Sea horse set up...

[UntamedBreez]

ok got a 30 gallon hex....bought it used so I've cleaned it out and resealed it.

Now for the set up, this will be a species only with (plus snail, h crabs)....still researching which species I will get.


thinking of getting Black sand(which now comes in a live version)
and some kind of really dark/black live rock
or making my own using volcanic lava rock....super glue and putting it into my reef tank for a few months...to seed.

Thinking that black on black with the bright seahorses and bright sea grasses....will look great!

I have heard the issue that black sand doesnt add calcuim or pH buffer....if I'm not going to be putting any corals into this tank will this be a problem?...i do of course have suppliments.

my other concern is that lava rock is pretty sharp, will they hurt themselves on it? will provide other other hitching post.

....which leads to another question. If I purchase some dried gorgoian to use as hitching post will it begin to decay and cause a problem?

 

[ann83]

I don't know how sharp lava rock is, but they will try to hitch to it (regarless of other provided hitching posts), and if it cuts them, that will not be good. Also, black sand gets dirty looking really easily, and seahorses are dirty fish who poo alot, so if you want the black, I'd go with a mixture of black and white, rather than all black. Finally, seahorses change color to blend in with their environment, so if you have an all black tank, chances are you'll end up with black or dark colored seahorses regardless of the color they are when you buy them. All seahorses change color, all species and from all suppliers, so regardless of what any seller tells you, there isn't a way to ensure the color you want. It does help to add colorful hitching posts to the tank, but seahorses are pretty stubborn and are sometimes just going to do their own thing color-wise regardless of how hard you try to influence them. Plus, they have a tendency to pick favorite hitching posts you didn't intend (like the filter intake, heaters - which need to be covered or in the sump for that reason, airlines, etc.).
Basically, seahorses are beautiful, but I wouldn't count on them to provide all the color in the tank.

I don't think gorg skeletons will cause a problem, but like I said before, I'd go with something with more color. www.seahorsesource.com has some really beautiful and natural looking hitching posts. You will want to put several spots for hitching in the tank on several different levels. You may want to look into macroalgaes and seahorse safe corals like colt corals or kenya trees also.

On pH, low pH is a problem, even without corals. Many seahorses quit eating with a lower pH of even a point or two, and not eating is a big problem for seahorses, since they need to eat a couple times a day and it is deadly to go more than 4 days without food. You'll need to use a supplemental buffer to maintain pH.

 

[ann83]

Oh, and I just noticed you plan on seagrasses, what kind of lighting are you planning for the tank?

 

[UntamedBreez]

Didnt really want to do anything special. tank came with basic hood light was going to upgrade bulb....my understanding is that seahorses didnt need special lights.

What level do sea grasses need?

 

[UntamedBreez]

I would buffer pH...

 

[ann83]

Seagrasses need really strong lighting, you can get away with high watt PC or T-5, but NO florescent isn't going to work. You may be able to fake a seagrass bed with a species of caulerpa like caulerpa prolifera. My caulerpa can grow (slowly) under pretty low lighting. A southern exposure window in the tank room helps as well, but it can cause problem algae issues.
Seahorses don't need special lighting, and actually lighting is a concern with them which is why I asked. Tropical seahorses need to be kept under 74 degrees, which is difficult with very high lighting. This may actually be an issue with the NO fixture as well. I'd set up the tank with the lighting, pumps, powerheads, etc. all running and see how low you can keep the temp when everything is running. If the NO fixture runs too warm you can get a PC fixture with the same wattage to reduce heat.

 

[UntamedBreez]

Great tip thanks....do plan on having this up and running for at least six months before adding the seahorses....so I'll have plenty of time to fiddle with temps, chems and establish it

so black on black is out.....thanks though