PNW based marine tank

[Azimiut]

I have searched and the posts similar to what I am asking are long dead.
I have all my equipment from having a reef tank for many years that had succumb to equipment failure years ago killing everything. it was a 38gal tank, 20 gal refugium, all the bells and whistles. I have recently moved to the PNW, the olympic peninsula area and have daily access to clean seawater working on boats and work with divers. I now have a house so no moving around and would like to set my tank up. I have checked with local wildlife/fish and game on what you can take live and what you cannot. some permits are involved for sure.

So what I am interested in is doing a "cold water" tank representing the local small fishes of the Puget Sound. Fish you may find in tide pools and inlets. I think it would be a fun endeavor but challenging as well.

any thoughts suggestions? I know not to get beach sand, filter the collected natural water, test the collected water for salinity as it can vary with temp/depth/currents. It may be several months before it's all set to go considering my equipment is still in another state...

 

[carlosbenjamin]

I have searched and the posts similar to what I am asking are long dead.
I have all my equipment from having a reef tank for many years that had succumb to equipment failure years ago killing everything. it was a 38gal tank, 20 gal refugium, all the bells and whistles. I have recently moved to the PNW, the olympic peninsula area and have daily access to clean seawater working on boats and work with divers. I now have a house so no moving around and would like to set my tank up. I have checked with local wildlife/fish and game on what you can take live and what you cannot. some permits are involved for sure.

So what I am interested in is doing a "cold water" tank representing the local small fishes of the Puget Sound. Fish you may find in tide pools and inlets. I think it would be a fun endeavor but challenging as well.

any thoughts suggestions? I know not to get beach sand, filter the collected natural water, test the collected water for salinity as it can vary with temp/depth/currents. It may be several months before it's all set to go considering my equipment is still in another state...

That sounds like an awesome project! Coldwater marine tanks can be really rewarding but do come with challenges. Keeping the temperature stable (chiller might be necessary) and ensuring good flow and oxygenation are key. Local tide pool species like sculpins, gunnels, and small anemones should adapt well. Make sure to cycle the tank properly and slowly introduce livestock. Using natural seawater is great, but testing regularly is smart. If you haven’t already, check out local reefing or coldwater aquarium groups for advice. Good luck—sounds like a super fun setup!

 

[FishAddict74]

I have searched and the posts similar to what I am asking are long dead.
I have all my equipment from having a reef tank for many years that had succumb to equipment failure years ago killing everything. it was a 38gal tank, 20 gal refugium, all the bells and whistles. I have recently moved to the PNW, the olympic peninsula area and have daily access to clean seawater working on boats and work with divers. I now have a house so no moving around and would like to set my tank up. I have checked with local wildlife/fish and game on what you can take live and what you cannot. some permits are involved for sure.

So what I am interested in is doing a "cold water" tank representing the local small fishes of the Puget Sound. Fish you may find in tide pools and inlets. I think it would be a fun endeavor but challenging as well.

any thoughts suggestions? I know not to get beach sand, filter the collected natural water, test the collected water for salinity as it can vary with temp/depth/currents. It may be several months before it's all set to go considering my equipment is still in another state...

That sounds awesome, are you going to collect local live rock? That alone may get you some interesting creatures.
Just my opinion, all the equipment isn’t usually necessary and causes more problems in some cases. I’ve kept reefs and FOWLR’s off and on since the 90s and always go basic. My nano reef has been running for close to two years and all I have is a heater, AC50 with a sponge, a wave maker and a kessil 80. My FOWLR is just running on an FX2. But anyway, keep us posted on this project, sounds sweet.