Please Don't laugh at me :P

[WerezMiePie]

I am setting up a seahorse aquarium. I am stocking my corals now. Seahorses are my number one priority but, friggen anemones *_*. I have a 11 gallon refugium attached to a 55 gallon DT. All there is in the refugium is a protein skimmer pump which is modded so the protein skimmer its self is outside the refugium. The Depth is 8 inches. I can increase this to the were abouts of 10-14 inches landing it at around 15-17 gallons. I would like a small nem and a singular clown fish to satisfy my obsession. I hear the worst stories about nems and pumps of any sort. So if I put the pump in a eggcrate/screen cage will it prevent any incidents?

Edit: This refugium isn't meant to be to be functional lol I just had a ton of empty space and want to use it.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Just to clarify, the anemone and clownfish would be completely away from the seahorses?

1) If your goal is to raise pods in the refugium, you can't have fish in there. The clown would eat any amphipods/mysis in there, and just contribute to bioload.
2) How big is the refugium space wise?

Theoretically, yes, as long as you keep the cage completely around the pump, with it truly being a cage of eggcrate/screen, as in 6 full sides surrounding the pump that let the anemone have absolutely no access at all. I'm a tad bit worried about the anemone blocking the return to the main tank as well. I'm also worried about the anemone's requirement of more tropical temperatures ( above 75 F) conflicting with the seahorse's need for lower temperatures (a balmy 72 F at best). Finally, the smallest anemone I know of is the maxi mini anemone, which has a diameter of 6 inches, but hosts no clownfish that I know of. The more common bubbletip anemone needs a 30 gallon tank, but hosts many known clownfish species, including the "nemo" clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris.

What corals are you adding to the seahorse tank?

 

[WerezMiePie]

Currently SPS Gorgonians is all. Yes unless the nem can travel threw 1cmx1cm egg crate and up 4 foot of tubing. If I knew how to post pictures I would show you my setup. Any how my tank is set at 75. I am trusting a friend on the temp. The space is 22L x 14.5W x 8 T. There are 2x segments of my sump. A massive 11 gallon and like a 4 gallon . They would be completely separated by egg crate and screen. I do see the issue of blocking the return. and blocking that off would sacrifice probably about 3 inches. narrowing the current volume to like 9 gallons. Might not work

 

[ichthyogeek]

Sorry, I don't think it would work at all. If somebody wants to chime in, then sure. But from my purely theoretical thinking POV, the answer would be no.

 

[WerezMiePie]

I understand

 

[geckoejon]

just fyi, i had a couple small bubble tips squeeze through egg crate.

i would say do a lot of research and lean towards the cautious side...

 

[OrionN]

You can segregate an area of the sump/refugium out and turn it into a place to keep anemone and clownfish. It would be fine depends on how big of an area.
You will need a lot of light, or a huge amount of light depends on which anemone species.
flow ther is likely to be high flow also. It will be under the stand and no body will see your beautiful anemone and Nemo. Even you will not be aboe to see it much.

Temp will be a problem. I don't raise sea horse, but according to you they need <72 while all of the host anemone need 75+ (actually about 80 degree or so)

You should not so it. Best just to set up a smaller aquarium for your horses.

 

[WerezMiePie]

I purchased a 30 gallon and threw together a HBO skimmer/filter/refugium. I would like to put a pair in there. I am setting up my build thread.