Fishing pier tank theme (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Max]

Just a heads up, I can't recall the name of the most popular type of plastic printed for reef safe parts, but it's a very common one in our hobby. You get about three years out of it before it starts to crumble, so keep that in mind. I recently had to repair a few pieces of equipment I made three years ago due to the few printed parts I had simply decaying.

Well, I am committed now!
I did prime and paint the printed bolts. I hope that will help it last longer, but I know me.
I will probably tear it down and change it all up way before they deteriorate.
It depends on when I get another wild hair!
This whole tank change was because the tiny fry I caught in my plankton net turned out to be pinfish.
I can't believe I kept them alive without feeding them live brine shrimp!
Crumpled flake food...

 

[Cody]

Oh I hear ya! I love making things too!

And welcome to the wonderful world of CNC! I started with a little crappy laser cutter and now have a nice sized CNC router! Once you have one, you can never go back!

 

[Johnny Max]

The tank is set back up and the pier structure is in. I was able to remove the rocks and plants and get the structure in with the fish in the tank. I need to get the top back on and clean up everything now.
The beer can is Galveston Brewery's Tiki Wheat beer.
Here is the results.
I as pleased with it.

 

[wierzt]

Turned out great!

 

[Johnny Max]

Not a true Galveston Biotope yet.
I have non native macroalgae in it currently.
I have been trying to find local Turtle Grass, or Shoal Grass.
I wanted to buy some, but I would end up spending over $150 and not have very much.
On top of that I read the reviews and they melt and die.
BUT! This morning I saw a picture on the Internet of a very large area of thick turtle grass.
It was in an area west of Galveston Bay. So, I loaded up Google Earth and I found it! I think????
I can drive right to the area where it is too!
I will be planning a trip next week. I will be snorkeling over the LARGE Fields of sea grass.
I have been trying to find a sea grass field to snorkel over for a long time.
Now I "think" I found one and it is less than three hours from my home.
Here is the picture I found that led me to a possible location.
It was taken 3 years ago.

 

[Cody]

The tank is set back up and the pier structure is in. I was able to remove the rocks and plants and get the structure in with the fish in the tank. I need to get the top back on and clean up everything now.
The beer can is Galveston Brewery's Tiki Wheat beer.
Here is the results.
I as pleased with it.

Ha! I love the tiki wheat (favorite beer of mine that they make) and I love the lure attached to the wood!

 

[Johnny Max]

I am puting a new canister filter made for a 100 gallon tank on it. It will clear up, but I wanted to post the picture with the water still a little cloudy, because it looks more natural.
I am dosing with nitrofying bacteria. I am watching the amonia and nitrates close. I removed a lot of rock...
I so wish I had a much bigger tank!

 

[Reefahholic]

Piggy perch are super aggressive and lightning fast. Don’t be surprised if they’re keeping the other fish from eating.

 

[Johnny Max]

Piggy perch are super aggressive and lightning fast. Don’t be surprised if they’re keeping the other fish from eating.

Yes, "It will be their tank!" I have wanted a piggy perch tank for years. I will see how long I keep it. I can always transition it into a Major Sargent tank and it will still be a Galveston tank. But you are correct, they are fast and very aggressive, even as small as they are.
But knowing that going in has helped me accept their behavior. LOL

 

[-AnThOnY-]

Well done. Looks awesome!

Please report back on the grass when you make it out there. The picture reminds me of Vallisneria which I used to collect in brackish water in LA, don't think it would survive true marine but would be interested to know. The pinfish would certainly survive brackish though.

Oh I hear ya! I love making things too!

And welcome to the wonderful world of CNC! I started with a little crappy laser cutter and now have a nice sized CNC router! Once you have one, you can never go back!

What CNC did you end up with? I finally bit the bullet and have one coming in ~2 weeks. Pretty pumped about diving in...

 

[Johnny Max]

It was not I that got a CnC machine. I got a 3D printer...

 

[Johnny Max]

Well done. Looks awesome!

Please report back on the grass when you make it out there. The picture reminds me of Vallisneria which I used to collect in brackish water in LA, don't think it would survive true marine but would be interested to know. The pinfish would certainly survive brackish though.

I will. If it is where I think it is, it should not be very brackish. I will try to bring a refractomiter to measure salinity.

Edit: I looked again and it could be brackish...

 

[Johnny Max]

I thought I would post one more picture since it cleared up over the weekend. I have an internal bio filter I made from a tall thin one liter bottle full of media and caeto with a riser tube running from the bottom with a powerhead on it. But the real filter is a 370 GPH external canister filter.
I won't post again, unless I find some Sea Grass to add.

 

[Cody]

Well done. Looks awesome!

Please report back on the grass when you make it out there. The picture reminds me of Vallisneria which I used to collect in brackish water in LA, don't think it would survive true marine but would be interested to know. The pinfish would certainly survive brackish though.


What CNC did you end up with? I finally bit the bullet and have one coming in ~2 weeks. Pretty pumped about diving in...

I have an Inventables X-Carve and absolutely love it! I got it a few years ago before I started my main build and it paid for itself by how much money I saved making my own Skimmers, calcium reactors, frag racks, etc. than if I had just bought them. I don't use it terribly often, but whenever I get the itch to build, I crank it up. It's also great for when you need to make custom parts to do special jobs.

 

[Reefahholic]

Yes, "It will be their tank!" I have wanted a piggy perch tank for years. I will see how long I keep it. I can always transition it into a Major Sargent tank and it will still be a Galveston tank. But you are correct, they are fast and very aggressive, even as small as they are.
But knowing that going in has helped me accept their behavior. LOL

I cracked my last tank trying to catch the Sargent majors to get them out. They are great fish but really quick eaters with food. None of my other fish could get anything. Piggy Perch are about the same so that should be a really interesting tank. Lol

 

[Johnny Max]

I cracked my last tank trying to catch the Sargent majors to get them out. They are great fish but really quick eaters with food. None of my other fish could get anything. Piggy Perch are about the same so that should be a really interesting tank. Lol

I am thinking it will end up all Piggy Perch and they will have to fight it out amongst tgemselves. I need to have enough so it is not too bad. I will find out.

 

[-AnThOnY-]

I am thinking it will end up all Piggy Perch and they will have to fight it out amongst tgemselves. I need to have enough so it is not too bad. I will find out.

One addition that would be neat and fit the theme are skilletfish. Should be around here although admittedly I haven't done enough collecting locally.

 

[-AnThOnY-]

I have an Inventables X-Carve and absolutely love it! I got it a few years ago before I started my main build and it paid for itself by how much money I saved making my own Skimmers, calcium reactors, frag racks, etc. than if I had just bought them. I don't use it terribly often, but whenever I get the itch to build, I crank it up. It's also great for when you need to make custom parts to do special jobs.

Nice! I always looked at that one and never could pull the trigger for some reason, I ended up ordering a Onefinity.

Is there a CNC thread somewhere? Might be worth making one if theres at least a few of us

 

[Johnny Max]

One addition that would be neat and fit the theme are skilletfish. Should be around here although admittedly I haven't done enough collecting locally.

I have a skillet fish in there, or did. Have not seen him in weeks. He was tiny.

 

[Reefahholic]

I am thinking it will end up all Piggy Perch and they will have to fight it out amongst tgemselves. I need to have enough so it is not too bad. I will find out.

Let me know, I’m interested to see who’s more dominant. Both are tough as nails. I think the piggy’s might be faster.