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Dale · #1 09-27-2006, 03:59 AM

Is anyone running a cold water set up? In particular focussing on Pacific / BC flora and fauna. I am considering such a project and am looking for experiences and insights. I am thinking of doing this:

The pump will be set on a six hour rotating timer to simulate two tides / day (on off on off) When the pump is on it fills the display to the high tide mark and then drains to the sump. When the pump is off it backflows and drains the display down to the low tide mark.
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Buell XB12S

wetcoast · #2 09-27-2006, 04:23 AM

Would be very interested in seeing how you progress with this. Once I move back to Vancouver I am contemplating a similar setup and doing some diving to collect small amounts of inverts.

I have looked at pictures of Steve W.'s setup from Oregonreef.com and have been blown away. He is running 2 tanks with the majority of it collected from the Puget Sound area if I recall correct. Apparently lighting is not so much an issue as the requirement of a chiller.

I have yet to dive in the pacific northwest so I really have no idea what I'm in store for but have not thought the same since I found a book in chapters recently that focused on marine life in the PacNW. Good luck on this.

Delphinus · #3 09-27-2006, 04:52 AM

Tide idea is kinda interesting but I wonder if you'd really get much out of it. The problem I see with intertidal critters is there's nothing really keeping them in the tank unless it's sealed off (cover glass or whatever).

The Ucluelet Aquarium Society has a coldwater SW display tank at the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre and it's an awesome setup. I'd love to try coldwater someday.

The main concern I've always had about coldwater setups is the sweat on the glass. Thicker walls are needed, although I've seen public aquaria that simply had fans blowing on the glass to keep the condensation under control, so I guess that's an option too maybe.

Funny you mentioned this, by coincidence, I was just reading about Steve's setup earlier this evening. I don't see a whole lot of info on his oregonreef.com site though, but there are pics in threads on RC.

Dale · #4 09-27-2006, 06:16 AM

Thanks for the replies.
Funny as well, I was just talking today about the condensation issue. It won't be that much of an issue for most of the tank as it will be in the garage and based on its (the garage) ambient temperature. The front pane however will be a cut out into the entryway and may fog up.

Any links to the RC threads? I started looking but

I also checked out oregonreef.com - Hokeydina!!! I am planning a similar set up in the garage (not quite that big) and not seven feet off the ground. My hat's off to that beautiful money pit.

I've toyed with the coldwater theme for some time and it is a go - the tidal pool is a may be. I have a tank drilled in a way to replicate it but I'm not sure I want to limit my livestock choices.
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VT750CD

Bryan · #5 09-27-2006, 07:24 AM

One could probably build a louver vent in the front of the tank that blew air up the front pane of the glass to evaporate the swwat. It could be just a slot cut into the top front of the stand and a vent pipe connected to the slot to a fan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

The main concern I've always had about coldwater setups is the sweat on the glass. Thicker walls are needed, although I've seen public aquaria that simply had fans blowing on the glass to keep the condensation under control, so I guess that's an option too maybe.

StirCrazy · #6 09-27-2006, 12:24 PM

why isn't this kind of tank done very often, huge tank costs, bacicily you need a double walled acrylic tank to stop the condensation. Huge chiller costs, takes way more to cool a tank than heat it. Lighting, believe it or not critters still get a fair bit of light up here, but instead of the 250 HQis you could probably get away with a Good VHO, PC, T5, or small MH set up.

as for the tide issue, good idea but hard to do. you need a pump that pumps slow enuf to take 5 hours to fill up the other tank, then your drain has to drain slow enuf to take 5 hours to drain down. that will give you your hour "slack tide" that you see in nature. Also man will that tank stink at low tide so I don't know if I would wantit in a living area

Steve

Ruth · #7 09-27-2006, 01:09 PM

Here is a link to a RC cold water or temperate water thread. I believe that Steve Weast (Oregonreef) also has information on his site about his beautiful cold water reef.
I recall reading it a while ago and basically as Steve has said - thick glass and large chiller costs are the basic drawbacks as well as the cost and difficultly of acquiring livestock unless you can collect it yourself.

Ruth · #8 09-27-2006, 01:10 PM

Here is a link to a RC cold water or temperate water thread. I believe that Steve Weast (Oregonreef) also has information on his site about his beautiful cold water reef.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=890751
I recall reading it a while ago and basically as Steve has said - thick glass and large chiller costs are the basic drawbacks as well as the cost and difficultly of acquiring livestock unless you can collect it yourself.

Delphinus · #9 09-27-2006, 04:16 PM

I can't find a whole lot of info on Steve's site about his coldwater setup, but in that link Ruth provided, he talks about it some and shows some pictures.

I'm not too sure how much light you would really "need". I'm thinking you could go as much as you wanted, but I think you could get away with far less than a tropical reef, seeing as most critter's you're likely to keep in a coldwater setup aren't photosynthetic.

If you're ever in the Tofino/Ucluelet area, check out that tank at the Wickaninnish. Fish, hermits, anemones, bizarre snails, stars, etc. It's a great setup.

I'd love to try something like this someday too. Lots of neat stuff on our own coastlines!

Matt · #10 09-27-2006, 04:32 PM

Great thread. I was recently absolutely stunned by the Vancouver Aquariums coastal displays. They really put their tropical reef displays to shame, in some ways.

Steve Weast's tanks on that RC thread are also beautiful, but he isn't keeping a puget sound theme -- a lot of his livestock is from Australia's temperate zones, and generally from a slightly warmer climate.

IIRC, he runs a 1/2hp Iwaki(?) chiller, and during the summer it runs 30mins on, 1hr off.

I'm not thinking of running a temperate marine setup, but I'm awfully glad that others are - the beauty of them is very inspiring. I'm even thinking of taking a dive on the west coast next summer, and I HATE cold-water diving.