Dwarf Seahorses
New member
Hello everyone. I want to set up a tank for Dwarf Seahorses and since I don't like the "cluttered" look that most DSH tank have, I want to make a DIY tank system that frees up the display of clutter plus allows the use of a refugium and sump with protein skimmer and UV sterilizer.
Here is a draft of what I am thinking about:
The "cut outs" between the display and refugium and the refugium and sump are overflow teeth. The flow pattern will be from the display to the refugium to the sump and then back to the display.
The total system's dimensions measure 16"x16"x10" for a volume of 11.1 gallons (6.9 gallons for the display, 1.2 gallons for the refugium, and 3 gallons for the sump). The refugium will be bare-bottomed filled with chaeto. The sump area will contain a 150 GPH bio-wheel filter, a small UV sterilizer, heater, small protein skimmer, and a tiny return pump.
The return pump MUST be tiny or the seahorses won't like it, no larger than 32 GPH and even that size may be too big. The return pump will be located in the sump and return to the display with a spray bar to diffuse the flow.
Now for the Questions:
1.) Is it OK for the refugium to be the first compartment or should the sump be the first?
2.) Will the equipment in the sump (skimmer, filter, UV) @ a total of around 300 GPH cause flooding over the sump compartment by having only a 32 GPH pump?
Does anyone understand my 2nd question? Are there any problems that you predict with this system?
Here is a draft of what I am thinking about:
The "cut outs" between the display and refugium and the refugium and sump are overflow teeth. The flow pattern will be from the display to the refugium to the sump and then back to the display.
The total system's dimensions measure 16"x16"x10" for a volume of 11.1 gallons (6.9 gallons for the display, 1.2 gallons for the refugium, and 3 gallons for the sump). The refugium will be bare-bottomed filled with chaeto. The sump area will contain a 150 GPH bio-wheel filter, a small UV sterilizer, heater, small protein skimmer, and a tiny return pump.
The return pump MUST be tiny or the seahorses won't like it, no larger than 32 GPH and even that size may be too big. The return pump will be located in the sump and return to the display with a spray bar to diffuse the flow.
Now for the Questions:
1.) Is it OK for the refugium to be the first compartment or should the sump be the first?
2.) Will the equipment in the sump (skimmer, filter, UV) @ a total of around 300 GPH cause flooding over the sump compartment by having only a 32 GPH pump?
Does anyone understand my 2nd question? Are there any problems that you predict with this system?
