How small can you go with a seahorse tank?
- Thread starter pheinzig
- Start date
aday2remmbr
New member
as for powerheads you dont need much flow at all, they can withstand flow if the corals in the tank need it but they prefer very little, just enough to agitate the surface. also with such a large tank i dont think there will be any species that would be off limits, but try to stay away from the temperate species tho unless you want to use a chiller. but i would not do dwarfs in such a small tank, they get lost very easy you wouldnt even know there was anything in there haha.
namxas
Things With Stings R Us!
Actually, the "low flow" thing is pretty old school thinking on larger species (non-zot) SH. SH can, and do handle flow much better than once believed. That's not to say that one should plaster them against the sides of the tank, but they actually do better with a bit of flow. One simply needs to design the flow with the SH in mind.
I typically run 15-ish x cumulative turnover, but I know a flow fanatic that runs 60x, altho it took him awhile to get it "just right".
I typically run 15-ish x cumulative turnover, but I know a flow fanatic that runs 60x, altho it took him awhile to get it "just right".
aday2remmbr
New member
this is what i was saying, they can handle lots of low but you only want to subject them to that if you have corals that need high flow. if you have them in that tank with a few soft corals and fake algae to latch on you wouldnt need heavy flow. what im saying here is that they can handle flow they would just not prefer it because they do not come across high flow often in their natural enviornment and are not very capable of handling high flow for long term.
pledosophy
Active member
I would try to get the flow behind the rocks pushing everything out. That way no food gets stuck back there. I am a firm believe that rotting foods is a huge contributor to seahorse disease. The main cause of this in "show tanks" with seahorses is lack of flow and design. IMO creating a good flow pattern is essential to the health and longevity of your seahorses.
I like to alternate flow around a bit, but on longer cycles then a reef tank. My last seahorse tank switched every six hours or so. My current reef tank switches every few seconds.
I realized last month while diving that seahorses live in way more current then we give them credit for.
In a 29g tank I would suggest you not keep some species. I would stick with the more medium size CB species like fuscus, barbouri, kuda. IME it is to small for Reidi which leads me to believe it is to small for other species like pots and Ingens. I would suggest at least a 90g for the latter two.
For CUC in a 45g since you plan to keep macro algae (live is better) I would go for 7 astrea snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, and then supplement if needed. Stomellas and various worms will arise and help you out with a lot.
I like live macro because of it's beauty and filtration properties. I would go with one fast growing such as prolifera, and then the others for looks. I like codioum, red grape, ochotodes and red ulva for looks.
50lbs or rock in a tank that size is a lot. To much rock will leave the tank cluttered, making a good flow pattern harder to manage. It limits swimming room to much as well. I would try for less then 30lbs myself in the tank, add the rest to the wet dry.
JMO,
I like to alternate flow around a bit, but on longer cycles then a reef tank. My last seahorse tank switched every six hours or so. My current reef tank switches every few seconds.
I realized last month while diving that seahorses live in way more current then we give them credit for.
In a 29g tank I would suggest you not keep some species. I would stick with the more medium size CB species like fuscus, barbouri, kuda. IME it is to small for Reidi which leads me to believe it is to small for other species like pots and Ingens. I would suggest at least a 90g for the latter two.
For CUC in a 45g since you plan to keep macro algae (live is better) I would go for 7 astrea snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, and then supplement if needed. Stomellas and various worms will arise and help you out with a lot.
I like live macro because of it's beauty and filtration properties. I would go with one fast growing such as prolifera, and then the others for looks. I like codioum, red grape, ochotodes and red ulva for looks.
50lbs or rock in a tank that size is a lot. To much rock will leave the tank cluttered, making a good flow pattern harder to manage. It limits swimming room to much as well. I would try for less then 30lbs myself in the tank, add the rest to the wet dry.
JMO,
pheinzig
Member
Very much appreciated input. Im going to do something special with the flow at the bottom to help export the waste that can build up behind Rockwork. I think you will all like it. It works extremely well in my reef tank, and I have already improved on the design. Ill do a build diary when I get started on this project.
