rock pool tank to reef tank.

[Azazan]

I live in belgium and i've been interested in reef tanks for a while, I got pretty much everything but ran out of budget for a while. I had this idea of catching my own little fish, shrimp and others from rock pools near the coast. This has been done before and is definately possible, they are highly adaptable and i wouldn't even really need a cooler, the tank would be around 19°C autumn-winter-spring and 23°c in summer. the critters found in rockpools should be able to handle that.

Now, my question. I have no intention of keeping a rockpool forever and i'll probably release the fish and inverts back into the sea when i wanna go to an actual reef tank. Would this be possible, witouth having to clean out my entire tank? if i gradually change the temperature up?

thanks in advance.

 

[Azazan]

Anyone?

 

[alb_56]

I would say you should be fine with that plan. Should have a pretty good cycle by the time you switch to a reef.

 

[A1t2o]

I think that would be awesome. Its a close to home ocean. But you may not want to release them. After being domesticated, they may not do as well in the ocean again. Might not be a huge concern if they are really common since you are giving them much better odds than in the wild, but if they would work in your reef tank then I would be tempted to keep them. Local corals and macro algae in the reef tank would be cool too.

 

[Azazan]

They wont work once i upp the temperature to tropical the rockpool critters will have a hard time surviving for a long period of time

 

[A1t2o]

23 degrees in the summer to 25-26 for tropical is not that big of a swing. Just make it a gradual change and they will probably be fine. Some may not make it but I wouldn't be surprised if they all did.

 

[joshky]

I wouldn't release them unless your tank is going to be collected 100000% locally and no other livestock, rock, or sand are sourced elsewhere. The problem isn't them readapting to a wild environment, it's introducing exotic hitchhikers and bacteria that can potentially damage your local ecosystem.

 

[A1t2o]

I wouldn't release them unless your tank is going to be collected 100000% locally and no other livestock, rock, or sand are sourced elsewhere. The problem isn't them readapting to a wild environment, it's introducing exotic hitchhikers and bacteria that can potentially damage your local ecosystem.

Agreed. I was assuming before that 100% local was the case or that the LR was originally dry rock with no organic matter on it. Rock mined from the ground, or acid treated and power washed until pristine for example.

 

[Azazan]

I wouldn't be adding Live Rock, i'd do that after it went reefy, just sand basically...