steveweast

I missed that !!! I sent Jake an advance copy to get his opinion. I had no idea it was going to reefbuilders.

The one advantage of a video is that I can shoot it over the course of a month and capture all the fish and anemones when they are out. As you and Beth know (since you both recently saw the tank), not everything is out on any given day. I might consider hosting a meeting again someday. I only consider this tank half done.....it's still a work in progress. That cabinet still needs to get done and it needs to grow out a bit more.

I haven't had a blue devil in a very long time....maybe 2006 ? I can't have a big bass in there with all the other small fish that would be on a blue devil's menu.

I'm not sure what you mean by "beat you to it"......but, the tank is in my garage. I haven't updated my site in awhile......perhaps I should.

Oregon and Washington coast with a few Austrailian temperate fish.....plus some Catalina gobies.

The tank is 82"L X 36" W X 30" T for a total of 384 gals (I rounded up). The flow is created by three 6105's (3 x 3434 = 10,302) plus two 6305's (2 x 7925 = 15,850) plus a 3000gph return pump.....for a grand total of 29,152 gph (I rounded down).

I've kind of got the still photography thing down.....so....I've decided to enter the brave new world of video.....so, here's my first effort.

Ryan Jensen (Krux) was the President from 2003 - 2006 ish. He was the one who formalized the club, registered it as a NPO, and generally took it from a very small group that hung out at Woody's to a legitimate organization. Ryan is still around. He goes diving with me to help collect for my tank (we dove the last two weekends). He doesn't currently have a tank.....he's more into making his own beer these days.

I use this chiller. My system volume is about 550 gals. I keep my tank at 55 F which......isn't the lowest temp our local waters see.....but, is a good average. My unit even has a built-in UV. https://www.tecous.com/chillers/seachill-tr60/

I'll donate $100 cash to aid in this project. Just come and get it anytime. I'm in Beaverton. Give me a call @ (503) 936-2525.

I use this site for live marine ghost shrimp (scroll about 1/2 way down). It's the only one that I know of....I'm hoping you have a cheaper source. http://www.livebrineshrimp.com/ If this is your source, it is best to order the 250 count since you're going to be charged around $60 for shipping regardless of what you order.....meaning that 250 shrimp will set you back a C-note. They send only the shrimp in the styro-box. If you order other items, it will ship separately. The product is real good (as is the live brine)....just a tad expensive.

The gorgs look great. They require a lot of flow and food or they will recede quickly from the tips down. watch them carefully. I didn't know that gorgs were available through that group buy or I would have joined...oh well..maybe next time. As for the eel grass....I grew eel grass for about a year before I tired of it. It is fairly easy to grow...but, the problem is....that the conditions necessary to grow the eel grass also are the conditions necessary for nuisance algae. I was constantly battling nuisance algae growing on the eel grass (same with kelp) and killing it off. Perhaps I should try again since my current system is much more capable of nutrient control. The eel grass is very attractive.

If you're going this route and unfamiliar with temperate reef keeping, you might want to talk to me (especially about stocking and filtration) or visit my 400 gal cold tank (built by James). I'd be happy to discuss anything about it since it is very different from warm water reef keeping. Here's a pic of mine...

You'd be foolish not to contact James.....even if it takes a little more time. There's a reason that his clients include Monterey Bay, Steinhardt, Shedd....plus many more. I would not even consider anyone else for a large project. Stopping by his shop is hit or miss....but, he is there most business days depending upon his current workload. I went by his shop this last Monday around noon (to discuss my next tank) and he wasn't there.....but, I was also at his shop about 2 weeks ago and he was crating up some large Kreisel tanks for Cal academy Sciences......and I don't think he had much of a back order after that major project......so, he could probably get started on your project quite quickly. He might be away for a few days. Keep trying.

Any adequately powered boat will do...but, a boat geared towards diving is best. the main difference being that the dive boats have an easy access back onto the boat. It's tough to get back onto a normal boat with all that gear.

You really need a drysuit up here. I've had my gauge read as low as 38 F....basically Titantic water. The vast majority of divers use drysuits up here.

