Pseudo-saltwater journal

[Patrick_G]

Fairy Cichlids might be worth a try. I've never kept them but they look stunning. 

[Brandon p]

For the nertiles to breed they need a species  only tank. The sometimes lay eggs in fresh water tanks. Most fail hatching or die shortly after they do hatch. I’m not familiar with that species. I would keep doing reaseach and keep reaching out to find some one that has breed them on purpose. I knew and older man about 15 years ago that was hatching and grow nertile snails. I was not as much into the hobby then so I never asked questions he sold them for $1 to me. Good luck

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I am having a bit of an existential crisis with this tank, brought on, at least in part, by @eatyourpeas's box of salty wonders.  Obviously, I put this tank together because I wanted something that looks like a saltwater tank, but with less work.  The thing is, there is no way to get this tank on an automatic water changer, so I still need to change out water negating some of the maintenance savings.  Plus, I've always loved cnidarians, and that's a piece I just can't replace with this "pseudo" setup.  So what to do? 

Pros: 

• The tank is a nice acrylic 42 gal bowfront which would make a nice little SW tank
• It is located somewhere in my house I can genuinely appreciate it, as opposed to most of my tanks
• It is already plumbed with an overflow and a sump
• It already has SW appropriate rock and substrate

Cons:

• I've never done a SW tank before - so there will be many failures I am sure
• The learning curve seems fairly steep leading to more of the above point
• I'd still need to buy some expensive equipment to make this happen
• I would need to cut out the walls on the sump and reconfigure it

I know @Zenzo tried out SW for a bit and then got rid of the tank.  And, I'll be honest, I'm a bit concerned that will happen here.  My guess is it is a lot easier to convert to SW than to go back again - though I am not sure that is true.  Ideally, I would want to start FO and slowly convert to reef, but I just don't know.  I don't even really know why I am posting this.  I don't know that I am asking for advice, as I recognize that nobody can make this choice for me.  I suppose I just needed to get my conundrum out there. 

[Patrick_G]

I’m having a lot of fun with my 40g brackish, soon to be marine setup. It is more work because of mixing water but a sump would make things much easier. Converting from brackish to marine is the most stressful part because at some point the cycle gets disrupted, but starting at full marine seems pretty easy. 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 7/28/2022 at 7:21 PM, Patrick_G said:

I’m having a lot of fun with my 40g brackish, soon to be marine setup.

Did I miss it?  Where is your journal here?  I would love to follow it!

[Patrick_G]

And 

 

On 7/28/2022 at 7:45 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Did I miss it?  Where is your journal here?  I would love to follow it!

My goal is to eventually have a sort of Mangrove garden with macro algae and mangroves or wood that looks like mangrove roots. For now I'm concentrating on growing out the puffer. 

[Brandon p]

On 7/28/2022 at 8:06 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

I am having a bit of an existential crisis with this tank, brought on, at least in part, by @eatyourpeas's box of salty wonders.  Obviously, I put this tank together because I wanted something that looks like a saltwater tank, but with less work.  The thing is, there is no way to get this tank on an automatic water changer, so I still need to change out water negating some of the maintenance savings.  Plus, I've always loved cnidarians, and that's a piece I just can't replace with this "pseudo" setup.  So what to do? 

Pros: 

• The tank is a nice acrylic 42 gal bowfront which would make a nice little SW tank
• It is located somewhere in my house I can genuinely appreciate it, as opposed to most of my tanks
• It is already plumbed with an overflow and a sump
• It already has SW appropriate rock and substrate

Cons:

• I've never done a SW tank before - so there will be many failures I am sure
• The learning curve seems fairly steep leading to more of the above point
• I'd still need to buy some expensive equipment to make this happen
• I would need to cut out the walls on the sump and reconfigure it

I know @Zenzo tried out SW for a bit and then got rid of the tank.  And, I'll be honest, I'm a bit concerned that will happen here.  My guess is it is a lot easier to convert to SW than to go back again - though I am not sure that is true.  Ideally, I would want to start FO and slowly convert to reef, but I just don't know.  I don't even really know why I am posting this.  I don't know that I am asking for advice, as I recognize that nobody can make this choice for me.  I suppose I just needed to get my conundrum out there. 

There maybe some nerves but I have seen people like me brother never have a fish tank at al and went right to a Sw tank and had no issues that I can think of. He did have a freind that told him what to do. I lived with him for 3 months after a surgery and only saw him do some water testing and change water. I’m sure he did some more but I just don’t recall him doing much. 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 7/28/2022 at 11:06 PM, Patrick_G said:

And

I missed a lot!  Thanks for sharing the links!  I hope the little puffer is doing well.

On 7/28/2022 at 11:06 PM, Patrick_G said:

My goal is to eventually have a sort of Mangrove garden with macro algae and mangroves

That should be pretty cool!  I'm definitely in this for the corals and anemones, which seems like I've once again decided to jump blindly into the deep end, as is my way.

On 7/29/2022 at 12:38 AM, Brandon p said:

There maybe some nerves but I have seen people like me brother never have a fish tank at al and went right to a Sw tank and had no issues that I can think of.

Thanks!  I think part of my problem is that I have this mental hurdle to jump.  As a biologist, I feel really comfortable with FW because I have good taxonomic sense when it comes to the critters, plants, and algae I can keep in there.  But I am far less familiar with SW biodiversity.  Specifically tropical SW biodiversity.  I think top me it feel like I can't even begin until I have a firm grasp of that piece of it all.  I miss books!  Having TFH books back in the day really gave great overviews that increased my comfort level.  Though, I realize that pretty soon that complaint is going to sound akin to someone complaining that there just aren't enough papyrus scrolls around anymore. 

