Catch and release Caribbean tank

ReefCatcher · Aug 1, 2016

HI. Im setting up a 75 gallon catch and release tank on Caribbean Island with no pet stores. All sand, coral fragments, live rock, inverts, fish and soft coral will be acquired while snorkeling with my kids....and someday....released again. Our focus will be inverts at first. We will build DIY fish catchers later and I want the option of growing soft corals and maybe even LPS coral in the future.

I am wide open for advice and suggestions

So far i have

75 gallon tank and stand
Rena Filstar canister filter
all the substrate i will ever need.

Considering

either marineland LED reef light or a T5 system? Our electricity is VERY expensive
powerheads for internalflow
additional filtration to complement the canister, which i would prefer not to run 24-7

Dont know if I need

sump system with a skimmer

Salty.Reefer · Aug 1, 2016

How close are you to the water? I have always been fascinated by catch and release or native tanks that are tied into natural sea water. by attaching a pump to a dock or something could allow fresh water to flow in constantly and would reduce the need for filtration and skimming.

melypr1985 · Aug 1, 2016

ReefCatcher said:
So far i have

75 gallon tank and stand

Rena Filstar canister filter

all the substrate i will ever need.

Considering

either marineland LED reef light or a T5 system? Our electricity is VERY expensive

powerheads for internalflow

additional filtration to complement the canister, which i would prefer not to run 24-7

Dont know if I need

sump system with a skimmer

Hi Welcome to R2R! I would suggest not using the canister filter. They arn't the best for saltwater and need to be cleaned every week like clockwork.

If your wanting to save electricity costs then go LED - they use less and dont run as hot. Though if you want a good light for less check out ebay. Current Marine orbit may work for you if your only wanting to keep softies and a few LPS but go with the best one they offer.

If you ditch the canister then a sump/refugium with a skimmer would be the best way to go IMO. You can hide all your ugly equipment down there and get the added water volume (which equals better stability) and better filtration. It would have to be run 24/7 of course, but the skimmer can be run a couple hours a day, or only at night, or however your tank needs it. There are also return pumps and powerheads out that are pretty darn economical when it comes to how much power they consume.

dbl · Aug 1, 2016

+1...and welcome to R2R.

4FordFamily · Aug 1, 2016

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Neat idea, and I agree with melyphr!

Salty.Reefer · Aug 2, 2016

Didn't look at your post count

WELCOME to R2R!

cameronh · Aug 3, 2016

Welcome to reef2reef!

Humblefish · Aug 3, 2016

Welcome to R2R. Just remember the animals you release may lose the capacity to hunt/care for themselves whilst in captivity. Especially fish.

dbl · Aug 3, 2016

Humblefish said:
Welcome to R2R. Just remember the animals you release may lose the capacity to hunt/care for themselves whilst in captivity. Especially fish.

Thanks for posting this Dr. Fish...I was thinking (or shall I say wondering) the same thing but didn't have anything to back it up!

KJ · Aug 3, 2016

Welcome to R2R

ReefCatcher · Aug 4, 2016

Salty.Reefer said:
How close are you to the water? I have always been fascinated by catch and release or native tanks that are tied into natural sea water. by attaching a pump to a dock or something could allow fresh water to flow in constantly and would reduce the need for filtration and skimming.

Im about a mile away from the sea....im afraid that would be too much tubing ;-)

ReefCatcher · Aug 4, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Hi Welcome to R2R! I would suggest not using the canister filter. They arn't the best for saltwater and need to be cleaned every week like clockwork.

If your wanting to save electricity costs then go LED - they use less and dont run as hot. Though if you want a good light for less check out ebay. Current Marine orbit may work for you if your only wanting to keep softies and a few LPS but go with the best one they offer.

If you ditch the canister then a sump/refugium with a skimmer would be the best way to go IMO. You can hide all your ugly equipment down there and get the added water volume (which equals better stability) and better filtration. It would have to be run 24/7 of course, but the skimmer can be run a couple hours a day, or only at night, or however your tank needs it. There are also return pumps and powerheads out that are pretty darn economical when it comes to how much power they consume.

OK. Thanks for the reply. If figured this was the advice that was coming. I am shopping around for a set up now (sump/refugia/skimmer). I have used hang-on-back before, but never the sump/refugia. Im not sure which way to go yet, in terms of hardware, but am watching a couple you tube videos now. Pls chime in, if you wish.

ReefCatcher · Aug 4, 2016

ReefCatcher said:
OK. Thanks for the reply. If figured this was the advice that was coming. I am shopping around for a set up now (sump/refugia/skimmer). I have used hang-on-back before, but never the sump/refugia. Im not sure which way to go yet, in terms of hardware, but am watching a couple you tube videos now. Pls chime in, if you wish.

I just read your blog and see that you are using a 40 breeder. Can you snap pic of the set up. The only extra tank i have right now is a 20. I live on a small island, so shopping for good gear is pretty impossible

Chrisfish · Aug 4, 2016

Welcome to R2R looking forward to following your thread. How awesom to live so close to the ocean.

domination2580 · Aug 4, 2016

Welcome! Can't wait to see your ideas become realities!

melypr1985 · Aug 4, 2016

ReefCatcher said:
I just read your blog and see that you are using a 40 breeder. Can you snap pic of the set up. The only extra tank i have right now is a 20. I live on a small island, so shopping for good gear is pretty impossible

It's nothing special. The skimmer is off because I'm getting ready to clean it.

ReefCatcher · Aug 6, 2016

Im posting an update on my plan and hoping for more helpful input. It turns out I cannot find instant ocean here in the island, so I am going to truck 125 gallons of seawater to my house for the set up. I was planning to do the set up today, but I have changed my plans for hardware, based on good advice i received here. I have ordered LED lights and a protein skimmer am searching searching around on-island for a 30 or 40 gal tank to use as a sump.

I looked around for live rock today and found some crazy stuff FULL of snails, urchins, plants and little crabs. Its almost too much to start with and im afraid it will all just die.

I have gotten to the stage where I am overthinking this, so Im just going to go for it when i receive the skimmer and return pump in the mail (although that is probably 2 more weeks)

ReefCatcher said:
HI. Im setting up a 75 gallon catch and release tank on Caribbean Island with no pet stores. All sand, coral fragments, live rock, inverts, fish and soft coral will be acquired while snorkeling with my kids....and someday....released again. Our focus will be inverts at first. We will build DIY fish catchers later and I want the option of growing soft corals and maybe even LPS coral in the future.

I am wide open for advice and suggestions

So far i have

75 gallon tank and stand

Rena Filstar canister filter

all the substrate i will ever need.

Considering

either marineland LED reef light or a T5 system? Our electricity is VERY expensive

powerheads for internalflow

additional filtration to complement the canister, which i would prefer not to run 24-7

Dont know if I need

sump system with a skimmer