It isn't a matter of depth....it's a matter of flow, consistent temperature, and food. This eliminates most of Puget Sound. It also eliminates any shore diving sites. They can be found up and down the Oregon coast....but, it will take a boat on the open ocean....and that means (up here at least) you're tied to the weather (basically summer only). Some folks are under the impression that you can find these in tidepools.....which is not the case. The next issue is a dive boat. It isn't a matter of just chartering a boat. Most dive operators will not take you out if you're collecting. I've had to make private arrangements through dive buddies with access to a boat. I also spend a lot of time on Scuba message boards looking at folk's pictures....which is a great way to find where the critters that we're looking for reside. Off of Port Orford in southern Oregon, there are some submerged sea mounts that have huge fields of them. A decade ago, we could have enlisted the urchin divers on the cheap to bring back crates of them.....but, that industry folded and went to Canada. I did spend some time trying that source with no success. In California, there are some sites (like Monterey Bay) that you can reach them easily without too much trouble (except for collection laws of course).....but, up here....you need a live dive boat, some luck, and a comfort level diving on sites usually listed as "extreme advanced". There are no easy strawberries anywhere north of Monterey Bay that I'm aware exists. If you ever hear of one...let me know, and I'll be there the next day.

BTW Joe Blow...I think it's fantastic that you're open to helping out the local temperate aquarium keepers who don't have the ability to dive. I know Puget Sound quite well and I know where to find individual critters. I can always point you in the right direction for a particular specimen. Do you have access to a dive boat ??? Here's a partial list of where some of the more desirable critters can be found: Corynactis....only two places....Neah Bay and West.....and South end of the San Juans (Lopez Island). Both sites will need a boat, tide coordination, and perfect weather.....basically summer only. Both are Expert dive sites. Orange cup coral......generally can be found anywhere in the Sound (even Hood Canal)....but, the larger concentrations are found in the San Juans. A good spot is off Burrows Island near Skyline marina in Anacortes. This can be a shore dive (but, boat is better). Gorgonians, soft corals......only found in Neah Bay and West. Grunt Sculpin......found in higher nutrient areas....but, easily accessible around the Anacortes, Deception Pass areas from a shore dive. Brooding anemones.....fields of them are found throughout the Deception Pass area. Tough diving though....extreme flow....must be done at slack with a chase boat. Lumpsuckers....can be found in late Fall in the eel grass beds around the 3 tree dive site in Burien.....only 3 hours from Portland.

The problem is..... those critters are not what we're looking to keep in our aquariums. I dive Sund Rock, Octopus hole, and Jordsted Creek frequently (for fun...not collecting). There's really only a few critters that are aquarium worthy in those areas.....mostly some starfish and some gunnels (and except for Jordsted, those sites are reserves). The real targets are Brooding anemones, Corynactis, Gorgonians, Strawberry soft coral, Orange Cup corals, Grunt sculpin, and Spiny lumpsuckers. These are not found in the Canal. You really appreciate how little Hood Canal offers after diving Neah Bay, Seiku, or the San Juans (from an aquarium keeping perspective). The easiest and best year round site is Seiku (5 hours from Portland)......that site is incredible from an aquarium critter keeping perspective. But even though that site is only 60 miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Neah Bay, it lacks the Corynactis, gorgonians, or soft corals that Neah Bay (and beyond like Tatoosh Island) has to offer. Hood Canal is great for some stars, the occasional Metridium anemone, snails, gunnels, and maybe some oyster rock.....but, the real good stuff is where the flow and food are stronger. Nothing wrong with Hood Canal for general diving fun....but, if you're expending time and resources to collect aquarium critters, there are better spots.

Then you're really going to like the new MP60's (much bigger exhaust cans).....we might have to send you two away for the weekend (as long as your 40's don't mind).

Every display has had a few zits from time to time. Long ago, I grew tired of them and decided that I didn't have to live with them anymore.... so, I broke out the Clearasil.

Reefsafari...you are absolutely correct. Charles is the curator at the Steinhart and has a completely different audience to please than the average hobbyist. That was the distinction I was trying to make. I just happen to have similar goals in creating a display. For me, that's the real fun in the hobby. As for biotopes.....that's really apples and oranges from the the original post. The 5 "rules" are really centered around the physical look of the display rather than the critters on display. You and Rick are certainly correct in saying that there is no "right" way for a display to look and certainly the old adage of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is evident in this hobby. The one thing for you to remember though.....is that for folks like Delbeek and myself, we are not having fun....nor enjoying our systems....if they don't have that certain polished presentation look to them. We are cursed with the inability to overlook visual pollution in the display to the point that it distracts us from the rest of the display. The 5 rules are really not rules for everyone to follow....but, rather, Delbeek's rules for him to enjoy a particular display.