Tide Pool Tank...

[Malifry97]

I would love to try a tank that replicates the tide pools...I would have two pumps on two timers and a wavemaker on another timer...so a timer comes on and pumps the water in from a reservoir...then when the “tide” changes another timer would come on and pump the water out to a reservoir...when the “tide” is high the wavemake would come on...when it’s low, it would turn off...the tank would be filled with starfish and crabs and hermit crabs and other inverts...how feasible is this?

 

[NHgoalstop]

So you want to partially drain it like a tide pool? I honestly don't see the point in that for a home aquarium. You're just going to have a large portion of the aquarium and rock out dry from the water for hours on end.

 

[Peace River]

I would love to try a tank that replicates the tide pools...I would have two pumps on two timers and a wavemaker on another timer...so a timer comes on and pumps the water in from a reservoir...then when the “tide” changes another timer would come on and pump the water out to a reservoir...when the “tide” is high the wavemake would come on...when it’s low, it would turn off...the tank would be filled with starfish and crabs and hermit crabs and other inverts...how feasible is this?

It is feasible, but not without challenges. Redundancy and fail-safe are key concepts when designing this type of system. I'm not suggesting that you go with a formal surge system but for related background information you may want to do a search for "surge tank aquarium" and "carlson surge tank". Good luck!

 

[Malifry97]

It is feasible, but not without challenges. Redundancy and fail-safe are key concepts when designing this type of system. I'm not suggesting that you go with a formal surge system but for related background information you may want to do a search for "surge tank aquarium" and "carlson surge tank". Good luck!

Thanks for the info!!

 

[Malifry97]

So you want to partially drain it like a tide pool? I honestly don't see the point in that for a home aquarium. You're just going to have a large portion of the aquarium and rock out dry from the water for hours on end.

It wouldnt be fully dry...and the main pint would be to observe the critters around the tank...and it wouldn’t necessarily be your ordinary “home aquarium” more an experiment rather than a showpiece

 

[NHgoalstop]

It wouldnt be fully dry...and the main pint would be to observe the critters around the tank...and it wouldn’t necessarily be your ordinary “home aquarium” more an experiment rather than a showpiece

Oh ok. Now not sure how feasible an idea that I have is but could you simply just run one sump but with two different overflow drains? The idea being the lowest ine hooked up to some kind of electronic gate valve hooked up to a timer that would close on high tide and be open on low tide. That way you wouldnt need any kind of fancy storage for the water. Just have a larger than normal sump to hold the extra water during low tide.

 

[Waynerock]

Tide pools always have that funky smell. When those rocks are exposed they gonna stink maybe. Just a thought

 

[Malifry97]

Tide pools always have that funky smell. When those rocks are exposed they gonna stink maybe. Just a thought

Ohhhhh...didn’t think about that...thanks

 

[Malifry97]

Oh ok. Now not sure how feasible an idea that I have is but could you simply just run one sump but with two different overflow drains? The idea being the lowest ine hooked up to some kind of electronic gate valve hooked up to a timer that would close on high tide and be open on low tide. That way you wouldnt need any kind of fancy storage for the water. Just have a larger than normal sump to hold the extra water during low tide.

Yeah..that’s a good idea

 

[Casket_Case]

So you want to partially drain it like a tide pool? I honestly don't see the point in that for a home aquarium. You're just going to have a large portion of the aquarium and rock out dry from the water for hours on end.

I understand perfectly what he’s saying, and honestly I’m in the works of doing the same thing. If you have rocks that are exposed at low tide it could probably hold a lot more good microfauna with the oxygen supply and everything. I’m actually going to do this with my forty gallon and a twenty gallon reservoir. I’ll have limpets, barnacles, and I might try mangrove crabs. Who knows? something ‘as natural as the tide’ could even have a positive effect on coral growth.

 

[Casket_Case]

It’s weird because I just came on the forum to look and see if anything like this was done before and this was in my feed. I’d say go for it, I’m debating on whether I should buy pumps or invest in more macros and inverts. I mean it’s never been done before so you could be hackin’ into something with amazing benefits. If you go on to do so let me know!!!

 

[Casket_Case]

Ohhhhh...didn’t think about that...thanks

There’s a type of Macroalgae native to the Western North American coast that smells and tastes somewhat like bacon... Bacon Scented Tide Pool???

 

[Malifry97]

There’s a type of Macroalgae native to the Western North American coast that smells and tastes somewhat like bacon... Bacon Scented Tide Pool???

LOL and I’m glad someone shares my vision! I’d love to make one next time I have the funds!

 

[fish farmer]

LOL and I’m glad someone shares my vision! I’d love to make one next time I have the funds!

You guys need to pick up a copy of Dynamic Aquaria.

 

[Malifry97]

You guys need to pick up a copy of Dynamic Aquaria.

I'll check it out!

 

[IKD]

Any update on this? I am curious about a setup as well.
for the ‘smelly’ part, would it stink if the exposed rock wasn’t established/cycled? Thinking that portion of the rock would only be periodically exposed and may not have die-off / smell to it (Or at least that not that much of a smell)