Tell me about "cold water"/temperate/sub-tropical reefs???

[MoshJosh]

by “Coldwater“ I just mean without a heater. Or at least this is what that meant when I kept freshwater.

Have this idea that I may never do haha. Was thinking about having a room temperature freshwater tank next to a room temperature reef. Like a combo of low maintenance tanks. . . By room temperature, I mean the average household room temperature in the North American home, mine is probably between 65 and 80 depending on the season. I am just looking to keep a salt aquarium without a heater. I have kept "cold water" freshwater before but I know NOTHING about "cold water” reefs. . . so educate me please?

What types of corals, what types of fish.

 

[KrisReef]

I think most "cold" tanks require a chiller unless you live above the Artic Circle.

The cold tanks may/will sweat at room temperature, and there are a few fishes like Catalina goby and Blue spotted jawfishes that are found in the hobby that actually belong in cooler waters for long term health.

Lots of deep water corals may also thrive in cooler temps, orange tubestrea lives off the coast in CA with the Cat Goby.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

What types of corals, what types of fish.

Yeah, I think to adequately answer this, you'll need to define "room temperature" (I've heard everything from 68F to pushing 80F). That said, a better approach may be to find some livestock you really like, find what temperatures they thrive in, and then build the tank around that livestock (probably with a chiller).

 

[MoshJosh]

Sorry, I guess I should have specified, by room temperature I mean the average household in North America, my house is probably 65 to 80 depending on the season. In freshwater the term is thrown around, basically meaning anything that doesn’t need a heater like paradise Fish, Whitecloud Mountain Minnows, etc. I’ve never heard of anyone using a chiller in freshwater though. I’m sure it’s happened.

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah, I think to adequately answer this, you'll need to define "room temperature" (I've heard everything from 68F to pushing 80F). That said, a better approach may be to find some livestock you really like, find what temperatures they thrive in, and then build the tank around that livestock (probably with a chiller).

The good news is that room temperature takes a long time to get to the water (in a large tank). however - our house in the winter is I the 60's constantly - which would not work well IMHO

 

[WheatToast]

Sorry, I guess I should have specified, by room temperature I mean the average household in North America, my house is probably 65 to 80 depending on the season. In freshwater the term is thrown around, basically meaning anything that doesn’t need a heater like paradise Fish, Whitecloud Mountain Minnows, etc. I’ve never heard of anyone using a chiller in freshwater though. I’m sure it’s happened.

There are some incredibly resilient intertidal species from the United States east coast that could handle these conditions.
https://mjsreptiles.com/collections/us-native-brackish-marine-fish
@Chasmodes

 

[encrustingacro]

Major Subtropical Reef Systems & Common Corals There:

• West Atlantic:
  • Bermuda
    • Most Caribbean corals (Montastrea, Orbicella, Pseudodiploria, Diploria, Colpophyllia, Mycetophyllia, Isophyllia, etc.)
  • Southern Florida
    • Endemic: many facultatively/azooxanthellate cup corals/Oculinid species
    • Other: Caribbean corals, but in less abundance; Palythoa cariboreum
  • Brazil
    • Endemic: Mussismilia sp.; Favia gravida
    • Other: basically most Caribbean corals
• Indo-Pacific:
  • South Africa
    • Endemic: basically all coscinaraeids (Anomastrea, Horastrea, Craterastrea, Coscinaraea)
  • northern New South Wales (Solitary Islands, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands)
    • Endemic: Pocillopora aliciae, Montipora (not sure the specific species), Micromussa lordhowensis, Homophyllia bowerbanki & australis, Paragoniastrea australensis, Plesiastrea versipora, Porites heronensis, Acropora solitaryensis, Hydnophora pilosa
    • Other: Pocillopora damicornis, Dipsastraea, Astrea curta, Isopora elizabethensis, Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Cyphastrea
  • subtropical Western Australia (Houtman Abrolhos)
    • Endemic: Australophyllia wilsoni, Plesiastrea versipora, Moseleya latistellata, Duncanopsammia axifuga
    • Other: Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Dipsastraea, etc.
  • northwestern Pacific (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan)
    • Endemic: Acropora solitaryensis, Paragoniastrea australensis, endemic dendrophylliids (Tubastrea megacorallita, diaphana, tagusensis)
    • Other: Oulastrea crispata, Leptastrea, Cyphastrea, Plesiastrea peroni, Pavona, Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Duncanopsammia peltata, Lithophyllon undulatum, Chalices (Echinopora, Mycedium, Pectinia/Physophyllia, Echinophyllia, Oxypora), Stylophora, etc
  • Hawaii
    • Endemic: Porites compressa, Montipora capitata, flabellata, paluta; Leptastrea bewikiensis
    • Other: Porites lobata complex (lobata, lutea, evermanni), Porites rus, Pavona varians & duerdeni, Pocillopora (meandrina, verrucosa, damicornis, grandis, acuta), Leptoseris, Lobactis scutaria, Cycloseris, Psammocora, etc

 

[kevgib67]

@Nman

 

[KrisReef]

