new SH owner intro

[inigomontoya]

Hello, just wanted to do an intro thread for all the questions that are sure to come up as I venture into this. I have been salty for a few years with a 260g reef tank overstocked with coral :hmm5:. I took my original 40g (24 long x18 deep x20 tall) and put in some liverock. With cycling done, I have some gracillaria, halymenia and another branching macro coming in the next few days and have placed an order for my horses to be shipped next week from Sachs aquaculture. Starting with 4 erectus and a gulf pipefish they had. All SH cb and cr also trained to frozen along with the pipe. Got a few mysid coming as well to ease acclimation (old pics-sand has been added).

Looking for some local places to get possibly get a sponge/more macro and will put in a large birdsnest for additional hitches (T5's). Looking forward to doing this, have been researching them for over a year and finally had the area to do a species tank.

 

[mtc1966]

you will be slightly overstocked but with good skimming and husbandry you should be ok imo. the best place for sponges that i have found is sea life inc. out of FL great products at great prices. good luck with the build and keep us updated with pics.

 

[btreyes]

It's going to be awesome! I'm not sure if the seahorses will be that interested in the bird's nest though; mine ignore my piece.

 

[inigomontoya]

Thanks guys, yea I read enough about not introducing from multiple sources and/or types and since shipping was such a killer on these I decided to stock everything up front. Thanks for the store, sea life looks good- shipping is always a pain on these. I also found reeftopia which does free priority when over $100 so may try them. Got a good local source for macros so going to get everything in and settled and decide.

Good to know on the birsdnest, I have a reefers madness which is pretty big 6x7 and I find it a little blah in my main tank so that's why I was thinking about moving it- wouldn't traumatize me if abused a little by the horses. If ignored though, would rather save space for more macro. The tank is undrilled and uses a bakpack type HOB skimmer/fuge so it will run a little dirty so trying to kill a few birds with one stone by using a lot of macros. Prettier and can go for a neat planted tank look, cleaning the water and hitching posts.

 

[rayjay]

With the odds of having problems when pipefish are with seahorses I personally would skip it and just keep the seahorses.
As mentioned though, husbandry will have to be excellent over the long haul to have the best chance of success long term.