140 gallon Coldwater build.

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So I thought it was time for an update. The tank is doing great and seems to be running on autopilot. I do a 30 gallon water change every 4-6 weeks. The nems are fat and happy and the fish and crabs are busy in their underwater home. Its hard to believe that the 1 year mark is fast approaching on this tank! and here are a few pics.


 
It depends on the tides and whether it just rained for the first time in a while. If either case is a prob I just get my water from the Seattle aquarium at .05 a gallon and it's perfect. But if I can hit high tide I get water right from the sound! It has plankton and phyto and all kinds of goodies in it. Sometimes if I do that the water gets cloudy for a bit due to harmless bacterial blooms. But you can't go wrong with the Seattle aquariums water. Especially since it sucks carrying 6 5 gallon buckets to your carfrom the beach. Lol it's kind of a workout!
 
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Your tank is looking awesome! I'm glad to see it's a viable system long-term. I especially love the little pinkish 'nems that cluster together on one of your rocks. I don't know the name of them but I've seen them in multiple public aquariums with local wildlife being displayed. I finally got my scuba cert this last weekend. Now I can go out and check out the local animals in the wild. Do you do any diving when you go down to Oregon to pick up new stuff or is it all shore collection? Do you know of any particularly good places to dive here in the Puget Sound? (This is me assuming you dive....)
 
Those pinkish nems are called strawbery nems or corynactis californicus. They are colonial and reproduce by fusion. They are actually one of the harder Coldwater critters to keep. They seem to be akin to gorgonians in feeding and flow requirements and are a target of many predators it seems. This tank as you know was stocked heavy from the start and continued to push any kind of stocking recommendations it seemed. I've used this tank to challenge the idea that Coldwater tanks are drab and lack life and diversity. It currently has 11 different types of nems in it. I'm hoping that more people start Coldwater tanks and enjoy the diversity and ease of care. I don't dive but I've snorkeled. If I dove in Oregon I would have hydrocoral and gorgonians studding this tank. I would love to dive for sure though:)
 
Video update.
Klb_Z39rGGw
 
Wow, I have been away from reeffrontiers for far too long, but this was the perfect welcome back. Ill be planning a few cold water tanks soon and this was awesome inspiration.
 
Woo hoo!!! Happy birthday Coldwater reef:rockon: what a yer it's been. This tank has really taken off and is what I always wanted. I have some pics of course along with a video update! All of this was taken a couple days ago because I've had to move. And the tank right now looks like well not so good. It will get back into shape but putting it back together just doesn't look like it will look the same but it will have a new and unique look I am sure. And since I had to pair down my tanks, from 8 to 3 I had extra stuff laying around and plumbed in a 30 gallon long that is a Californian beach bio-tope!!! As everything settles there will be updates. I have a teaser update on this one for you to snack on as well:popcorn: enjoy the cold side:smow:
IMG_3616_zps26f9d530.jpg

White spotted rose in it's original position and fish eating anemone.
IMG_5516_zps9110e52b.jpg

The resident king of the tank, a vermillion rockfish!
IMG_7645_zpsa4001c7d.jpg

And a one spot fringehead who is now in the beach tank with the garibaldi damsel and Blackeye goby.
IMG_1998_zpsa5657c81.jpg
 
7' of Coldwater goodness at 180 gallons total volume!
IMG_5362_zps1ea7e07f.jpg

a teaser shot of the beach tank complete with barnacle covered whiskey bottle!!
IMG_3823_zps08ad9d60.jpg
 
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How very cool
set up looks great. I still love that green & purple nem. It ever goes missing you will know where its at! LOL
 
Man those tanks are looking great!! A few recent dives I saw a lot of great inverts, nems and fish.
 
Well I am long overdue for posting some coldwater candy. The first is a video where my vermillion rockfish takes you on a tour of the tanks new landscape after the move. The next shows the tank at feeding time showing the treefish and painted greenling with a photobomb by Mr. Vermillion:)
[video]<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xsrnjQeLcnY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[video]

[video]<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H1zJFWXikL4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[video]
 
I just found this, but ah e a few questions.

I have the same tank and am working on getting it going now. What did you use to paint the plastic covers with? Do you still like the air filter? I actually took mine out and went with a closed loop design. Water drains from the center drain and the returns are where the air lines used to be. How is the chiller holding up, any maintenance issues?

Yours looks awesome. I am jealous of you coastal peeps being able to go out and hand pick your stuff.
 
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