# Cool Temp Saltwater Tank



## mvm2691 (Mar 5, 2008)

So I've decided to go saltwater and I want to have all local fish and plants that i catch. The water here doesnt get much over 60 in the summer so ill probably need a chiller in the tank. Is anyone familar with colder saltwater tanks? I dont really have any specific questions just looking to hear some other peoples experiences.


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## I catch my own (Sep 1, 2011)

I had a 60 gallon temperate marine tank for over 12 years containing only fish and inverts that i collected myself from tide pools and hook and line fishing that i successfully maintained using the freezer part of a mini fridge as a chiller, and my experience for the most part went well, but i attribute that mostly to the fact that i live right on the coast where the weather is usually (but of course not always) cool and also being able to do frequent water changes using free natural seawater. If you want a brand new chiller unit be prepared to shell out close to a grand to get one powerful enough to bring down the temp and keep it at the levels required for most cool water marines (at or below 65 degrees, even mid to upper 50s for northern species). As for marine plants they generally do poorly in a home aquarium not illuminated with copious amounts of natural sunlight and will die and contaminate the water. Btw, the fridge as a cheap chiller method will only bring down the temp about 5 or 6 degrees, which like i mentioned before only worked for me because of my area's cool climate.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Where are you located?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

The Coldwater Marine hobby has much to offer, but hasn't caught on due to the expense. You can at least lose the expensive lighting and put that money toward the chiller. The biggest problem is in finding livestock, which is almost impossible.


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