Puget Sound Biotope

AquaticEngineer · Jul 22, 2021

Thought I'd chime in with some more inspiration videos

I used to run Coldwater Marine Aquatics, so feel free to hit me up with questions anytime. Or if you are on FB, check the FB group "Coldwater Marine Aquarium Owners"

Here's some from my last tank I broke down about a year ago.
https://www.youtube.com/yHWonh6ouU0

https://www.youtube.com/3fr2RFlQOBk

https://www.youtube.com/cVrw9aQLl5I

https://www.youtube.com/GA-ta4azCvI

https://www.youtube.com/foMubqfeIX4

https://www.youtube.com/ryqN6KhyL-U

Here's my friends old tank I helped set up

https://www.youtube.com/Yp8_O1Om7pc

eatyourpeas · Jul 22, 2021

AquaticEngineer said:
Thought I'd chime in with some more inspiration videos

I used to run Coldwater Marine Aquatics, so feel free to hit me up with questions anytime. Or if you are on FB, check the FB group "Coldwater Marine Aquarium Owners"

Here's some from my last tank I broke down about a year ago.
https://www.youtube.com/yHWonh6ouU0

https://www.youtube.com/3fr2RFlQOBk

https://www.youtube.com/cVrw9aQLl5I

https://www.youtube.com/GA-ta4azCvI

https://www.youtube.com/foMubqfeIX4

https://www.youtube.com/ryqN6KhyL-U

Here's my friends old tank I helped set up
https://www.youtube.com/Yp8_O1Om7pc

Wow, some cool critters you had! I love wolfies, but I will have to be satisfied with seeing them at the Seattle Aquarium as my tank is only 36 gal.

I wish you still had CMA, there are no places to source PNW marine life. Thank you for sharing!

AquaticEngineer · Jul 22, 2021

eatyourpeas said:
Wow, some cool critters you had! I love wolfies, but I will have to be satisfied with seeing them at the Seattle Aquarium as my tank is only 36 gal.

I wish you still had CMA, there are no places to source PNW marine life. Thank you for sharing!

I will be bringing it back in some form, might not have all of the west coast stuff anymore since I'm moving, but I'm able to get some of if still and will be doing as much importing and captive breeding/propagating as possible

eatyourpeas · Jul 22, 2021

AquaticEngineer said:
I will be bringing it back in some form, might not have all of the west coast stuff anymore since I'm moving, but I'm able to get some of if still and will be doing as much importing and captive breeding/propagating as possible

Please keep me updated!

AquaticEngineer · Jul 22, 2021

eatyourpeas said:
Please keep me updated!

Will do

My new house in New Hampshire has an 1100 sq ft partially finished walk out basement that I'm planning to build my coldwater display tank I've dreamed of for eons, inspired by Steve Weast's setup, who inspired me years ago when he helped me get my first coldwater tanks going

Already working on commercial fisherman contacts, and local dive contacts about getting the livestock I cant find/get to myself in the Atlantic. There's really only a few things I am interested in out there that are local, but I've bred Fluffy Sculpins (Oligocottus snyderii) from the pacific before and I'll be setting up some more breeding tanks and a bunch of anemones prop tanks for pacific species that easily divide.

eatyourpeas · Jul 22, 2021

AquaticEngineer said:
Will do

My new house in New Hampshire has an 1100 sq ft partially finished walk out basement that I'm planning to build my coldwater display tank I've dreamed of for eons, inspired by Steve Weast's setup, who inspired me years ago when he helped me get my first coldwater tanks going Already working on commercial fisherman contacts, and local dive contacts about getting the livestock I cant find/get to myself in the Atlantic. There's really only a few things I am interested in out there that are local, but I've bred Fluffy Sculpins (Oligocottus snyderii) from the pacific before and I'll be setting up some more breeding tanks and a bunch of anemones prop tanks for pacific species that easily divide.

Ahh, that sounds dreamy! NH is beautiful. I learnt to SCUBA dive in New England, and one of my favorite dives was the wall off of Magnolia, near Rockport, MA. Both day and night dives there were amazing!

It was Steve Weast's tank that also inspired me to start mine. He is extremely helpful!

