Anyone doing Native Coldwater Marine?

[J. H.]

I posted this in General Salt, ut I think this might be a better place.
Does anyone know where to get coldwater marine info? I see a few people with awesome tanks but can't find useful info.
I live in Rockland, NY, just north of NYC 10 minutes from the Hudson River and 45 from Long Island Sound. I would like to know what I can keep from these bodies of water and how. I would keep the tank outside, but don't need to worry about freezing or heat- solar water heaters and insulation are effective and I can put my sump in a pit below the frost line I probably could keep the tank at 40-70 F year round. I can build a tank, but would rather use the 90 I already have. I really want a reef and I like gooseneck barnacles and I think this is my chance. There are many fish and inverts (lumpsuckers!) around here just as interesting or better than the tropicals at my lfs. i don't want to do anything harmful or illegal though. I was supposed to set up a 90 gal mbuna tank this winter break, but due to space considerations now have a 55 gal livebearer tank with diy co2, so I now have a 90 gal & pumps & a skimmer & stuff from craigslist that was supposed to go to the mbuna tank.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

U should probably get a bigger volume of water first to help keep the temps from swinging to fast.
Barnacles need several doses of brineshrimp or similar a day.
There are a number of cool creatures u can keep,although a lot of cool water saltwaterfish are rarely kept,ill let someone with more info in this area help u along further but in the meantime fish such as greenling,cunner and rockfish seem cool.

 

[J. H.]

I know there are e lot of cool stuff & maybe I'll be able to even put the tank in the basement and pump the water out of the house and below the frontline to chill it a chiller big enough would cost too much to buy and run. I really want to do something like this but cannot find any info there is a Facebook page for a company called coldwater marine, so I know there are other people I just can't find any info.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Want a cheap chiller?get a bunch of chemical free thermoses,fill em with water ,put them in the freezer and add as needed

 

[J. H.]

Thanks, but I have a solution to this .The frostline where I live is 3 1/2 ft (1m) deep. free cold water! 55F all year round all I gatta do is dig a hole and run a pump. What I need help with is how to catch/buy stock and how to care for them.

 

[Moontanman]

I live near the ocean in southern NC, I've kept and even bred several native fishes. Cold water is not as important as water movement and oxygen levels. In the springtime I used to use a plankton net to catch lots of larvae and managed to raise various crabs and invertebrates that way as well.

I can find lots of echinoderms, odd fish, and even a couple species of caulerpa. We even get stray tropicals from damselfish to angel fish. There is a large population of lionfish established here as well...

 

[Cu455]

I have kept a bunch. I will post some pictures later. For a 90 I would do some mummichogs, killis, pipefish, silversides and gobies. American eels are pretty cool. You can use a minnow trap or dip net. We have some cool looking sponges and anemones in the north east. There is a place called Gulf of Maine that sells north eastern live stock.

 

[J. H.]

Thanks for the info. I will hopefully start setting up when summer break comes. I will look into this Gulf of Maine place. Does anyone have info on stuff like compatibility & care requirements? How much and what kind filter, gph, food, light etc.? If I am really going to do this, I need to know what to be ready for & how to handle it.

By the way, cu455, do you have a Buick? My grandmother has a 1973 Le Sabre factory ordered with a 455 and ts her pride and joy. She still drives it pretty regularly, doesn't even have historic insurance on it.

 

[Cu455]

No Buick. I am pretty sure cold marine isn't selling anymore. The owner A AquaticEngineer is a member here but I am not sure how active he is.

The equipment depends on what your plans are. Are you going to have photosynthetic stuff like algae? If you are getting fish from a bay you will be fine with room temp? I would keep is simple with a HOB filter or canister. Add a wave maker or 2 for good flow.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Thanks, but I have a solution to this .The frostline where I live is 3 1/2 ft (1m) deep. free cold water! 55F all year round all I gatta do is dig a hole and run a pump. What I need help with is how to catch/buy stock and how to care for them.

A good Dip net,fishtraps or small barbless hooks all work to catch fish