40 Breeder

BlindZide

BlindZide

New member
Evening everyone!

I just got a 40 Breeder with a stand. I have no water or anything in it. I do not want to put anything in it until I get the details down. I would like to get 2 Seahorses with 1-2 docile fish. I have a few websites that list compatible fish and rank them from 0-3 for how docile they are. So I have a good idea of what I can go with as far as tankmates.

Now, onto what I would like to find out.

What type of filtration do you guys use?
What is the preferred type of hitching posts (fake or real)?
If live gorgonians or something similar, what type of lighting?
What do you use for flow?

If there is any more information I need to know please do not hesitate to explain. I have never taken care of a Seahorse and I know they can be challenging which is why I am asking first.

Thanks in advance.
 
Tank exploded in Diatoms. Cycle is moving along. I was shopping around and decided to go with a OceanRevive Arctic S016 or T247 for lighting. One is controlled manually by knobs and switches and the other is controlled with a digital dimmer and built in timer.

I also decided instead of shelling out big $$$ for some MPs, I will instead do a WP10 or 2.

I added some Live Rock about a week ago and made some caves just in case the horses want out of the light. I am waiting for my Tonga Rock from BRS to arrive. Delivery date is Monday.

Am also waiting to order my Refugium, a CPR AquaFuge 2 with light.

Skimmer I am still debating on a AquaMAXX HoB-1 or Reef Octo BH1000. Both skimmers have pumps on the outside of the tank so heat transfer is reduced. Although the AquaMAXX has the pump inside the skimmer, so that may increase heat I guess.

Macro algae will be placed into the fuge with some live pods to seed the fuge. I am also going to add some macro to the display side. The fuge will feed by gravity so the pods will make it into the tank and not worry about losing them in the pump.

As far as other inhabitants, I was thinking still some Gorgonians, Shrooms, Ricordea, and Pallys/Zoas. Still debating Yellow Headed Jawfish.

I still have not decided on what species yet. I am having a hard time picking. My tank is only 17" deep minus the sand bed and space to rim. So I would say more or less 15" deep. Any suggestions on species?
 
If you want them to breed, Barbouri would be best for such a short tank. However, the height requirement is only there to provide them pace to do their mating dance, so if you don't intend to breed them, Erectus would also be a good choice.
 
Yes. Although it is worth noting that seahorses seem to generally enjoy moving up and down in the water column, the 3x height requirement isn't a requirement at all for those who don't intend to breed them.
 
Checked parameters yesterday. They were as follows....

Ammonia 2pmm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
pH 7.8
Alk 8
PO4 .25
SG 1.026
Temp 71*F

Seems that the Ammonia is now spiking. I think this one is slowly going through the motions due to the temperature being low. Is this correct? Diatoms have been coming on strong. Hair algae as well. Wonder why PO4 is up there if algae is in the tank.
 
I am Ghost Feeding. I turned up the heat and my lord, what a outbreak of algae that caused. Way more explosive than when I cycled my 75g.
 
Yeah, small tanks will do that. Don't worry too much about the algae, it's bound to happen with a new tank and you'll have a CUC that will (slowly) handle it when you add them. Just a waiting game now for nitrates to come up! I know how it feels; when I was cycling I was imagining ghost seahorses in the tank. :P

I am also new to seahorses (just got them last month from Southwatch Seahorse, highly recommended), but have found that I want to constantly be in front of the tank, so feeding multiple times a day and doing maintenance isn't as much of a chore. They have teeny brains, but seem so intelligent that you will want to give them as much as you can. Definitely one of the most rewarding animals to take care of. And from just a few weeks of feeding them, they have learned to stop being afraid of my feeding tongs and associate them with food, to the point where they follow the tongs instead of the food as it's dropping away to feed the pom-pom crabs. lol.

As for the skimmer, opt for one that has the pump on the outside if you don't have a separate sump. You can't have moving mechanical parts inside the tank because the seahorses will inevitably injure themselves. I have an air-powered cheap skimmer, but it does the job and doesn't have anything to injure them.
 
I was aiming for the AquaMAXX HoB-1 which has the pump actually inside the skimmer. Inlet tube in the water to draw it in I believe has a grate around it to keep debris out of the tubing.

The Seahorses are my wifes idea. I have been slowly teaching her the ins and outs of this wonderful hobby. She is pretty good with everything EXCEPT putting her hands in the water. I will be helping as well but this is her tank. My 75 is going to broken down to a 40B pretty soon. I love my 75g but I think I would be happier with a 40.
 
chillwill007 said:
Nice I will be tagging along. I just want to get some ideas for my 40b that I have had sitting for a year now cause I broke :'(
Click to expand...

Aren't we all? :rollface: This is why my 40B is still sitting on the ground with the packaging around it. Still need a stand for it!
 
I have an empty 40B right in my living room was setting it up as a SH tank land lady saw it and said no.....was 90% complete with the build too :( was going to be an all in one style...was trying to keep it simple.

anyway I would look in to an ATS to keep the hair agile under control. you can build a pretty cheap up flow ATS and keep in the HOB fuge. just a thought...

good luck! post pics :)
 
BlindZide said:
Aren't we all? :rollface: This is why my 40B is still sitting on the ground with the packaging around it. Still need a stand for it!
Click to expand...

This is actually my second 40b tank. I bought one a couple years ago and that sat for like a year would that to a friend and then got this one again cause I love the dimensions and was on the psycho $1a gallon again. But this time they where selling the display stand for like $40 too. Told the wife I got to get it. Already assembled tank and the glass cover all for about $100. Last tank I sold cause I couldnt find a stand or the glass top any where near us. Besides order online and they wanted likw $150 for the stand. So I said $340 if I buy stand tank and top later when not on sale or about $120 now. I won that argument but she won the won about me spending any more on the tank untill we get new house :-(
 
I get the same complaints from my fiance. I have to go on coral hunts from my local reefer forum secretly, when he is not home, and hope he doesn't look too closely at the tanks to notice anything different. :) I guess a brand new tank would be hard to sneak in, ha!

Have been contemplating taking down my freshwater tank, because it just doesn't interest me anymore (you can't keep corals in it..!!). Maybe that will keep him happy for a while.
 
My LEGS has a local breeder they get them from. They just got 12 in the other day and they look nice.

I am excited. Cant wait until its all set up!
 
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