Temperate Atlantic Compatibility with Reef

[RFLKPTR]

Hey all! So I live right next door to the Atlantic. Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay.

Paging the sages here - will I be able to put mud, sand, rock from the Bay into my tank and increase the diversity of bacteria, copepods and the like? Or will it be too much of a difference in salinity and average temperature? The typical salinity of the oceanfront here is 27 to 30 PPT, I have read.

The creek out behind my house had a salinity of 16 PPT at high tide here off the James River.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hey all! So I live right next door to the Atlantic. Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay.

Paging the sages here - will I be able to put mud, sand, rock from the Bay into my tank and increase the diversity of bacteria, copepods and the like? Or will it be too much of a difference in salinity and average temperature? The typical salinity of the oceanfront here is 27 to 30 PPT, I have read.

The creek out behind my house had a salinity of 16 PPT at high tide here off the James River.

I wouldn't use material from any tidal water area, the risk of introducing a pathogen is just too great.

 

[RFLKPTR]

@Jay Hemdal, thank you.

Pathogens - they can be introduced from frags, live rock, fish themselves already. Is tidal water more dangerous than water from the open ocean?

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms had wonder mud, other places have silt. Some introduce freshwater mollies and mention that parasites won't transfer over. Is that also risky?

 

[Subsea]

Hey all! So I live right next door to the Atlantic. Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay.

Paging the sages here - will I be able to put mud, sand, rock from the Bay into my tank and increase the diversity of bacteria, copepods and the like? Or will it be too much of a difference in salinity and average temperature? The typical salinity of the oceanfront here is 27 to 30 PPT, I have read.

The creek out behind my house had a salinity of 16 PPT at high tide here off the James River.

Is this for your SPS tank?

For my systems, I would collect pods, grass shrimps and muck to inoculate things with, however, I would limit the creek water.

When starting my first tank, I collected live rock from Galveston Bay.

 

[keagan]

Hey all! So I live right next door to the Atlantic. Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay.

Paging the sages here - will I be able to put mud, sand, rock from the Bay into my tank and increase the diversity of bacteria, copepods and the like? Or will it be too much of a difference in salinity and average temperature? The typical salinity of the oceanfront here is 27 to 30 PPT, I have read.

The creek out behind my house had a salinity of 16 PPT at high tide here off the James River.

IMO like Jay said you should avoid tidal water although I say that because of runoff from industry, agriculture, and boats. At high tide outside the bay you'll likely find less pollution. I've collected alot of mud, chunks of oyster reef etc from North Atlantic waters but always avoided harbors and areas with large ports.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal, thank you.

Pathogens - they can be introduced from frags, live rock, fish themselves already. Is tidal water more dangerous than water from the open ocean?

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms had wonder mud, other places have silt. Some introduce freshwater mollies and mention that parasites won't transfer over. Is that also risky?

Yes - tidal water can have much higher levels of pathogenic bacteria. Look at oyster farming - many estuaries have been closed to that due to Vibrio, etc. Brackish water can harbor some really nasty fish parasites - things that don't respond to hyposalinity for example.

Fish certainly can be a vector for disease, that's why quarantine is so vital. I quarantine all frags to screen for pests as well.

Some "freshwater mollies" are actually grown in brackish water, so the same issue above applies. Then, even purely freshwater mollies can introduce internal diseases, as the internal osmotic levels in FW and SW fish are identical.

 

[keagan]

Yes - tidal water can have much higher levels of pathogenic bacteria. Look at oyster farming - many estuaries have been closed to that due to Vibrio, etc. Brackish water can harbor some really nasty fish parasites - things that don't respond to hyposalinity for example.

Fish certainly can be a vector for disease, that's why quarantine is so vital. I quarantine all frags to screen for pests as well.

Some "freshwater mollies" are actually grown in brackish water, so the same issue above applies. Then, even purely freshwater mollies can introduce internal diseases, as the internal osmotic levels in FW and SW fish are identical.

I remember you gave me this warning when I was NSreefer I foolishly (immaturity) decided I'll collect anyway, as the water is much colder here so I thought local parasites wouldn't survive at high temps. Next thing ya know I'm watching something burrow it's way out of my newly collected mummichogs leaving big holes gaping holes in their sides. Needless to say I changed my collection habits a lot after that . Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us Jay.

 

[strich]

Ah but man live collecting is becoming one of the most fun parts of this hobby for me.

 

[Abominable Snow Crab]

You might need a fishing license to legally collect. @Paul B

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I remember you gave me this warning when I was NSreefer I foolishly (immaturity) decided I'll collect anyway, as the water is much colder here. Next thing ya know I'm watching something burrow it's way out of my newly collected mummichogs leaving big holes gaping holes in their sides. Needless to say I changed my collection habits a lot after that . Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us Jay.

Ugh, those sound like they could have been nematode worms. I had a group of killifish (different species, but same family) get those and the same thing happened - I couldn't treat them and ended up losing the batch.

 

[RFLKPTR]

Awesome discussion, thanks folks.

I'm actually taking a trip down to Pleasure House Point this weekend, and I was eyeing that as an opportunity to grab some sand and whatnot. I may just bring my tropic marin hydrometer instead.