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Pod Your Reef

Using Local Flora and Fauna


MikeTLive

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As a kid I used to wander the tide pools with a 5 gallon bucket and collect all manner of critters - glass eels, shrimp, crabs, minnows, flounder fry, urchins, turtles, sand fleas...

 

I would try to keep them alive by making frequent water changes - walking back to the harbor and gathering a gallon or two and refilling my bucket.

 

Inevitably, most of the critters would die - from summer heat or raccoon feasts. And I would end up releasing the rest (read - Dumping off the pier) And then start over again the following week.

 

Oxygen depletion was probly my biggest issue... no sand bed or plants other than the large Kelp chunks I tossed in to "feed" them.

 

I know there are rules about collecting corals due to damage to reefs. What about collecting sand and rocks from tide pools for a nano?

 

I usually gather bait and was thinking of using nano-techniques to keep my shrimp and minnows live as well as maybe making a small living model of the life in my little harbor.

 

Anyone ever do this?

 

-miket

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From what I've read, it all depends on where you live. I'd deffinitly get an ecological report for the area. I know that for water your supposed to get it from as deep as possible, as in 50 feet anyway. I know california, oregon, washington have rules about taking life from beaches. I'd call the Department of Fish and Wildlife as I know fines can be very high. I really hope you can though. I'd love to live somewhere I could stock my tank from my back yard, good luck yo ya.

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technoshaman

Mike, not sure where you live in Mass. I grew up in Wareham/Onset near the cape and was the same way - couldn't keep me out of the water. I don't see any problem with taking some sand - the bacteria will probably be able to adjust. My only thing is thinking back the water there was always cold , even in summer for the most part. A lot of what you get won't do well at all in a tropical reef type tank - the ocean/bay areas of Mass are are temperate leaning to cool.

 

There are some neat critters you could have still - I remember catching lady-crabs, digging up quahogs at low tide, even snorkeling out in a little deeper water and finding small skates you could scare out of the sand on the bottom. If you can live withour tropical species you could make a neat biotope tank and sounds like you have access to plenty of natural sea water.

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One of those anti-heaters ice chillers would probly work nicely.

At least I think I will start with a simple sand/much bed and see what comes up. I am a complete novice and have no idea as to what I would need to do to the water along the lines of dosing etc.

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