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Nihoa
04/08/2015, 02:32 PM
Talofa! I am a Canuck living and working in American Samoa. I have missed reef keeping dearly while living down here and was recently able to purchase a tank from a local restaurant that no longer wanted it. This was a major score as shipping things to Am Sam is a huge pain and this tank is one of only three that I know of in the territory. Home in Canada, I often daydreamed of running a tank in a tropical setting where equipment and all the frigging around would be vastly reduced by having immediate access to the reef. I’ve come to find that hunting out and catching reef fish is as much fun (probably more) than actually keeping them and the addition of this aspect to the hobby has really amped the addiction. As if reefkeeping needed to be more addicting... Many of us are attracted to build threads with page upon page of photos of shiny gear and wiring and the like. This will be no such thread! I can, however, promise week after week of interesting critters found and caught on our reefs and a tank celebrating their awesomeness!

Livestock
I will be doing another post shortly detailing my wants for livestock. For now, it is enough to say that I am looking at making a mixed reef of reef safe(ish) fish, sps corals, clams, and maybe an anemone or two. Everything will be wild caught/collected from out front of my house or other areas around the island depending on what I’m looking for and where they are typically found. All my corals will be corals of opportunity, collected in the rubble zone where they have been broken off the reef by big swells and are tumble-weeding around. I may frag colonies of less common corals to grow out in the tank and then outplant again on the reef but I doubt this will make up much of my stock. There are lps and some soft coral here as well but you do not typically see these snapped off the reef so I doubt I will have the chance to collect any and wouldn’t feel right breaking off a big head of brain to drag home. I should note that I work at the agency responsible for permitting in the territory so you can be sure I have my ducks in a row in that regard.

The nice thing about living so close to the source of livestock is the ability to treat a tank as a constantly evolving project. I will not attempt to keep anything with overly specialised requirements like cephalopods, obligate corallivores, etc. but proximity to the reef does mean that animals that do not acclimate well, show excessive aggression, or grow too large can be returned to the ocean readily. I don’t think anything should go into a tank that can’t be properly cared for but it is nice to have the reef out front which may allow for any mistakes to be mitigated.

The Tank
I have not picked the tank up yet and I am not super solid on all its details. The dimensions are ~ 1.5m wide x .7m high x .5m deep which puts me somewhere around the 525L (130g) mark but the tank is a reverse bowfront and I am unsure how this will reduce the volume. Suppose I will find out when I fill it! I would not have chosen a reverse bowfront, or a reg bowfront for that matter, but down here you take what you get and this tank is plenty big enough to do some cool things with so I’m happy. I plan to have the curved surface against the wall so I doubt once setup many will even notice it. I did notice some calcified stain on the glass when I checked it out so I imagine I will run it a week with tap water and vinegar.

Equipment
There is blissfully little. With easy access to fresh salt water I will be relying heavily on water changes and, as such, will not be running a skimmer, reactors, or much of anything else. At some point I may attempt a DIY auto top-off but for now it’ll just be lights and pumps.

For lighting, I have two AI Hydra Twentysixes and before you head for the reply button to tell me I am woefully under lighting this tank I will confess I already know. I do not plan to be here on the island forever and when I eventually return to a mainland of some kind I would prefer to keep a tank in the 70g range. At any rate, these lights will provide areas in the tank where I will be able to keep just about anything I could want off the reef but means I will not get full coverage through the whole tank. If this comes to really bother me I may pick up another twentysix. I’ve started playing with the hydras through the director to get the hang of them but haven’t settled on any settings as I will need to see the look on the tank. I’ve also not decided how high I will be mounting them.

For flow I have bought three Koralia 1500s and there is a large external pump that I haven’t seen yet coming with that tank. If the flow isn’t sufficient I may have to supplement with another Koralia or two.

The distance to the sea out front of my place is only 80m (slam -14.318164, -170.701881 into google earth and you will see my house) and that makes a pump system to transport seawater to my apt. very doable. However, anything not bolted to the earth with titanium seems to disappear quickly here in Samoa so leaving hose or a pump outside isn’t an option. At the very least, I would like a pump I could use to fill water jugs from the back of my truck.

Rock, Substrate & Scaping
I take this very seriously! I have been collecting rock from across the reef for the last week or two and have it piled on the sand in a deeper pool. This has given me a chance to roughly play with my pieces and try to get some ideas for how I want to scape the tank. Hopefully I can get a pic of this soon.