Major Subtropical Reef Systems & Common Corals There:

• West Atlantic:
  • Bermuda
    • Most Caribbean corals (Montastrea, Orbicella, Pseudodiploria, Diploria, Colpophyllia, Mycetophyllia, Isophyllia, etc.)
  • Southern Florida
    • Endemic: many facultatively/azooxanthellate cup corals/Oculinid species
    • Other: Caribbean corals, but in less abundance; Palythoa cariboreum
  • Brazil
    • Endemic: Mussismilia sp.; Favia gravida
    • Other: basically most Caribbean corals
• Indo-Pacific:
  • South Africa
    • Endemic: basically all coscinaraeids (Anomastrea, Horastrea, Craterastrea, Coscinaraea)
  • northern New South Wales (Solitary Islands, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands)
    • Endemic: Pocillopora aliciae, Montipora (not sure the specific species), Micromussa lordhowensis, Homophyllia bowerbanki & australis, Paragoniastrea australensis, Plesiastrea versipora, Porites heronensis, Acropora solitaryensis, Hydnophora pilosa
    • Other: Pocillopora damicornis, Dipsastraea, Astrea curta, Isopora elizabethensis, Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Cyphastrea
  • subtropical Western Australia (Houtman Abrolhos)
    • Endemic: Australophyllia wilsoni, Plesiastrea versipora, Moseleya latistellata, Duncanopsammia axifuga
    • Other: Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Dipsastraea, etc.
  • northwestern Pacific (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan)
    • Endemic: Acropora solitaryensis, Paragoniastrea australensis, endemic dendrophylliids (Tubastrea megacorallita, diaphana, tagusensis)
    • Other: Oulastrea crispata, Leptastrea, Cyphastrea, Plesiastrea peroni, Pavona, Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Duncanopsammia peltata, Lithophyllon undulatum, Chalices (Echinopora, Mycedium, Pectinia/Physophyllia, Echinophyllia, Oxypora), Stylophora, etc
  • Hawaii
    • Endemic: Porites compressa, Montipora capitata, flabellata, paluta; Leptastrea bewikiensis
    • Other: Porites lobata complex (lobata, lutea, evermanni), Porites rus, Pavona varians & duerdeni, Pocillopora (meandrina, verrucosa, damicornis, grandis, acuta), Leptoseris, Lobactis scutaria, Cycloseris, Psammocora, etc

I totally forgot the beautiful Australophyllia wilsoni! A worthwhile single species, colder water tank for certain!

 

[MoshJosh]

Major Subtropical Reef Systems & Common Corals There:

• West Atlantic:
  • Bermuda
    • Most Caribbean corals (Montastrea, Orbicella, Pseudodiploria, Diploria, Colpophyllia, Mycetophyllia, Isophyllia, etc.)
  • Southern Florida
    • Endemic: many facultatively/azooxanthellate cup corals/Oculinid species
    • Other: Caribbean corals, but in less abundance; Palythoa cariboreum
  • Brazil
    • Endemic: Mussismilia sp.; Favia gravida
    • Other: basically most Caribbean corals
• Indo-Pacific:
  • South Africa
    • Endemic: basically all coscinaraeids (Anomastrea, Horastrea, Craterastrea, Coscinaraea)
  • northern New South Wales (Solitary Islands, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands)
    • Endemic: Pocillopora aliciae, Montipora (not sure the specific species), Micromussa lordhowensis, Homophyllia bowerbanki & australis, Paragoniastrea australensis, Plesiastrea versipora, Porites heronensis, Acropora solitaryensis, Hydnophora pilosa
    • Other: Pocillopora damicornis, Dipsastraea, Astrea curta, Isopora elizabethensis, Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Cyphastrea
  • subtropical Western Australia (Houtman Abrolhos)
    • Endemic: Australophyllia wilsoni, Plesiastrea versipora, Moseleya latistellata, Duncanopsammia axifuga
    • Other: Coelastrea, Turbinaria, Duncanopsammia peltata, Dipsastraea, etc.
  • northwestern Pacific (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan)
    • Endemic: Acropora solitaryensis, Paragoniastrea australensis, endemic dendrophylliids (Tubastrea megacorallita, diaphana, tagusensis)
    • Other: Oulastrea crispata, Leptastrea, Cyphastrea, Plesiastrea peroni, Pavona, Platygyra, Dipsastraea, Duncanopsammia peltata, Lithophyllon undulatum, Chalices (Echinopora, Mycedium, Pectinia/Physophyllia, Echinophyllia, Oxypora), Stylophora, etc
  • Hawaii
    • Endemic: Porites compressa, Montipora capitata, flabellata, paluta; Leptastrea bewikiensis
    • Other: Porites lobata complex (lobata, lutea, evermanni), Porites rus, Pavona varians & duerdeni, Pocillopora (meandrina, verrucosa, damicornis, grandis, acuta), Leptoseris, Lobactis scutaria, Cycloseris, Psammocora, etc

Thanks for the awesome detailed reply!!!

I already have a few of those species! A few colors of pocillopora damicornis!

Might have to try this sooner rather than later!