Marineland Pillar Dwarf SeaHorse Build

[wlyon]

After keeping 2 kuda seahorses for a little over a year I have decided to try my luck with the dwarfs.

The plan is the Marineland Pillar 6 gallon tank with a custom overflow built into the compartment that houses the HOB filter. With a 5 gallon sump, 2.5 gallon fuge, and the new reef octopus 50 gallon HOB skimmer (which I got today and it's pretty sweet for the price and size)

Just need to figure out how I want to do the return and which size return pump to use. I have a random assortment of Maxi-Jet pumps ranging from around 100gph to 700gph.

Any thoughts, things I've overlooked would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wlyon]

Other question, my girlfriend discovered Hippocampus bargibanti, I have a feeling I already know the answer to this, but has anyone ever seen these for sale, or know if they can even be kept in captivity as well as the dwarf seahorses?

 

[rayjay]

They can only survive with their special gorgonians from where they live and even public aquariums have had trouble with their survival.
Smallest you can get is the dwarf H. zosterae.
I personally don't like pnp systems because with tops on, heat may get to be a problem even with led lighting, and, the top restricts the gas exchange at the surface of the water so that pH can be hard to maintain.

 

[wlyon]

I thought about that problem, which is why I decided to put a sump and refugium on the tank for plenty of evaporation and heat exchange. Hopefully that would be enough, but I can always get rid of the top of the tank if need be.

 

[timinnl]

I would suggest that you first do a mock setup and see if the tank is good for dwarfs or not? The slits might be space far enough for a fry or young adult to pass through. Also it might be hard to keep the live food in long enough before it is removed.

 

[wlyon]

The slits were a concern of mine, I was thinking of using a sponge style overflow system that I use in our NPS tanks at work.

I am working on an automatic feeding system hooked to my pod production, and thought about hooking the return pump to a timer as well that shuts off about an hour or so during feeding periods. Still thinking that one through though.

 

[rayjay]

Just remember that after the tank timer turns the filter back on again, you have to clean the filter of the bbs that it traps or you contribute to faster water decline, producing a good bed for things like vibriosis.

 

[wlyon]

Just remember that after the tank timer turns the filter back on again, you have to clean the filter of the bbs that it traps or you contribute to faster water decline, producing a good bed for things like vibriosis.

Good point, didn't think of that. Thank You!

 

[rayjay]

I clean my filter out once a day, not after every feeding during the day.

 

[Gymped]

How hardy are those Kudas if you dont mind my asking?

 

[wlyon]

How hardy are those Kudas if you dont mind my asking?

They are not to bad, I have them in a 30 gallon half moon tank connected to my 250 Large Predator/NPS tank which has a 40 breeder for a refugium. So between the refugium and the food I feed the sponges and NPS corals 10 times a day it's pretty easy.


The only real thing I do with that tank other than clean it and enjoy it is when I clean my filter socks out once a week I gather up all the pods that were caught and hand feed the little guys.