Flow Question for Seahorses

[term_paint]

Hello and thanks for reading. I have been doing saltwater for approx 8 years and have had great success with live rock and fish. Unfortunately i went on vacation for 2 days and the power went out. I lost everything. I want to regroup i have a 75 gallon tanks and would like to start a seahorse tank. I have a couple of questions. First is Flow. I have a sump with a return pump a Sicce 5 (1321gph) and also two Maxi Jet 1200 power heads. I have a protein skimmer also. I am going to increase my sump to approx 40 gallons. Is this too much flow for seahorses?? I have always struggled with the flow question on a tank. Additionally i would like to add a HOB filter on the back or just a sock in the sump. Any advantages to the HOB vs the sock. Please let me know I appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[vlangel]

I am no expert myself, only getting ready to order my first pair of seahorses in a couple of weeks. I have read that seahorses benefit from surface agitation so that would be a plus for adding a HOB filter. Another thing a HOB filter could do is you could put some rubble rock in the bottom and seed with pods and still put filter floss on top to catch disbris. That's what I've done to provide a safe sanctuary for pods to reproduce. In actuality I haven't put it to the test though- ask me in 6 months after I have had my ponies.

 

[rayjay]

Well most of the present day experienced keepers would say that 20X flow is not too much, and a few say it's not near enough.
What is important is to protect the seahorses from being blasted against something to damage them, and that there is hitching available to them in each area of flow, low, medium and high.
When it comes to filtration, much more is much better, and an over sized skimmer is also recommended.
Be sure with whatever filtration you use, that it is easily serviced so you can remove trapped detritus and uneaten food often to remove bedding sources for nasty bacteria.
One of the biggest sources of trapped detritus and uneaten food that doesn't get removed often enough is canister filters because most people quickly loose interest in cleaning them out.
Another source of these bacteria beds are accumulations that are out of site trapped around rock/decor and in macro or artificial plantings.
Good flow in all areas of the tank help the garbage to stay in circulation longer so that it can be removed by the filtration system(s).

 

[lutz123]

Getting sucked against an intake is a problem at times. Prefer to screen it if necessary (or change the design)

 

[rayjay]

Yes, change the design if it's a problem, don't cut back on flow.

 

[FinzAquatics]

My seahorses seem to like a good amount of flow. As long as it does not deter from their ability to catch their food in the flow they seem to enjoy it actually. I have one particular seahorse who spends periods of time swimming to the powerhead to get blow around and then he goes right back to the powerhead to do it all over again. Ive seen him do this in 30 minute spans. Its comical to watch.

Ive had my seahorses for over a year and have not had any issue regarding the flow even though I have multiple powerheads and returns from filter and hob fuge