[Marineboy]

Sounds as though you have it sorted regards the marine set-up. I have kept cold water marine also using a beer cooler but never tried running the water actually through the metal pipework - Interested if you have done this.

What I used was a home made heat exchanger circulating water from the cooler, so tank water and water in the cooler were seperate. I only allowed mine down to about 17c and my biggest problem was condensation forming on the outside of the tank particularly when dinner is being cooked in the kitchen.

As to the variety of species, is it the same stretch of shoreline? Different times of the year and different aspects will reveal different species. Even I feel disappointed with a count like that and I wasn't even there! Maybe others can suggest a good stretch of rocky coast in that part of the world.

Have you considered learning to dive? I have done my fair share of deep, wreck and drift dives, and snorkelling is fun, but scuba in snorkelling depth of water is so overlooked, and you are technically still only in the rockpooling zone. Many times I have taken a large pond type net with me and gone looking for something good for the tank.

The temperatures that you are maintaining could support some really nice deeper water species - and you would'nt need the tidal system in place. Most true rockpool creatures really are quite hardy and able to withstand most conditions. Don't be unduly concerned about the hermits, especially small ones as like the prawns they do a great clean up job in the tank.

Is there anything in particular you are after for your tank? Someone here might be able to point you in the right direction.