planning new tank

[gharner]

im planning a new tank already!! i cant wait. i already have the tank its a 20 gallon. i need to get some silicone to make sure that it is still water tight. i already have a 12 gallon reef started so i thought that it would be interesting to set up a "north atlantic tank". im gonna have only like 10lbs of live rock. all of the livestock will be hand collected when i go on vacation in maryland. i always capture many tiny fish in the bay when we go to the beach. the cleanup crew will consist of native hermit crabs, and native snails. i thought that it would be interesting to have both a reef tank and a temperate water tank. what do you think? i would add the live rock in the middle of april so that the tank will definatly be ready for fish by the end of july.

 

[bruder]

I think its a cool idea but just some things I was pondering....
Most people don't suggest adding "wild caught" specimens. I know that most fish in the trade are wild caught, but they are not caught right off the coast in most cases so I don't know about these fish/inverts. Also, what type of LR would you use? I am not sure about the compatibility of LR's. I know people mix from different regions, but I think these are all "tropical" rocks.
Again, these are just my initial thoughts...Sorry I don't know the answers.
Sounds cool and keep us updated!

 

[gharner]

hmm, u dont think that the fiji rock would do good. the tank temp will be in the mid 70's?? with the fish i will mostlikely just resease next year when we go on vacation. swap them with new fish cause we vacation at the same place every year so they would end up back exactly from the same dock they were caught from. idk i just thought it sounded cool and like fun to have a tropical reef and a temperate water tank.

:joy:

 

[bruder]

I have no clue about the rock's compatibility. I have a mild inclination to think that it wouldn't work, but I have no idea.
Ask around, I think it's a cool idea.

 

[demartini]

Originally Posted by gharner
hmm, u dont think that the fiji rock would do good. the tank temp will be in the mid 70's?? with the fish i will mostlikely just resease next year when we go on vacation. swap them with new fish cause we vacation at the same place every year so they would end up back exactly from the same dock they were caught from. idk i just thought it sounded cool and like fun to have a tropical reef and a temperate water tank.

:joy:
You don't want fiji rock for this... it won't look natural. You can collect rock from the area... I don't know if you ever go diving, but the rock that's about 20 feet deep is full of more life and less algae, than rock that you would pick up from shallow water. You also would want to collect sand that's been tumbling in the ocean. A cold water reefer told me it was best to dive deeper for your own sand... I wanted to make a northern Pacific tank, but I don't dive and that is the only way I would be able to collect things for my tank. Good luck! I hope this works out for you.

 

[demartini]

the reason why you have to collect things from diving is because fish stores don't sell things for cooler water.

 

[gharner]

yeah, i dont dive or have any experience at all in that area. i was thinkin of collecting sand from the same bay that the fish are being captured from. as for rock well since i dont dive i know of where the inlet into the bay is and it is loaded with rock....im sure i could find a few pieces....but how would u recomend cycling the tank?? i was gonna use the live rock but if im collecting that at the same time as the fish i wouldnt be able to cycle with that. ( if that makes sence :joy: ). im not really in a rush cause im not going on vacation till the end of july but id like to be prepared.