Cold Water Reef and Collecting locally

[Scavenger]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Sounds interesting AND legal

Considering the specimens in the area where you are will a need cold watter environment once in your tank, how will you provide such an environment? Can the VPA give you advice on setting up and maintaining such a tank, or is there other information out there that you have been perusing? If so, let us know your sources so others may have the chance to consider such a set up.

Well I still don't have plans finalized, but so far my thoughts are temp control shouldn't be too much of an issue. In a tidal pool environment the temp swings drastically. from 55ish to 80 f in any given tidal change. (seasonal variances too of course.). As for water quality, I can collect locally at any given time as I fish all year long with my boat and can collect from offshore locations where the pollution factors are lessened.
I won't be collecting any high light requiring organisms (if there are any locally) as in a large number of areas the sunny days are few. I'm also pondering having a slowly draining tank with a sump on float switches that only activates the return pump when water reaches extreme low. Or I could easily make 2 dump tanks one of warm and one of cold to simulate tidal fluctuations. Hopefully the cycle will be around 6 hours (average tide flow). As for feeding and care, I have spent my life here on the coast and learned a bit about tidal life. I even took a school course in it. I believe with this knowledge and more that I may glean off internet and perhaps writing public aquariums with this type of display, I should be able to keep things rolling smooth.
Do note, I haven't committed to this project or finalized research yet, but will definitely keep all interested reefers apprised of my trials and successes during the process if I do.