Hi Steve - of course you are right - I think he was at Bamfield. I spent some time talking with him this year, and he did use ocean water for his own tanks (which weren't on the ocean recirculator, but did use a chiller) - if you wanted to collect ocean water, you would of course have to make sure it wasn't polluted - there are some pretty good spots near me - but I am too lazy - I hook up my RO DI water, and pump it up.
I know a couple of people who have had unheated tanks in basements and done pretty well with some local stuff. A chiller would certainly be more of a guarantee, but a lot of people have some pretty cold basements in Victoria. Also, a lot of people have rigged up chillers from old fridges - again, a lot of trouble, not all that reliable, but something people have done.
I don't see any harm in a young man giving it a go. (A lot better than hanging around a mall!).
I started with sticklebacks from Little Mountain in Vancouver back in the 60s. Got me started, had a lot of fun.
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