the FW hobby is how they do biotopes, with all the animals and plants coming from the same geographic area. My plan is to try this in SW, and see how it turns out. I have chosen Indo Pacific for location (where else can I find clownfish?), and a lagoon for the reef one. This will be a seagrass aquarium.
To start with, seagrasses can grow tall and need a deep substrate as they have root systems. So at a minimum, the tank will have to be 24" tall. That puts me in the 90-120 gallon range. Here in Arkansas they are trying to sell aquariums and have vut the price, so my cost for a brand new 90 is only $220; $325 for a 120. Kind of leaning towards the 90.
I have decided on grasses from two genus,Syringodium (Manatee grass) and Halophila (star grass) as they have similar needs. I will have to use Caribbean grasses, but Syringodium looks pretty much the same worldwide, and well I really don't have a lot of choices.
The substrate will be 5" deep or so, and will be a mix of mud and different grades of sand, not straight oolitic. For all the controversy there is over a DSB, and good arguments on both sides, I think we can all agree that a DSB makes sense in a seagrass tank with active root systems that remove nutrients directly from the sand bed.
My vision is to paint the back of the tank blue to give the image of distance (wnyone know what type of paint? Krylon isn't it? How long should I give it to de-gas?). Plant the Manatee grass across the back, star grass in front of it. In one corner of the tank have a patch of live rock, which I would like to peg (gulp!) and have it reach out towards the center of the tank, Probably only 30-40 pounds of rock in the tank. And some rubble scattered across the bottom.
For corals, I will have elegance corals, Cataphylika jardinei; brain corals, Trachyphillia geoferoyi, and plate corals, Cycloseris cyclolite/Fungia sp.
For fish, a shoal of PJ cardinals to swim through the manatee grass as they do in nature. I would love Banggai cardinals, but as they are on the brink of extinction won't touch them unless I can get tank raised.
For fish, either a yellow watchman and a tiger pistol shrimp, or a yasha goby with its little buddy shrimp. Here is my one cheat - a pearly or bluespot jawfish. With the perfect habitat for them can't resist. Its a cheat as they are new world fish. The jawfish should setup shop at the edge of the seagrass.
To round out, a pair of saddleback or pink skunk clowns.
Lighting will be T5s, either the Aquactinics TX5 or Constellation. Wanted LEDs, but in case anyone has noticed, Aquaillumination is now the only game in town. Coral Dynamics is out of business, and Catalina has removed their LED fixtures from their site. Aquactinics have the best reflectors out there, and can easily go to 30" deep, which is more than I need. Just don't know if 7 bulbs is too much. A 7 bulb Aquactinics fixture puts out as much if not more light than an 8 bulb setup from the other guys - the reflectors are that good.
I still have room for more fish, although I will have good sized shoal of PJs - 9 or so fish. Any suggestions? This would be a perfect tank for those cute little ponies, but not sure I want a chiller. Ponies without the clowns would also work - I checked seahorse.org and everything is compatible.
Here is one tank that needs enough bioload to feed the grass
Oodles of nerites and ceriths. No hermits at all. Don't want to derail too far into sand beds, but hermits are bad news for them.
Water motion will be a pair of MP40s
For the sump, a plain old sump with a refugium. Will get a Euro Reef mesh wheel skimmer if I can prevail upon Robbert to build one a little bigger, and use a Tunze silence pump for a return. Low wattage, and I have better results with low flow through the sump.
To get to the sump, a glass-holes.com overflow box and probably dual returns with a SCWD. Yes, I will drill holes. Its is incredibly easy.
If anyone has any ideas, let me know. Looking for a few good fish. That is what I have come up with so far. Any thoughts? I think it will be very nice.
One thing I have always like about the FW hobby is how they do biotopes, with all the animals and plants coming from the same geographic area. My plan is to try this in SW, and see how it turns out. I have chosen Indo Pacific for location (where else can I find clownfish?), and a lagoon for the reef one. This will be a seagrass aquarium.
To start with, seagrasses can grow tall and need a deep substrate as they have root systems. So at a minimum, the tank will have to be 24" tall. That puts me in the 90-120 gallon range. Here in Arkansas they are trying to sell aquariums and have vut the price, so my cost for a brand new 90 is only $220; $325 for a 120. Kind of leaning towards the 90.
I have decided on grasses from two genus,Syringodium (Manatee grass) and Halophila (star grass) as they have similar needs. I will have to use Caribbean grasses, but Syringodium looks pretty much the same worldwide, and well I really don't have a lot of choices.
The substrate will be 5" deep or so, and will be a mix of mud and different grades of sand, not straight oolitic. For all the controversy there is over a DSB, and good arguments on both sides, I think we can all agree that a DSB makes sense in a seagrass tank with active root systems that remove nutrients directly from the sand bed.
My vision is to paint the back of the tank blue to give the image of distance (wnyone know what type of paint? Krylon isn't it? How long should I give it to de-gas?). Plant the Manatee grass across the back, star grass in front of it. In one corner of the tank have a patch of live rock, which I would like to peg (gulp!) and have it reach out towards the center of the tank, Probably only 30-40 pounds of rock in the tank. And some rubble scattered across the bottom.
For corals, I will have elegance corals, Cataphylika jardinei; brain corals, Trachyphillia geoferoyi, and plate corals, Cycloseris cyclolite/Fungia sp.
For fish, a shoal of PJ cardinals to swim through the manatee grass as they do in nature. I would love Banggai cardinals, but as they are on the brink of extinction won't touch them unless I can get tank raised.
For fish, either a yellow watchman and a tiger pistol shrimp, or a yasha goby with its little buddy shrimp. Here is my one cheat - a pearly or bluespot jawfish. With the perfect habitat for them can't resist. Its a cheat as they are new world fish. The jawfish should setup shop at the edge of the seagrass.
To round out, a pair of saddleback or pink skunk clowns.
Lighting will be T5s, either the Aquactinics TX5 or Constellation. Wanted LEDs, but in case anyone has noticed, Aquaillumination is now the only game in town. Coral Dynamics is out of business, and Catalina has removed their LED fixtures from their site. Aquactinics have the best reflectors out there, and can easily go to 30" deep, which is more than I need. Just don't know if 7 bulbs is too much. A 7 bulb Aquactinics fixture puts out as much if not more light than an 8 bulb setup from the other guys - the reflectors are that good.
I still have room for more fish, although I will have good sized shoal of PJs - 9 or so fish. Any suggestions? This would be a perfect tank for those cute little ponies, but not sure I want a chiller. Ponies without the clowns would also work - I checked seahorse.org and everything is compatible.
Here is one tank that needs enough bioload to feed the grass
Oodles of nerites and ceriths. No hermits at all. Don't want to derail too far into sand beds, but hermits are bad news for them.
Water motion will be a pair of MP40s
For the sump, a plain old sump with a refugium. Will get a Euro Reef mesh wheel skimmer if I can prevail upon Robbert to build one a little bigger, and use a Tunze silence pump for a return. Low wattage, and I have better results with low flow through the sump.
To get to the sump, a glass-holes.com overflow box and probably dual returns with a SCWD. Yes, I will drill holes. Its is incredibly easy.
If anyone has any ideas, let me know. Looking for a few good fish. That is what I have come up with so far. Any thoughts? I think it will be very nice.
