Puget Sound Cold Saltwater Tank Design

[gotfish]

Is it legal to go down and grab stuff from Puget Sound? There's no need to have any sort of license or any crap like that is there?

 

[as1720]

No, its not legal to take anything from pretty much any place lol. I used to drift wood from the beach till i found out i could get in trouble for it!

 

[lfiedler]

Totally legal. Daily limit is 10 unclassified inverts, assuming it's not for commercial purposes, not in protected area, no emergency rules in place, yada yada yada.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/otherspeciesregs.shtml
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/mpa/puget_sound/

 

[as1720]

I did it in tacoma and a cop stopped me and said it was not legel. Maybe he was having a bad day. lol Then again i was taking wood not sea critters. maybe there is a diffrence.

 

[lfiedler]

Good to know. I think I'll bring a printout of the regulations w/ me anytime I collect. You don't even need a fishing license for unclassified inverts here in WA.

From page 130 at:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/2008/2008sportregs.pdf

"A Combination or a Shellfish/Seaweed License
is required for all shellfish (except CRAWFISH)
and SEAWEED harvest. A license is not required
for unclassified marine invertebrates even though
daily limits exist. A catch record card is required
to fish for DUNGENESS CRAB in Puget Sound.
(See License Requirements, page 24)."

 

[pan-d-man]

Permits and such

As the others have said, there is nothing to bar the inverts from the hobbyist. Do watch for areas that are classified as marine parks though. Where I live, the best grazing is in a park. Bummer. I have yet to find what the laws are for things like hermit crabs, shore crabs, sculpins, gunnels etc. I have heard both ways. For shrimp, there is a definite season and you can get a hefty fine for collecting even small ones.

 

[morgan]

i dive in waters that are on average between 18c-23c 64f-73f and i can and have collected zoas, palys, acros, poccies, montis, goniastreas, favid and favites, turbinariea, symphyillia wellsoni, gorgonias, sacrophytons, sinularies, and leptoria brains just to name a few of the things i can get in one 60min dive....so where is all the coral?? if i had a cold water tank it wouldnt look anything like these i mean i would have a alot of differnt algaes and seaweeds and macros.. what u guys need to do is get a boat find some water up to 25meters about 80feet(of course can be shallower 50feet is a good depth) get ur dive gear on and check it out catch more then just hermit craps

 

[steveweast]

i dive in waters that are on average between 18c-23c 64f-73f and i can and have collected zoas, palys, acros, poccies, montis, goniastreas, favid and favites, turbinariea, symphyillia wellsoni, gorgonias, sacrophytons, sinularies, and leptoria brains just to name a few of the things i can get in one 60min dive....so where is all the coral?? if i had a cold water tank it wouldnt look anything like these i mean i would have a alot of differnt algaes and seaweeds and macros.. what u guys need to do is get a boat find some water up to 25meters about 80feet(of course can be shallower 50feet is a good depth) get ur dive gear on and check it out catch more then just hermit craps

There are a couple differences from Southern Australia that are unique to the Pacific Northwest....

1) Our water is alot colder than 64 F.......Our average is about 50F.....two winters ago (at about 100 ft) my temp gauge registered 38 F. Most cold tanks up here are kept from 50 - 55 F.

2) We only have one hard coral in our waters.....a small tubastrea.

3) Many of the soft corals like gorgonians and corynactis are only found near the mouth of the Puget Sound......and our weather only allows somewhat safe dives in those areas a few times during the summer. Other areas inside the Sound where some soft corals can be found (Deception Pass and Roseria Straits) are extremely strong current drift dives that require chase boats.

 

[lfiedler]

I'm starting to have some significant nitrate problems in my coldwater tank. I'm having to do close to 50% water changes every 1-2 weeks to keep it under control, but they're still around 40ppm. I noticed steve was using a sulfur denitrator on his tank. I was thinking of trying a coil denitrator, along w/ reduced / more direct feeding. Do you think a coil denitrator would do much?

 

[beoks]

most the good stuff is in 60 feet or shallower unless your looking for big octos or wolf eels go up and dive the san juans you will find plenty of great of stuff and its worth the drive. i think you just gotta know good dive site

 

[steveweast]

I'm starting to have some significant nitrate problems in my coldwater tank. I'm having to do close to 50% water changes every 1-2 weeks to keep it under control, but they're still around 40ppm. I noticed steve was using a sulfur denitrator on his tank. I was thinking of trying a coil denitrator, along w/ reduced / more direct feeding. Do you think a coil denitrator would do much?

I used to use a sulfur reactor....but, it would frequently get choked with bacteria and require complete cleanings. I currently use automated vodka dosing to control N & P. Both levels are zero (as much as zero can be with a sailfert test kit) even though I have three automated feedings per day.

You can't help but to have nitrate problems with a cold tank.....the dense native rock (lack of dentrification) and massive required feedings end in nothing else but a nitrate problem......you just have to pick a method that your comfortable with to deal with it.

 

[mmn_usn]

I went to the marine center in Port Angeles and they had a skeleton of an Acro in there from somewhere in the area. The Lady there was sure that it was a local coral. It would be cool if that were so.