Help needed...Cold water lobster tanks!

[chiliaddik]

I hoped that this would be a good place to ask questions about cold water lobster tanks....

I work for a seafood restaurant...and since I am the only person in the place that has any concept of saltwater aquariums, my boss asked me if I would do tank maintenance for our cold water lobster tank.

I have been there for almost 7 years and I have no idea why *now* she wants someone to maintain the tank, personally, I had no interest in the tank for this amount of time, maybe someone was doing maintenance (or not) and I never noticed over the years.

However, I have been asked to take care of the tank and I just wondered if anyone knows anything about these tanks. I told her I have no concept of the motor that runs everything...but she is basically asking me to maintain the water quality and the overall look of the tank.

Does anyone know what a cold water lobster tank needs to work? What kind of water quality is required?

I can take pics of the tank and the internal workings of the tank if someone is interested in helping me out...It is about a 40-50 gallon tank, temperature needs to stay below 45* so that the lobsters don't eat each other, it holds about 12-18 lobsters (1.25# lobsters) on average. We get a case (12) of live lobsters once a week.

Anyways...if someone has any thoughts or has had experience in this matter, please get back to me...I am trying to get some opinions and research it all before I dive in.

Thanks!
Tanya

[Shak]

What make/model is the tank? Is it a Marineland system?

In a past life I maintained several tank/systems for lobsters manufatured by Marineland. You can call them for documentation on the model you have and they should be able to help you out.

[dad300]

I assume that the tank has all the equipment underneath it. Does it have a trickle filter? a sump underneath in the base. I run a seafood department for a large grocery chain. We sell 300+ pounds of lobster a week. the Main thing is to keep the water cold (we keep ours at about 38) and change your carbon on a weekly basis if your moving a lot of lobsters. Also I suggest when you get the lobsters in that you do a freshwater dip (we call it a purge) this will allow the lobsters to poop in the tub you use to purge with, not your tank. Keeping the tank cleaner. I also suggest that once a month you remove all the lobsters and clean the bottom of your tank from debris. We also run our salinity a little low around a 1.20. weekly you want to check any poly filters you have and clean them from debris. also keep the area around the fan for your chiller clear and clean. dust the intake as often as you can remember it will help keep temps stable. long post I know but my two cents. If it is a true lobster tank, specifically built for the purpose, they are generally built for neglect and stay pretty stable. good luck.

[chiliaddik]

Yes, I think that the tank is a Marineland system. I can check it out and give them a call.

Dad300...Yes, we also do the *purge* on the lobsters before we add them to the tank....will check into things this afternoon and check salinity and all that this afternoon.

I just wondered if I needed to check into the pH, nitrates and nitrites, dK, etc.

Tanya