So, yes, all the liverock is wild collected and fantastically full of hitchhikers. I’ve had blennies, micro-gobies, shrimp, decorator crabs, squat lobsters, worms, and all sorts of neato wildlife hop out of rock and for me all these little surprise critters really make a tank. It probably also means that unwanted crabs, mantises, worms, etc. will get into the tank but I will do my best to flush them out by leaving the rock to air a few minutes and discarding the jerks. Otherwise, I will have a wrasses and things to whittle down any trouble makers but ultimately this tank will be a little piece of the reef and that might just mean taking the bad with the good.

I will be putting in a sand bed of 8cm or so. This will be dry sand sourced from a beach nearby and I hope to acquire mostly coarse-grained sand as I find the sugar-sized grain sort of a pain.

A pic or two
To make up for the lack of photos in this post I will include a couple shots of where I will be doing most of my shopping ;)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8591/16123451864_b996e144ee_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qyLUvo)[/url]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7285/16558730380_6941b5fb93_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qyLUvo)[url=https://flic.kr/p/reePDo]

ViktorVaughn
04/08/2015, 03:04 PM
This should be really cool, especially if you're able to snap pictures while collecting.

billdogg
04/08/2015, 04:08 PM
I'm very jealous. Living in Central Ohio doesn't exactly give me the same choices for , well, pretty much anything except tanks.

Keep us posted, and feel free to post more pictures!!!

kevantheman35
04/08/2015, 06:49 PM
Dream come true. Ill be following along!

joshky
04/08/2015, 08:19 PM
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8591/16123451864_b996e144ee_c.jpg

http://forum.blu-ray.com/images/smilies/imported/jawdrop.gifhttp://forum.blu-ray.com/images/smilies/imported/jawdrop.gifhttp://forum.blu-ray.com/images/smilies/imported/jawdrop.gif

VERY beautiful!!!! Great photo!

Nihoa
04/12/2015, 10:33 PM
A short update. The tank was picked up in the typical Samoan sketchy fashion. I absolutely did not want to transport the tank still full of weird pebble glass and castle decorations while on top of the stand and over the worse roads you can imagine but didn't have much say in it. They threw it in my truck as was and I had little choice but to roll with it and hope for the best! It was remarkably stable navigating the potholes, dogs, aiga busses (google it), children and I was able to get it home without incident. It took four Samoans to load it into the truck as seen in the pic below and four whites to get the tank alone into my apt. I don't get how they are so strong. Anyway, it's in the apt. now and I can get going on things. I would like to have it filled and running with the vinegar in it by tomorrow.

I was bummed to find my Koralia 1500's will not work as the glass is ~ 14mm thick. And the external 'pump' that came with it was actually just a canister filter so I need to rethink my options for flow. Suggestions would be most welcome. Seems a lot of people are finding the Jebao pumps to be decent.

I rigged the Ai Hydras up and get good spread from them when hung 10cm over where the water level will be. It will look much diff when full of water, of course, but for the moment it looks like I won't have a couple cones of light with dark areas in the tank.

https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11149388_10155454538170346_7325505240939064898_n.jpg?oh=d80fcc9ed086f2b396b7d7352138a76e&oe=55E1C216

https://scontent-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11147064_10155459834445346_3074510393177006351_n.jpg?oh=1a8801eecc8f184f76a5af2c39aafccd&oe=55B02782

Chevrefils
04/12/2015, 10:52 PM
Holy, you live in a paradise!

KabayanReef
04/12/2015, 11:14 PM
I don't mind the troubles of living there and what terms do I have to meet for you to switch places with me? Heck I don't care if I have to cross the ocean Life of Pi style on a fishing boat just gimme the damn lifestyle now :lol:

Huh did I just mention that out loud? I mean really nice project you have going here. PLEASE update us as promised, will be looking weekly for posts :D Goodluck bro!

Nihoa
04/14/2015, 08:40 PM
While I wait for the vinegar to clean up the tank I have been out on the reef working on my liverock. As I try my diff arrangements I've had threespot wrasse, picasso triggers, damsels, chromis, goatfish, and all sorts of other things investigating which gives a pretty neat preview of how fish will be moving around the structures! So cool. Even had a small moray cruising around and a goby of some sort has taken up residence with its shrimp underneath a rock on the 'front.' I'm including a pic of the sorts of pieces I've come across (and near drowned drying to swim home with) and also a pic of the rock roughly scaped. That pile is about as long as me and thigh high for scale.

http://i.imgur.com/jo2zj38h.jpg (http://imgur.com/jo2zj38)

http://i.imgur.com/shBFDVJl.jpg (http://imgur.com/shBFDVJ)

CafeReef
04/14/2015, 08:57 PM
I have no words....you aquascaped in the ocean... I look at corn fields... Im depressed now because of my severe jealousy

Nihoa
05/09/2015, 02:12 PM
Tank has been running now for a couple weeks now after managing to find a weekend to fill it. I am incredibly grateful I had a chance to play with the aquascape out in the water before bringing all the rock into the tank and trying to sort it there. Overall quite happy but open to suggestions if anyone thinks it can be improved.