50 pounds of live rock in a 29 HEX ? How will it fit?
Sorry no one has told you this is a stupid idea BUT it really is! I see this tank has a sump (bio) filter but still if you can fit 50 pounds of rock in both tank and filter where will the seahorses live?
Guess this tank will not fit on your end table as you wanted.
But since I'm the only one to say this is a dumb idea (others) will come along and say it's great ! but you honestly do not need that much rock in a 29 HEX even for a reef.
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pheinzig
Member
Appreciate the concern. Ive hauled 40lbs or LR in a 5g bucket before. It all depends on the density. Im quite confidant 50lbs wont break the limit to a 29g hex. I have 230lbs in my 180g DT:
As you can see, I still have plenty of room for livestock to swim about.
As Ive already stated, I think this thing is more like a 45g hex. I could be wrong, but Ill do the measurements. If it is indeed only 29g of volume, 50lbs or LR would really only do about 1/3 of the volume I'm looking at.
However, if I'm wrong and that indeed wont leave enough room for the animals then yes, Ill retract. But I'm pretty sure having 2/3 of the tank free to swim about is going to be satisfactory. Ill keep you posted with pictures when I do get around to setting this up, and let you know either way if I do turn out to be wrong or right.
As you can see, I still have plenty of room for livestock to swim about.
As Ive already stated, I think this thing is more like a 45g hex. I could be wrong, but Ill do the measurements. If it is indeed only 29g of volume, 50lbs or LR would really only do about 1/3 of the volume I'm looking at.
However, if I'm wrong and that indeed wont leave enough room for the animals then yes, Ill retract. But I'm pretty sure having 2/3 of the tank free to swim about is going to be satisfactory. Ill keep you posted with pictures when I do get around to setting this up, and let you know either way if I do turn out to be wrong or right.
Appreciate the concern. Ive hauled 40lbs or LR in a 5g bucket before. It all depends on the density. I'm quite confidant 50lbs wont break the limit to a 29g hex. I have 230lbs in my 180g DT:
As you can see, I still have plenty of room for livestock to swim about.
As Ive already stated, I think this thing is more like a 45g hex. I could be wrong, but Ill do the measurements. If it is indeed only 29g of volume, 50lbs or LR would really only do about 1/3 of the volume I'm looking at.
However, if I'm wrong and that indeed wont leave enough room for the animals then yes, Ill retract. But I'm pretty sure having 2/3 of the tank free to swim about is going to be satisfactory. Ill keep you posted with pictures when I do get around to setting this up, and let you know either way if I do turn out to be wrong or right.
Sorry but you should of said stretch hex. but that PIC is not a 29 gallon stretch hex so the only thing I can think is TROLL with your post. If it is a 29 gallon stretch hex ? WOW that's some heavy rock and you have 50 pounds in it? or is some sort of secret rock? How cool to do two LED fixtures on a 29 gallon hex?
I still say go ahead and put 50 pounds of rock in it, and NO you said it was a 29 gallon hex but how the story has changed from your (can I keep 4 to 5 seahorses in a 5 to ten gallon tank) or two in a PICO.
AS you can see I can read.
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pheinzig
Member
Sorry for any confusion, I assure you I'm definitely not a Troll.
That picture is from a large reef(230g system), its just a comparison to show you how LR can really take up little space when compared to overall system volume. As for the LED fixtures, they really look pretty smoking awesome over my tank. They are fully dimmable across 4 banks(4W/4B).Here are some shots if your interested in the overall look of the array:
The tank I have chosen for my sea-horse pen is a regular tall, not a stretch. I had asked originally if I Could put them in a smaller tank. Under your advice and several others, I went with a larger one.
That picture is from a large reef(230g system), its just a comparison to show you how LR can really take up little space when compared to overall system volume. As for the LED fixtures, they really look pretty smoking awesome over my tank. They are fully dimmable across 4 banks(4W/4B).Here are some shots if your interested in the overall look of the array:
The tank I have chosen for my sea-horse pen is a regular tall, not a stretch. I had asked originally if I Could put them in a smaller tank. Under your advice and several others, I went with a larger one.
