72 Gallon Seahorse Tank Build

[StarlinMarlin]

I am in the process of building a 72 gallon seahorse tank. The tank is a custom aquarium built by Planet Aquariums out of Dallas. It is a 24x24x29 rimless tank with 3 holes drilled in the overflow. I had the extra hole drilled to run the wiring from the Razor light I will be using as well as the wiring for the maxjet gyre that will be used. Since the aquarium will be in the middle of the living room set up similar to an end table instead of against a wall making the wires inconspicuous was very important to me. I will be creating a rock wall against the overflow and will be eventually adding photsynthetic gorgonians as well some montipora, green star polyp, and birds nest coral after the tank has cycled. I am excited to get this thing cycled so my seahorse can have a new home.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Got my tank set up and wired

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Mounted the Maxjet Gyre on the overflow. Hoping the flow will work from this location as it is pretty slick. No wires on the outside and minimal wire visible as it is run through a pipe sleeve in the overflow. I like where it is as it doesn't give much opportunity for the ponies to hitch to the chord as I would rather them use the hitches that I provide on the aqua scape. Now I have to work on a gaurd for the gyre, any suggestions?

(Sorry for the sideways pics, that is how they are loading for some reason from my phone. )

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Here is a picture from the top that shows how the wires are run down the sleeve in the sump for the Gyre and the Razor light.

 

[JLynn]

Nice tank. Clever configuration of the gyre and the returns, too; they are very unobtrusive.

What are your plans for the livestock?

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Nice tank. Clever configuration of the gyre and the returns, too; they are very unobtrusive.

What are your plans for the livestock?

Currently have 4 lined seahorses that will have a new home. I will add possibly 4 more. The only other inhabitants will be a a cleanup crew, a sand sifter starfish, and possibly a pair of yellow headed jawfish. This will be a dedicated pony tank and I am debating on adding the jawfish.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Working on the rock for the tank now. I went with Pukani over Fiji as I found a couple pieces I like. I have cut the Pukani to stack against my overflow and wrap around it a bit to help it blend in. This should give me a good base of some birds nest coral and the lowed rock creates a nice shelf to place a few gorgonians allowing. My goal with this arrangement is to allow for hitching post throughout the height of the water column. I am a little concerned with my decision to use Pukani as it creates a lot of places for detritus material to build up. Hopefully a little more attention and the flow from the gyre I can maintain it adequately. (Hoping I have no regrets down the road)

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Here is another picture of the rock work. I have doweled the two pieces together with a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe. I didn't epoxy the pieces together however to allow me to disassemble if I need to down the road.

 

[MrSquid]

Very nice! Considering doing a seahorse tank myself.

Curious...is the stand shorter than usual to compensate for the 29" height?

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Very nice! Considering doing a seahorse tank myself.

Curious...is the stand shorter than usual to compensate for the 29" height?

Stand is a pretty standard 32" high although it was built 24" clear inside the cabinet to allow for a larger 24" refugium.

 

[rzlinux]

Looks great. I too am planning a 50 gallon 24X24X20 rimless SH tank. Are you using the maxspect Gyre 130 or 150. I was looking at this pump for my tank. (130). What are your thoughts on the water movement.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

I am using the gyre 150. I can only it on 30% power or it starts stirring my sand bed (I have a very fine sand bed). This is fine with me though as at less than 50% power noise is basically undetectable. I am liking it so far as it providing flow throughout the whole tank without any noticeable dead spots. Currently I am just about through cycling the tank so I haven't been able to fine tune the flow as I am just starting to add some gorgonians and dps corals along with the fact I still have to construct a gaurd to protect the ponies.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

My tank has now been cycling for almost 12 weeks. I added some coral and gorgonians 2 weeks ago. I have added a few pieces of stylophora, a birds nest, some plating montopora, and a few different encrusting corals. So far I have a green, a purple brush, and a purple whip gorgonian. The green and the whip are doing great but the purple brush doesn't seem too happy. It looks ok but hasn't opened its polyps up yet. I am waiting on a couple other gorgonians do the final placement of them is not final. I added my pipefish to the tank this past week to see how he handles the flow. Right now I have my gyre on 20% but may up it to 30% if he seems fine with the additional current. Once I get my last gorgonians my tank will be ready to add my ponies. I haven't been in to big of a hurry as I would like my corals and gorgonians to be completely acclimated to the tank and aloe my corals to encrust a bit. So far the corals look great and the birds nest has added between an 1/8" to 1/4" to its branches.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Another picture

 

[StarlinMarlin]

One more. (Don't know why the pictures are rotated when I upload from my phone)

 

[StarlinMarlin]

After 12 weeks of letting the tank cycle, I have given my ponies a new home.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Close up

 

[wicz101]

looks well planned, very nice seahorse tank!

 

[kudagirl]

Tank is look good,one thing have you left room so you can get to clean behind the rock,also if you are putting in so wave makers try and make sure that you have cover's for the wave makers(so the sh don't get their tails caught) you can use the end's of a pair of tights.

 

[StarlinMarlin]

Tank is look good,one thing have you left room so you can get to clean behind the rock,also if you are putting in so wave makers try and make sure that you have cover's for the wave makers(so the sh don't get their tails caught) you can use the end's of a pair of tights.

Rock is cut to fit tight against overflow. It wraps around the corners of the center overflow and is placed to be permanent. Thy gyro is fitted with 1/8" plastic mesh to gaurd against seahorse tails gettin into the impeller. It is surprising how musc restriction the mesh has on the gyro. It dramatically cut the flow once installed. Before the gaurd was fabricated I ran the pump at 20%. Since adding the gaurd I have had to turn it up to 50% to get similar flow.