Reef Biotopes List

srusso · Aug 17, 2018

Hey all! I am going to be getting back into reef keeping soon. I am doing my typical research trying to avoid making the mistakes that I made the first time around. I remember from my freshwater days I got into keeping biotopes over just doing a mixed or community tanks. Biotopes for those that dont know, are tanks that are designed to emulate a specific location. This IMHO tends to create a more natural and interesting tank. You tend to be forced to look at live stock you wouldn't normally consider, also allows for greater control of parameters and general tank stability. With that said, I started searching for a list of reef biotopes types, ideas, live stock lists and locations someone could emulate. I figured the great minds here could offer up suggestions ideas and help flush out some good biotope locations.

pluikens · Aug 17, 2018

I'll start: Pacific NW and Florida tide pools

PatW · Aug 17, 2018

You could do an Indo Pacific Reef Crest for acropora.

You could do a shallow Caribbean reef with gorgonians.

mcarroll · Aug 17, 2018

Wikipedia's got this list of sections in their Reefs article....seems like a nice starting point. If it seems logical in your case, you can drill down and get more and more specific in the environment you try to emulate.

VR28man · Aug 17, 2018

John Tullock's book "Saltwater Aquarium Models" has dozens of good ones, though it's like 10 years old ( but of course, This kind of information never get dated). It's even available on Kindle. I believe he got a PhD in marine biology in the Keys in the 60s/70s, and was in the saltwater aquarium business from then until the mid 00s. Meaning, he knews his aquarium keeping - at least for the time - and especially biology, like few others in the business.

Anyway, there are many different ones you can choose from. Just snorkeling a major site can give you several different ideas - for instance, my Kapoho tide pools had a Monti pond (relatively calm water but with strong current, big plating montis everywhere) and a back reef section (some montis, more porites, pocillopora, sand, and pretty strong current).

What are you looking to keep?

Off the top of my head, an easy biotope would be a branching coral lagoon from the coral triangle.

Note that this is in a shallow lagoon in Palau, at a time with little current (slack tide?). In the background also are Talbots' damsels, azure damsels (Chrysiptera hemicyanea), I believe a branching Porites (Porties cylindrica? This is not common, but available in the hobby and easy to grow apparently), and in the background I believe two montiporae (Montipora capitata and maybe a capricornis), and possibly a Favites.

See this also: pj cards near a cluster of branching/staghorn type acros. maybe a morph of Acropora yongei, one color morph of which is the ORA Green Slimer. The page has several other inspirational views of the same or nearby parts of a reef somewhere.

https://www.shutterstock.com/video/...itat-sphaeramia-nematoptera-k-ultrahd-up.html

Here’s one idea on how to implement this:

Tank: shallow tanks. a 40 breeder, the deep blue 48x16x16, etc. would be good candidates.

Lighting: the more the better

Flow: Strong, but fairly gentle - not random pulses or anything like that. During the day, your pumps should be set to lagoon mode on the ecotechs, Variable pulse mode or pulse mode on the Maxspect Gyre advanced controllers., W2 on the jebao pumps. I would do at least 50X flow, at least two pumps.

Hard corals: Mostly easy branching corals. I would start with a 4-5 of cheap fake ones (http://www.deepblueprofessional.com/coral-concepts.html), and let the real ones grow in, gradually jettisoning the fake ones as the real ones grow. Branching Porites (e.g. https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/484/porites-coral-yellow?pcatid=484&c=1679+322+484). Montipora digitata. Pocillopora/Stylophora/Seriatopora. Maybe an easy, hardy aquaculutred acro or two (ORA red planet or green slimer). If you want, a few encrusting montis or favia/favites.

Fish: Many options among the easy to care for, captive bred fish typically recommend for beginners.

PJ cardinals. Banggai Cardinals. Blue streak cardinals (school best, and get on well with Banggais reportedly). Talbots' damsels. Azure damsels (Chrysiptera hemicyanea). Ocellaris clownfish+ a BTA. Rainsford Goby, captive bred from biota. Mandarinfish (once you're well established. Also captive bred from Biota).

srusso · Aug 18, 2018

VR28man said:
John Tullock's book "Saltwater Aquarium Models" has dozens of good ones, though it's like 10 years old. It's even available on Kindle. (I believe got had a PhD in marine biology in the Keys in the 60s/70s, and was in the saltwater aquarium business from then until the mid 00s. Meaning, he knews his aquarium keeping - at least for the time - and especially biology like no other)...

Amazing post thank you!

srusso · Aug 18, 2018

Also just purchased a copy of the book, thank you for the recommendation.

srusso · Aug 20, 2018

Ok, I found these categories on coral.org. We can use this list of reef types to first define the most basic of parameters. Each biotope should define an ecology or "type".

TYPES OF FORMATIONS: Scientists generally divide coral reefs into four classes: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, atolls, and patch reefs. In each you can find that water flow and water depth plays a large part in the types of life found in each of these locations.

Barrier Reef -

Barrier reefs also parallel the coastline but are separated by deeper, wider lagoons. At their shallowest point, they can reach the water’s surface forming a “barrier” to navigation. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest and most famous barrier reef in the world.

From <https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/coral-reef-ecology/types-of-coral-reef-formations/>

Fringing Reef -

Fringing reefs grow near the coastline around islands and continents. They are separated from the shore by narrow, shallow lagoons. Fringing reefs are the most common type of reef that we see.

From <https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/coral-reef-ecology/types-of-coral-reef-formations/>

Patch Reef -

Patch reefs are small, isolated reefs that grow up from the open bottom of the island platform or continental shelf. They usually occur between fringing reefs and barrier reefs. They vary greatly in size, and they rarely reach the surface of the water.

From <https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/coral-reef-ecology/types-of-coral-reef-formations/>

Atolls -

Atolls are rings of coral that create protected lagoons and are usually located in the middle of the sea. Atolls usually form when islands surrounded by fringing reefs sink into the sea or the sea level rises around them (these islands are often the tops of underwater volcanoes). The fringing reefs continue to grow and eventually form circles with lagoons inside.

From <https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/coral-reef-ecology/types-of-coral-reef-formations/>