Coldwater tank

I had a PNW biotope tank and have kept a number of cool intertidal creatures. Most tend to be pretty hardy because of the environment they come from -- I definitely recommend setting one up! Lighting is cheap, but the chiller is the big cost.


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It is marine life from the northwest rather than the northeast, but I definitely recommend!

I am copying my reply from another thread^. I am a big fan of coldwater tanks. The key things to keep in mind are that most things are not photosynthetic and the cold means slower metabolisms in general. This translates into differences in how long the tank can take to cycle/respond to bioload, and you have to spot feed everything. That being said, I found most most of the anemones and even fish to be quite hardy and able to tolerate wild temperature and parameter swings (a hot tidepool in the sun can have pretty surprising ammonia spikes and temp/salinity fluctuations).

I recommend reading about Steve Weast's tank(s) here: http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_coldwater.htm
 
Just bought a coldwater tank and will be setting it up as a New England biotope soon. Wondering if anyone has a coldwater tank too, or resources etc...
Thanks!

i have always wanted to get a cold water tank to put lobsters and all sorts of things in. How big is the tank and what are you planing to put in it. I cant wait to see what you do.
 
i have always wanted to get a cold water tank to put lobsters and all sorts of things in. How big is the tank and what are you planing to put in it. I cant wait to see what you do.
It is only a 2g Pico but I have good luck with my 100% weekly WC on my tropical reef picos so I am hoping the husbandry technique will translate well. It is 1/2” thick acrylic and will use a 50w novatec iceprobe chiller. Micro reefs a sponsor of nanoreef makes the tanks and I scored this one for 45$ as it is a 2012 prototype that has been collecting dust. It has its flaws but it’s a great starter setup. Even has space under the hood for an AI prime or kessil a80 though they would have to be run at really low settings
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I’ll start a build thread eventually
 
I've tossed around the idea of a coldwater set up. I live in a coastal community and have access to tons of native stuff. I'm bummed I didn't grab what appeared to be a free acrylic lobster tank from a local store that closed it's doors. I drove by it today and it was gone... Probably all well and good afboundguy's better 1/2 would have probably not have been very happy at all...
 
I am thinking about getting a 150 tank in the future , it would be easy to stock with lobsters and fish because i live right on the coast and can access the ocean, also cant wait to see how the tank goes
 
I am copying my reply from another thread^. I am a big fan of coldwater tanks. The key things to keep in mind are that most things are not photosynthetic and the cold means slower metabolisms in general. This translates into differences in how long the tank can take to cycle/respond to bioload, and you have to spot feed everything. That being said, I found most most of the anemones and even fish to be quite hardy and able to tolerate wild temperature and parameter swings (a hot tidepool in the sun can have pretty surprising ammonia spikes and temp/salinity fluctuations).

I recommend reading about Steve Weast's tank(s) here: http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_coldwater.htm
Nice tank!
 
Bump, anyone have a coldwater tanks themselves or know someone who does/has? Finding info on New England temperate tanks is hard stuff haha. For those who are as clueless as me check out
My ultimate goal is to obtain some Astrangia Poculata or Northern star Coral but looks like I will have to go to RI to collect, maybe I will reach out to these researchers and see if they can help a guy out
If I can get my hands on some Astrangia it will be a dedicated species tank.
 
Bump, anyone have a coldwater tanks themselves or know someone who does/has? Finding info on New England temperate tanks is hard stuff haha. For those who are as clueless as me check out
My ultimate goal is to obtain some Astrangia Poculata or Northern star Coral but looks like I will have to go to RI to collect, maybe I will reach out to these researchers and see if they can help a guy out
If I can get my hands on some Astrangia it will be a dedicated species tank.

I have seen that website before it is great
 
It is only a 2g Pico but I have good luck with my 100% weekly WC on my tropical reef picos so I am hoping the husbandry technique will translate well. It is 1/2” thick acrylic and will use a 50w novatec iceprobe chiller. Micro reefs a sponsor of nanoreef makes the tanks and I scored this one for 45$ as it is a 2012 prototype that has been collecting dust. It has its flaws but it’s a great starter setup. Even has space under the hood for an AI prime or kessil a80 though they would have to be run at really low settingsView attachment 140249View attachment 140250View attachment 140251
I’ll start a build thread eventually

Also were did you get this tank
 
Also were did you get this tank
Micro reefs
He is just getting back into making these tanks after a hiatus and I think the newer ones are better quality and the layout is more thought out(mine is a prototype from 2012 and is brutal in seam quality and design). I ran the chiller for the first time last night and the tank is at 49.4f this morning! I need the controller for sure
 
I have kept Astrangia and hatched and cared for chain dogfish. Very cool critters. They will do well at 58-68. Pick a temp you can maintain year round in that range and you will be best. Metabolism is slow. Feed the Astrangia mysis, and it does not need light. Daylight from a window is fine. They can be clear or rusty brown to a muted maroon in color, also rose in rarer cases. They are easily collected snorkeling or diving. Also, picking up mooring buoys and chains or looking under marina docks or pilings that have been in for a while usually yields colonies. Astrangia can take water into the high seventies as well. While feeding just alternate around the colony. All polyps need to feed every day or week, they share nutrition. It does like water movement but not SPS velocity, more LPS gentle.
 
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I have kept Astrangia and hatched and cared for chain dogfish. Very cool critters. They will do well at 58-68. Pick a temp you can maintain year round in that range and you will be best. Metabolism is slow. Feed the Astrangia mysis, and it does not need light. Daylight from a window is fine. They can be clear or rusty brown to a muted maroon in color, also rose in rarer cases. They are easily collected snorkeling or diving. Also, picking up mooring buoys and chains or looking under marina docks or pickings that have been in for a while usually yields colonies. Astrangia can take water into the high seventies as well. While feeding just alternate around the colony. All polyps need to feed every day or week, they share nutrition. It does like water movement but not SPS velocity, more LPS gentle.

what tank did you put this is it sounds cool
 
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