The live rock is certainly that. Despite trying to air the rock out to drive most of the critters out I have imported a tonne of them. There are dwarfgobies, an urchin, starfish, hermits, snails, cowries, crabs, pistols, mantids... I removed a couple crabs with my fishing spear but there are a few bigger ones (couple cm) that I would like to see gone. I have been out this week looking for a lionfish for biocontrol and will be out again the rest of the weekend to see if I can find a lion to deal some death from above.

There are nubs of stylopora, porites, favites, etc. and all have their corallites out and have even coloured up under the leds. I had a minor setback with the lights which you can read about in this thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2501003) but, in short, my bud managed to knock one of the hydras into the tank and I am waiting on the replacement he ordered. Might send the cooked one to AI to see if they can repair it but in the meantime I am keeping an eye on the corals that came in with my rock to see how they fair while I sort the lighting back out.

http://i.imgur.com/B6qiNRNh.jpg (http://imgur.com/B6qiNRN)

http://i.imgur.com/PcgfTCth.jpg (http://imgur.com/PcgfTCt)

Redrosetuscan
05/09/2015, 03:08 PM
I love threads like these! Living the dream!

You know what id like to do is to do a scape like you did in the sea there and then plant it with nice acros and have my own sort of fish tank in the sea I could go and monitor for growth, colour etc etc.

I'd probably end up building a whole new reef over time haha

Grayhead
05/09/2015, 05:33 PM
All I can say is awesome. I think I speak for many when I say I am envious. You are in a unique area with lots of goodies at your disposal. I like the simplicity of your tank. Can't wait to see how it grows over the next year or so

tommyboynj
05/10/2015, 07:14 AM
Very cool build. Being able to pull rock like that from the ocean is awesome. The biodiversity it holds must be amazing. I cant wait to see how this reef comes to life in the long term. It should be very interesting to watch the evolution.

Nihoa
05/11/2015, 08:20 PM
I love threads like these! Living the dream!

You know what id like to do is to do a scape like you did in the sea there and then plant it with nice acros and have my own sort of fish tank in the sea I could go and monitor for growth, colour etc etc.

I'd probably end up building a whole new reef over time haha

I've thought about this a lot! It's a bit more difficult than it first seems as you really need to think about securing the rockwork against the storms that tumble huge blocks and table corals. You could cement something together but you also need to find an area with good flow and a heavy crew of algae grazers or your efforts are going to turn into a big algae ball. I think finding an existing place on the reef that is aesthetically pleasing and in good health but maybe with low coral cover would work. With some waterweld and frags you could have a pretty cool coral garden in no time. Relocate anemones and their clownfish colonies, clams, plates, etc etc. Once I get some interesting frags growing out in the tank we might do just this!

slief
05/15/2015, 08:49 AM
very cool! You're very lucky to be able to live out there and also have the livestock and fresh live rock at your doorstep like that. Kind of reminds me of Walt Smith! Good luck with your build! I'm looking forward to seeing it mature!

d-man
05/15/2015, 09:25 AM
Awesome!!!

RingingEars
05/15/2015, 09:57 AM
This is absolutely spectacular.

dendrite
05/15/2015, 11:06 AM
the pictures, story line just keep getting better and better. If you like please try to include some shots of the locale

Nihoa
05/15/2015, 05:00 PM
If you like please try to include some shots of the locale

A good idea. Some pics from around the territory. Sry for crappy fb resolution.