If I ever move again, I would wish for a walk out basement and floor drains! ;Woot

AquaticEngineer · Jul 22, 2021

eatyourpeas said:
Ahh, that sounds dreamy! NH is beautiful. I learnt to SCUBA dive in New England, and one of my favorite dives was the wall off of Magnolia, near Rockport, MA. Both day and night dives there were amazing!

It was Steve Weast's tank that also inspired me to start mine. He is extremely helpful!

If I ever move again, I would wish for a walk out basement and floor drains! ;Woot

Its a pretty great setup and location for me to do my coldwater tank

Back sliders open up right to the rear, and inside is connected to the garage and has access to all the water and electrical in the same space. So a big tank will go in easy through the rear doors, and drain lines should be easy to run for dumping on water changes. All the weight will be easy do deal with on the slab, and most of the main area is semi finished, just needing to do floors drywall and paint

So much room for activities, lol

eatyourpeas · Jul 22, 2021

AquaticEngineer said:
Its a pretty great setup and location for me to do my coldwater tank Back sliders open up right to the rear, and inside is connected to the garage and has access to all the water and electrical in the same space. So a big tank will go in easy through the rear doors, and drain lines should be easy to run for dumping on water changes. All the weight will be easy do deal with on the slab, and most of the main area is semi finished, just needing to do floors drywall and paint

So much room for activities, lol

Oohhh, the possibilities! Enjoy it, quite dreamy!

eatyourpeas · Jul 22, 2021

The tank today, after a trip to the ocean.

eatyourpeas · Sep 6, 2021

Two months later, still going strong! Please excuse the reflections.

littlefishy · Sep 6, 2021

Looks fantastic!
Actually, it looks fantastical, something out of Avatar or sci-fi.

eatyourpeas · Sep 12, 2021

littlefishy said:
Looks fantastic!
Actually, it looks fantastical, something out of Avatar or sci-fi.

Thank you! And I finally got the microorganisms to do their bit! Took a little over two months with the cold water.

Cougarr · Sep 22, 2021

Wow this thread was an awesome find! I would LOVE to do a pacific ocean temperate tank. July this year I moved out of my home state (Oregon) for the first time and would love to have a little piece of home out here.

Love the kelp in your most recent photo. Just need an urchin and an otter to complete the combo

What type of organisms have you collected? My mind always goes to nudibranch when thinking of cool temperate organisms. Sure there are a lot of interesting fish but nudibranch's just have a ghostly beauty to them.

I started with a tropical reef because the stuff is so easy to come by but this is going to be a must.

eatyourpeas · Sep 22, 2021

Cougarr said:
Wow this thread was an awesome find! I would LOVE to do a pacific ocean temperate tank. July this year I moved out of my home state (Oregon) for the first time and would love to have a little piece of home out here.

Love the kelp in your most recent photo. Just need an urchin and an otter to complete the combo What type of organisms have you collected? My mind always goes to nudibranch when thinking of cool temperate organisms. Sure there are a lot of interesting fish but nudibranch's just have a ghostly beauty to them.

I started with a tropical reef because the stuff is so easy to come by but this is going to be a must.

Hello and I hope you are enjoying MN!

Most of the stuff I have is what I can collect on the beach here. Sea urchins are illegal, so can't have one, even though they are soooo cool!

Currently home to hermit crabs, aggregate anemones, Urticina sp., barnacles, tidepool sculpins, sea star, shore crabs, kelp crabs, clams, amphipods, krill, limpets, snails.

I love nudibranchs as well, but they are very difficult to keep, and toxic. It looks like once @AquaticEngineer is settled, he may go back to sourcing PNW/coldwater marine life.

I hope you can start one and get a little bit of home where you are.

eatyourpeas · Dec 15, 2021

The tank today.
Many thanks to @steveweast and @Silver Dollar for all the great advice and the awesome website. I could not have done without all that guidance.

eatyourpeas · Jan 18, 2022

Having fun playing with lights... Trying macros that do not include any green.

eatyourpeas · Apr 21, 2022

Still learning lots from this tank. Anemones keep multiplying, Ursula Flerken spawned, gobies and shrimp had babies, and lots of small critters walking around. Lost the Kelp crab when I had a NO3 spike. He sulked for a while and never recovered.

Increased the photo period so I can build some algae as food, and make sure the critters can eat when I go away. Red macros seem to be going strong, with more new growth on rocks and shells.