Please Help me on Dwarf Seahorse

[AustinS]

Hey Guys and Gals! Im Austin and im looking to get a Dwarf Seahorse tank. Ive been doing quite a bit of reserch for the past few days and i and in the midst of setting up the tank right now but i do have some questions i need help answering.

Well ive got a 20 gal high tank and ive decided to turn it into Pigmy Seahorse tank! I was thinking Covered HOB Power filter, Protein Skimmer, 65 watt light... You know, the works. Heres where ive run iinto some trouble... The tank was used as a Quarantine tank and has had copper in it. Can Pods/Brine Shrimp/ Sea-horses safely live in here? In not would buying a new tank be the best option or trying to fix it?

Second, Ive got a 26 bow that i was planning of taking all calupria, lr and sand and putting it in the 20. The problem is im scared of all the hitchhikers that could arise... How can i make these safe for my Ponies?

Third, I was thing of a two section plan for the 20. I was thinking of using a tank divider to make one part for the ponies and the other for equipment and refuge area. Good idea? This gives me the benefit of a large tank in that it has water stability but the advantage of food concentration of a small tank.

Fourth, I am unsure what to do about food... I am planning on getting one of these cultivation units: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3578+4430+7954 WHich would be best for a large continuous supply of aterma? The Sea-horses would also get food from the fuge area. Also i need to beable to be away from the tank for around a week or two because i travel for weeks at a time. Hasn't kept me from having a full blown 90 gal reef tank though

P.S. There may be some confusion about this but there is nothing in the tank right now it is stabilizing and bare temp and sal. are good.

Thanks allot for your help, I really appreciate it!:bum: :smokin: :bum:

 

[Colin]

Live rock and sand aren't recommended because of potential hitchhikers. 20G is really too big for dwarfs. What's to stop the brine from swimming over to the other side?

I would think the copper would be a problem. Not so much for the seahorses, but for brine, pods, and any cleanup crew you put in.

The two-liter brine shrimp hatcher is the best. You can make these fairly easily as well with a couple of two liter bottles and some air line. You'll need a couple.

You really can't leave a seahorse tank for two weeks without feedings. Even a week would be difficult to do.

HTH,

--Colin

 

[AustinS]

I was wondering how i could make the rock and sand safe for dwarfs in safe for dwarfs?

The tank divider is. Im either going to make one or buy a perforated one.... What size are the brine shrimp? Are they the size of a Period...?

K, a new 20 isnt big $$$

K, No problem...

There would still be feedings because we have a person who feeds our pets for us its just i wouldn't be-able to do thinks like water changes etc...

 

[Colin]

To make it safe you'd need to dry it out and bleach it. Then it wouldn't be live anymore.

Baby brine shrimp are super tiny. The thing is, they're most nutritious when fed within 24 hours of being hatched. You can fortify them after 24 hours of hatching with invert food or selco, but it's still a labor intensive thing. You need to hatch brine every day or two.

--Colin

 

[sixfins]

Try to get as large of a pod population as you can. I had a three gal. setup that was able to go for over three month without feeding bbs. So, it's possible. I had half a dozen dwarfs in there and they did reproduce during that time as well, bringing me up over a dozen and a half. Unfortunately hurricane Wilma caused the tank to crash.

 

[CCall]

You can use Panacur in the tank to rid of any hitchhikers in the sand and rocks.

 

[ctenophors rule]

is the person feeding your pets educated in the marine field.

what i would do

if you have that huge tank seperated like you plan fill the entire other side with chaetomorpha, mix it daily so light is evenly distributed. all the little pods will be a great source of nurishment for your dwarfs.

also i would make sure that the food was placed in the lowest flow area possible.

to make your system pest free, dont give the p[ests a chance!!!

garf your rock, and start your sand from dry aragonite, or for optimal ph stability magnesium based calcium carbonate sand. (i think i wrote that write)

you will need to do the water changes as often as your ater quality dictates. i wouldn't go for more than a month without a change, even if your system looks good, just because of the trace elements.

you can suppliment the trace elements, just make sure you compare them to the natural sea water.

they can be very difficult to keep, or realy realy easy, imo, i think you should do some more reasearch and read up on them a bit more, like their light cycles, their temp, and all their other parameters.

good luck, and dont rush.