Pago Pago Harbour
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/255344_10151958753835346_1553903624_n.jpg?oh=b0d23a4e094e2f8cb10651c670fee67e&oe=55C6A372&__gda__=1443519869_15e08885f932c0ef70875a717e6f3d81

Vatia
https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/313905_10151958757290346_1186196024_n.jpg?oh=72a692433d3f83165ab9fb07f2273440&oe=55C77E29

Ofu-Olosega
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/405000_10152271799070346_2088988145_n.jpg?oh=b0284929115087b337c6a95509e5eb37&oe=560506B0&__gda__=1438575419_89ba269642c10730aefe4a0280c84dc0

Toaga Beach
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t31.0-8/1926140_10153956557930346_1593787399_o.jpg

Pure evil that tastes like heaven
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/576443_10152136547570346_1028939636_n.jpg?oh=88973c177baa4cdd7ba6a5e9232d8a29&oe=55C464F3&__gda__=1438856056_fc844de91e6842239808d8c41b951628

Chevrefils
05/15/2015, 07:15 PM
Absolutely beautiful. Once im done my carpentry apprenticeship im hoping to travel and work in amazing places like this for years to come. Tank looks great.

M4rz
05/15/2015, 07:30 PM
Outstanding progress...can't wait to see the livestock you get!

domination2580
05/15/2015, 07:51 PM
Omg....I wish I never had opened this thread. Now I'm extremely jealous and severely depressed since I live in the middle of the country here in the US.....ugh

dendrite
05/15/2015, 08:30 PM
The pictures look like paradise. How are the reefs there holding up against onshore pollution, acidification, and ocean warming?

Nihoa
05/18/2015, 04:31 PM
Finally, after more than a week of looking I found a lion for the tank on Saturday night. To my delight it is a ~ 10cm Pterois radiata and only the first one I have seen here. We most commonly see Pterois volitans and I was hoping for either a Dendrochirus zebra or a Pterois antennata but was thrilled to come across this little gem. The terrain and current made getting her into the tupperware a bit of a nightmare but a little patience went along way and now she is settled nicely in the tank hunting crabs. Anyone know anything about sexing this species?

Also managed to to score a nice decorator crab sitting right next to the lion. Sorry for the crappy iphone pics. I have a DSLR but uploading pics from it is just a pain. I will see about doing a proper photoshoot some night when the lion has finished acclimating. No plans for any more fish for a few weeks.

https://scontent-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11054856_10155597380735346_9098556429625317831_n.jpg?oh=6d27f270f7a299b2317a640b06bd863e&oe=56061806

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11096678_10155596745445346_7968344902855660591_n.jpg?oh=0ab1aaa139c443870ca5a638a3cf4b68&oe=560405B8&__gda__=1438562941_037a72dc8cd6b3cf1f5354d168a77354

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10154501_10153955111365346_164286524_n.jpg?oh=7f7e00e50bab662e0c736be14e8e99df&oe=55D1DAEF&__gda__=1442810933_0390a77da90270e8399c28bba5625b10

maxxII
05/18/2015, 04:46 PM
Radiata lions are among the most difficult to acclimate to captivity.
Start with shrimp and small fish and see if you can get it onto prepared foods.

Good looking fish though.

Nihoa
05/18/2015, 06:23 PM
Radiata lions are among the most difficult to acclimate to captivity.
Start with shrimp and small fish and see if you can get it onto prepared foods.

Good looking fish though.

From what I've read, this sounds very correct. I don't plan on converting this fish to prepared foods, though, as there are plenty of crabs and small inverts in the tank and I have an endless supply nearby on the reef. I'm hoping it will be the lean mean crab killing machine that I need!

maxxII
05/18/2015, 06:30 PM
You are in a unique position to be able to regularly go out and catch food for your fish.
But its not a bad idea to consider the possibility that you may need to go someplace for an extended period of time.

I've been reefkeeping for too long to do anything but think of worst case scenarios try to plan for them.

Spinelessspade
05/19/2015, 06:18 AM
Wow!!! What a gorgeous fish!!! I'm so jealous

Nihoa
05/19/2015, 03:39 PM
Another shot of this beauty.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7765/17685255310_bda370dd38_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sWMyg1)

joshky
05/19/2015, 03:53 PM
Beautiful fish and beautiful photos of your island, absolute paradise.

CuzzA
05/19/2015, 04:29 PM
Very cool Nihoa. Looking forward to seeing more collecting adventures. You mentioned not having access to skimmers, reactors, etc. but if you're a little handy you could DIY just about anything. Plenty of DIY's on the Internet. PVC would likely get just about any job done. Even if a DIY skimmer pulls half the crap a commercially built one would, it's still removing half of the crap. Better than no crap.

Subscribed. ;)

indyjaco
10/23/2015, 08:38 PM
updates?

Sapelo
10/24/2015, 04:44 AM
Just saw this thread for the first time and I am in awe.
Please, please, please tell me there are updates!

Dkuhlmann
10/24/2015, 04:56 AM
Yes, updates please. This is a great thread and many watching it even if they don't post anything