Zero edge setup for coldwater reef? Couple of other questions...

[Mikey Donuts]

The lobster tank thread got me thinking about a coldwater system. I posted this thread in another forum, but I just wanted to see what you guys think......

I was just wondering about the viability of using a zero edge tank as a coldwater system. One of the problems for a coldwater reef is condensation on the glass/acrylic which wouldn't be a factor in a zeroedge. Slap on a big chiller and skimmer, use a 1" thick acrylic sump, add a couple of t-5s and you're in business.

Anyone see a problem with this? What should the flow rate be like in a nearshore coldwater reef? Is coldwater macro OK for nutrient export in the fuge?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[dots]

HSU has a marine labratory in Trinidad, Ca that I have been to many times. In the back, outside they have a "touchy feely" tank so people can molest anenome and starfish. Researching these types of setups would be a good place to start.

The "cold" thing may be a problem, you will need a mongo sized chiller to keep it down in the 50s? where I think it is off our coast if that is what your thinking.

Do a search for it, I believe there are a few that have the coldwater reefs.......I almost want to say someone local had one a while back.

The flow rate, just like in the tropics will be based on the location of the biotope and is driven by the same "engine"

I think cost may be equivalent in the end, whereas the money you may not have to spend in lighting, will be offset in chiller. Really all depends on how many degrees and how many gallons you need to bring the temp down on.

 

[WarrenG]

I'd pass on the zero edge thing. Visibility would be odd. If you had to, maybe a fan or something blowing along the glass viewing surface would keep the condensation off.

Even around Monterey the water gets near 65 degrees in late summer. If it were me, I'd aim at something around 60-63 because that's a common temperature on the CA coast and easier to handle than 55-60.

Along our coast we tend to see water surge as opposed to currents, so a back and forth water movement of something like 1m/s every 10-15s would be a good start.

 

[bored4long]

Dang, never knew there was a marine lab open to the public in Trinidad, and I went to HSU for 3 years.

I would think the Zero Edge would be way to inefficient in regards to insulating the water temp to make it worth the expense for a cold water tank. Your chiller would be working overtime because so much water is exposed to the ambient temps.

IME, Humboldt coast was usually around 54 degrees.

 

[Mikey Donuts]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. The biggest show stopper I can see so far is the tank water being exposed to ambient air and raising the tank temp. I wonder how inefficient this would actually be. I'm no thermodynamics expert so it's tough to say whether this sort of overflow would warm the water too much. The overflowing water wouldn't be exposed to room temps for more than a second or two before it's returned to the insulated sump(looking at 4x system turnover to the sump). Zeroedge now makes a tank with three zero edge sides so you can add a vortec or whatever to the fourth side for flow.

This was just a "What if" question more than anything to see if this setup was possible.

 

[Reefugee]

Based on my dive experience in Monterey (and north coast), and I don't ever recall it being 65 degree. I thought the water temperature is typically 55ish. degrees. Occasionally it does dip down to the low 50's and as high as 60 degree. Occasionally the water temp does reach 98.6 degee... opps, that was just me peeing in my wetsuit. :eek2: Nevermind.

Minh

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11596765#post11596765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WarrenG
Even around Monterey the water gets near 65 degrees in late summer. If it were me, I'd aim at something around 60-63 because that's a common temperature on the CA coast and easier to handle than 55-60.

 

[pbetito]

I think that what temperature you keep the tank at is also a matter of what you plan to put in the tank Mike. Like Mihn said the temps do rise to 60 degrees but if you wanted mostly tide pool creature 65 would be no problem. These animals are used to the tide going out and living in small pools of water that the sun warms to 70 degrees if not more at times. I think that if you stick to animals that are found in tide pools you could get away with 65 no problem. There is a certain animal that I have collected in Bodega Bay and acclimated to my 78-80 degree reef tank in the past and they did quite well Just a matter of research and trial and error. I know that I would gladly help you go collect animals for the project. Do it in a large tank and we can go catch a Ling Cod

 

[Reefugee]

Paul,

Good point. I never thought about the tide pool temperature. I was thinking about the temperature at depth (20+ feet). I am curious what type of animal you have acclimated to 78-80F. I heard of some snails that are cold water that people have acclimated to warm water. But supposedly, these snails do not live as long in warm water as cold water (faster metabolism?).

Minh

 

[pbetito]

I sent you a pm Minh

 

[WarrenG]

And in SoCal around the Channel Islands the surface high can be 70, but at 20-60 feet it's often in the low to mid-60's.

You may want to skip the bull kelp.