That's why I posted my question, I'm glad I did because it turned out I needed something larger to safely do this project. Thanks everyone for the input.
Sorry for any confusion, I assure you I'm definitely not a Troll.
That picture is from a large reef(230g system), its just a comparison to show you how LR can really take up little space when compared to overall system volume. As for the LED fixtures, they really look pretty smoking awesome over my tank. They are fully dimmable across 4 banks(4W/4B).Here are some shots if your interested in the overall look of the array:
The tank I have chosen for my sea-horse pen is a regular tall, not a stretch. I had asked originally if I Could put them in a smaller tank. Under your advice and several others, I went with a larger one.
That's why I posted my question, I'm glad I did because it turned out I needed something larger to safely do this project. Thanks everyone for the input.
Yeah thats a 29 hex that you JUST bought and set up. How cool.
pheinzig
Member
No, its a 180g reef DT I used as a referance to show you that 50lbs or LR shouldn't fill up my new hex I just got. I guess the best way to help answer any concerns is to to show you what 50lbs or LR looks like in my new hex tank. Ill go pick up 50lbs of base rock this afternoon and set it inside the Hex tank and shoot a pic. That will help make it easy to tell me if Ill have enough room for my livestock to swim about in.
For me personally, and many others I've read posting on the "org", the concern about a lot of live rock in the tank is mainly due to the trapping of uneaten food and other detritus. This decaying material makes for excellent breeding grounds for nasty bacteria that seahorses succumb to.
I no longer even keep the rock in any of my seahorse tanks other than the dwarfs, preferring to place it all in the sumps. This doesn't trap food as the food doesn't get by the overflow, and, I don't have to keep looking for the seahorses in the rockwork.
It's hard enough finding them just with the hitching decor I have let alone looking in the rock for them too.
I no longer even keep the rock in any of my seahorse tanks other than the dwarfs, preferring to place it all in the sumps. This doesn't trap food as the food doesn't get by the overflow, and, I don't have to keep looking for the seahorses in the rockwork.
It's hard enough finding them just with the hitching decor I have let alone looking in the rock for them too.
I give up.
Sorry I give up as your new posts have nothing to do with what you asked about to start with and they are rather confusing in the long run for me.Appreciate the concern. Ive hauled 40lbs or LR in a 5g bucket before. It all depends on the density. Im quite confidant 50lbs wont break the limit to a 29g hex. I have 230lbs in my 180g DT:
As you can see, I still have plenty of room for livestock to swim about.
As Ive already stated, I think this thing is more like a 45g hex. I could be wrong, but Ill do the measurements. If it is indeed only 29g of volume, 50lbs or LR would really only do about 1/3 of the volume I'm looking at.
However, if I'm wrong and that indeed wont leave enough room for the animals then yes, Ill retract. But I'm pretty sure having 2/3 of the tank free to swim about is going to be satisfactory. Ill keep you posted with pictures when I do get around to setting this up, and let you know either way if I do turn out to be wrong or right.
I mean no disrespect and apologize . And now going to listen to Gary Numans I dream of wires. sorry but the PICs do not macth what you were talking about . Again I apologize and good luck.
pheinzig
Member
I was hoping the pic would help illustrate what I was talking about. I don't think 50lbs or LR would fill up my tank too much. As a reference, I linked to a pic of a tank that a known of volume and a known weight in LR. The pic was supposed to show that LR weight to space taken ratio is pretty minimal.
And Rayjay,
I hear you on that, excessive LR and not enough flow is a very real concern. Im going to make an in tank closed loop to help alleviate that problem. I tried the method in my main reef and it works really nice. I hope the design will inspire people. Ill do a separate build thread in the coming weeks and be sure to post some pics for folks to follow along.
And Rayjay,
I hear you on that, excessive LR and not enough flow is a very real concern. Im going to make an in tank closed loop to help alleviate that problem. I tried the method in my main reef and it works really nice. I hope the design will inspire people. Ill do a separate build thread in the coming weeks and be sure to post some pics for folks to follow along.
