Local acquisitions added to your Reef

[Wiz]

Before I knew much about my reef I had tried things that I probably should not have. I live in New Hampshire about 40 minutes from Hampton Beach. Not exactly a reef Beach. But what did I know.
I'm sure most of you see where I'm going with this already, but I would catch things in the surf pools and rocks and try to bring them home. Starfish crabs snails anemones anything I could get my hands on. As you can imagine this did not go very well. I would get them home and try to place them in my tank only to have them immediately die. I was quite upset especially about all of the cool colored mini starfish's I would catch.

Now obviously they were dying because my acclimation skills were not at their best. LOL so I worked on slowly bringing their temperature to mine. As you can imagine this still did not go well. Finally it occurred to me that creatures that naturally live in 50-degree water do not belong in 75 to 80 degree water. Although I was able to get a few things to stay alive. A starfish or 2, a bunch of the crabs, Some of the snails as well. And I actually had a bunch of small black mussels procreate in My refugium.

I always kept this as a shameful secret. Lol but with my vast array of knowledge at this point I am guessing that I am not the only one who tried this. And I also realize that some of us are lucky enough to have 70 degree water in our backyard.
I'm wondering how many of you have things in your tank that you caught yourself. I would prefer it was not from divers. I mean went to your local Beach and caught.
Let's hear some stories

 

[Mr. Bill]

In '83 when I was living in Vero Beach, Fl., I set up and fully stocked a 10g tank with sand, rocks, anemones, sea stars, brittle stars, hermits, crabs, and fish, all collected while wading or diving. Even the water came from the ocean for the initial fill-up as well as weekly water changes. Didn't require a heater or chiller, either; the near-constant sea breeze kept the temps the same as the ocean most of the time. Here in Md., however, my adventure with collecting livestock from Ocean City went almost as good as yours.

 

[Wiz]

I would kill to live in a place where it is close enough temperature to support Reef life. But my wife says we must have seasons and snow. I have no idea what she's thinking

 

[Mr. Bill]

I would kill to live in a place where it is close enough temperature to support Reef life. But my wife says we must have seasons and snow. I have no idea what she's thinking

I know the feeling... that's why I'm here.