Photo Gallery :: Saltwater Reef pics

[DavidY]

If you want to get into saltwater reefs you really have to do your research. I thoroughly researched the hobby and read some of the top selling books for 3 years before I decided to actually do it. Then I spent another 2 years designing the system which was a dynamic process since the technology was still evolving while I was designing so I had to make changes as I went along. I followed the efforts of several hobbyists who were building large systems and were documenting everything they ran into online. I incorporated certain features that they used that I liked into my system and made sure to avoid any pitfalls they had run into. Also during all this time I was slowly acquiring the tanks and materials I would need, always looking out for good deals. Once i had the design down, I spent the next 18 months slowly building the system. Back then I was commuting 3 hours a day to and from work and we had 2 baby boys to take care of so I was only able to spend maybe one weekend a month on the project.

Anyway, even after all that research and designing, I still had to make adjustments to the system after it was finally up and running. My original method of water filtration was by means of an Algal Turf Scrubber which I designed and built myself (the manufactured ones were between $1000 and $2000). In theory it was a great idea but in practice it could not keep up with the nutrient load and required too much maintenance. So I finally took that offline after a couple of years and caved in and bought a high capacity protein skimmer.

Now after running for 9 years the system pretty much takes care of itself. Except for cleaning the glass which is a real pain because the main display tank is actually acrylic and scratches easily. Also there is a type of coraline algae thats calcium based that grows on reefs and is very pretty. But it also grows on the tank and is very difficult to scrape off, so that's my only bi-weekly chore. I usually let it go a month but then I pay for it because the longer I go between cleanings, the harder it is.

I'll try to take some pics of the plumbing and some of the different components of the system. My friends always used to tell me I should open a museum and charge admission just to see the technology involved. It's not high tech pretty because it's all home made but I tried to utilize "natural technology" as much as possible in a not-so-natural environment. The things that exist in nature are infinitely greater in efficiency than anything man can come up with as far ecosystems are concerned. The reef hobby used to be full of high tech expensive gadgets trying to keep captive reefs healthy and alive. Nowadays the more successful reefs try to reproduce a natural environment as closely as possible.

[untsmurf]

Wow, that is so beautiful. I can't believe you have so many gorgeous setups in your house.

I've considered doing a salt water tank, but after doing some research and finding out all the difficulties behind getting it set up I decided, more than likely, the only way I'll have one is if I pay someone to set it up for me.

Maybe it can be a retirement project down the road.

[Terryo]

Wow! wow! I am lucky that I can throw a pump into the water, and set up the filter. You are unbelieveable. What joy it must give you.

[Aqua8]

Awesome tank DavidY, I had a small 10 gl saltwater tank a couple years ago with dwarf seahorses. They were so cute and their babies were tiny tiny tiny. But yeah if anyone decides on going into saltwater aquariums, it's a lot of work and research. The water has to be tested regularly for pH, salinity, nitrate levels and the list goes on. But after the work comes the beauty. Trust me in the end it's worth it!!!

[DavidY]

That's the nice thing about having a large system. With almost 300 gallons of saltwater, the pH, salinity, alkalinity, nitrate levels, etc. don't fluctuate as much. I also have a top-off system to replenish evaporated water with pure fresh water automatically (filtered by a reverse-osmosis/deionization = 99.9% pure H2O). That maintains the salinity and water level fairly constant.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Wow, gorgeous. I especially love the clown fish in his host anenome....I'm fascinated by the symbiotic-style relationship that they seem to have.

Have you ever gotten stung by the anenome? How difficult is it to transport live coral? It seems like it would be so delicate!

[DavidY]

Yeah the clown fish/anemone relationship is one of the most fascinating to watch! I've been stung by anemones before, some being worse than others. The Carpet Anemone that I have is one of the stronger ones but it just kind of feels like duct tape when it sticks to you and you have to pull it off. Some people are more sensitive to it though and can develop rashes or minor burns from the stinging tentacles. The anemone will kill and eat an unwary fish that happens into it though. That is except for the little clown fish that have made it their home. I don't think anyone still fully understands the mechanism between the clown fish and its host anemone. But somehow, the clownfish will first introduce itself to a new anemone by quickly and lightly brushing up against its tentacles a few times. Some kind of chemical communication or transaction takes place and within a minute the clownfish will be frolicking in among the tentacles and folds of the anemone. The anemone provides protection for the clownfish and their eggs while the clownfish benefits the anemone by providing nutrients (from its waste) and co2 for the photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) that dwells in the tissue of the anemone which in turn produces energy giving some to the anemone to grow and reproduce. I've seen my clownfish carry pieces of food down to the anemone's mouth to feed it.

Corals are very delicate in that they are extremely sensitive to poor water conditions and they require close to natural strength sunlight. Aside from that they usually ship quite well as long as they're bagged in water and packed properly. They are always shipped in styrofoam boxes to maintain a constant temperature and are shipped overnight so they don't spend too long in the bag.

[kmichael55]

Wow, I never realized there was a whole introduction process and everything, it really is a fascinating relationship.

[Skadica]

My dad was going to get a saltwater tank, spend a year researching it, then he decided it was too much work for him, so he bought some bird feeders and watches birds as they fly in to eat a free meal.

[DavidY]

he he, that was probably a smart decision. I've seen many people spend thousands of dollars getting into the hobby only to turn around and try to sell everything a year or two later because it was too much work. The problem is you can never get back the money you put into it.

Ok here's another picture. Can you see the Frogfish (aka Anglerfish) in this picture?

[N4784N R4613]

Lol, I'm probably way off, but isn't that it right in the center of the pic?

[DavidY]

Yeah it is. It's not that hard to see cause I centered it nice and big in the pic but it just blends in so well. lol! I have a video of him eating and swimming a little bit the day after I first got him. I have to finish editing it and then I'll post it up on youtube later.

[N4784N R4613]

Sweet!!

[industrial_girl_2000]

David, that is just too cool for words. A long time ago, I bought a book on clownfish at a salt water store (even thought I don't even own one!) just because I found them so amazing. I figured that if I ever decided to get into saltwater, I would want to know everything there was to know about the type of fish I wanted to get. I have put it off partly because after reading that book, I now KNOW how much work it is & really respect the saltwater hobby. Maybe someday......!

For now, I continue to be the recipient of previously unwanted FRESHwater pets so I guess that is my current destiny in life.

[DavidY]

He he, yeah there's a lot of info you need to absorb about keeping saltwater tanks but it's very rewarding if you have the time, money and patience. There's definitely a lot of chemistry involved as well as biology. Building your own setup also involves a lot of plumbing, electrical and carpentry skills too. It's definitely challenging.

I'll have to tell you guys about the symbiotic relationship between the watchman goby and the pistol shrimp sometime when I get a chance (or you can look it up). It's really fascinating and amusing too.