[eatyourpeas]

On 7/29/2022 at 7:11 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

That should be pretty cool!  I'm definitely in this for the corals and anemones, which seems like I've once again decided to jump blindly into the deep end, as is my way.

Well, that is how I did it. I did study the local waters for about a year before I started the tank, and contacted the Seattle Aquarium seeking advice. Back when, I was fixated on a Grunt sculpin, but the tank had other plans. As with FW, follow what the tank wants to do, the critters know better.

I can’t give you any useful advice on tropical marine environments, unfortunately. But you have seen the set-up and the V-Sump (which was greatly influenced by you), and that part of the maintenance is pretty straight forward.

At about nine months I started to see macros grow on their own, which was pretty exciting. I stopped collecting a while ago since most critters are reproducing on their own, and I may be already overstocked.

I do follow other reefers, and be prepared for a very steep price tag when it comes to corals and anemones. Luckily, that is one aspect that has cost zero in my tank.

Feel free to ask any questions. 😃

[eatyourpeas]

On 7/28/2022 at 5:21 PM, Patrick_G said:

I’m having a lot of fun with my 40g brackish, soon to be marine setup. It is more work because of mixing water but a sump would make things much easier. Converting from brackish to marine is the most stressful part because at some point the cycle gets disrupted, but starting at full marine seems pretty easy. 

I think brackish may be a good choice. I love @Zenzo‘s mudskipper tank, and those little guys are full of personality! I think that is the trait I seek in the critters I have… 🙃

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 7/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, eatyourpeas said:

Well, that is how I did it. I did study the local waters for about a year before I started the tank

As I have said in the past, you are ever my muse and guru on the mountain (I know you like the allusion to one of those - but both are true).  So, it's good to know I am perhaps on the right track with the over abundance of research. 

On 7/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, eatyourpeas said:

Back when, I was fixated on a Grunt sculpin

Ah.  I remember those heady days!  I am kinds of glad the way your tank worked out.  I suspect I will have to be a bit more intentional given my comparative proximity to the source of my desired biota.

On 7/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, eatyourpeas said:

I stopped collecting a while ago since most critters are reproducing on their own,

I guess I didn't realize that.  Congrats!  If I do go this route we can both add a little salty content around here (don't worry mods, I don't plan on starting a lot of cursing - well maybe pirate-y cursing "avast ye lubbers").

On 7/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, eatyourpeas said:

be prepared for a very steep price tag when it comes to corals and anemones

Yup...  I realize that.  I do think that's perhaps the biggest part of the appeal for me though.  I love how they fluoresce under the LED lights!  I have a collection of fluorescent minerals - and these have all of the appeal, plus they grow!  Fortunately with the fish I only really want the easy ones.  I still like the idea of breeding my own; being self-sufficiency for tropical fish.  That restricts me to the commonest ones, which tend to be cheaper.

On 7/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, eatyourpeas said:

Feel free to ask any questions. 😃

Thanks!  I might do, depending on whether this is a lark or becomes a journey. 

[eatyourpeas]

On 7/29/2022 at 1:58 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

That restricts me to the commonest ones, which tend to be cheaper.

I see a blenny in your future! 😍

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:42 AM, eatyourpeas said:

I see a blenny in your future!

You know me well.  I've already been checking our stripped belnnys - which can be bred in the aquarium!  It also means I can track down captive bred to start with, which would be good too.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

All things come to a close.  It is now time for me to end this journal, as I am shutting down the pseudo-saltwater aquarium.  I feel like it was successful.  I stocked and scaped a FW tank to mimic SW, and for the most part it was satisfying.  Certainly, I enjoyed the number of people who came over and wanted to know if it was SW, or why I didn't have clownfish, or corals in there. 

The cracks started to form when I realized that should I could cohab the two species of fish I had in there, I couldn't breed both in the same tank.  The julies were constantly eating the cyps' babies.  The "fix" moving the cyps out, turned out to require me to dissemble the tank - a clue to the second problem I'd have.  By putting the cyps, the julies no longer felt as safe.  It turns out the cyps were acting as dithers, so I saw my fish far less.  But that didn't stop them from breeding.  Oh no!  There were babies.  So many baby julies!

Again, I was unable to catch the fish out.  There was too much rockwork for them to hide in.  So, I was faced with the realization, I would have constantly increasing numbers of fish in the tank, and no way to get them out without major disruption to the tank.  I like breeding fish.  I didn't want to give that up, but I also need this tank to be a display as it is in the entry of my house.  What to do?

I realized I did want corals.  I did want clownfish.  I wanted to make this tank into an actual saltwater tank.  And that's the plan.  I'll still be breeding fish, but ones where I can pull the eggs or trap the larva to raise in a breeding tanks in my basement.  Hopefully this will leave the display largely intact, and allow me to enjoy the best of both worlds.  But, it does bring this setup and this journal to an end. 

I'll post updates to the new life of this tank as I can.  But for now, here are the last of the julies:

And here is the tank today. I'm pulling the last of the snails, and it will be drained and done by this weekend.  Ready for a new adventure.

Thanks to those who took an interest in this weird experiment of mine!

[Patrick_G]

I hope you journal your marine tank build.

[eatyourpeas]

I hope to see what new life awaits this tank, and that the critters found good homes. Good luck with the marine set up. 🙂

[Biotope Biologist]

Good luck with the saltwater! I find that being able to adapt to yours and your fishes changing needs is a good fish owner quality. Even though it sucks to feel that way.

 

I look forward to the marine conversion.