seahorse in refugium???

[beeven]

Is a refugium a good place for a SeaHorse? I think it would be nice to have but it definately wont survive in my main tank.

My refugium is an ADHI model 45. It is a sump/refugium with the refugium in the middle portion (about a 10-12 gallon area). I'll be culturing pods in my refugium along with some macro algae. Lights will be on for 12 hours a day (reverse cycle from my supplemental T5's). The sump has about 1200-1600 gallons/hr flow but the flow in the fuge is only swift at the top... it is quite gentle middle to bottom of the fuge.

Thoughts or insight?

 

[shapermike]

I have my seahorses in my refugium and they love it, Mine is not part of the sump though, The seahorses dont like a lot of flow. well good luck

 

[beeven]

What type of main tank do you have? I'm setting up a reef tank to the temp will be set at about 79 degrees... a bit high for SH's.

Also, do you keep copepods in your refugium? I'm a bit concerned that this will defeat the purpose of using the Fuge to culture them.

 

[shapermike]

I have a 300 gal display tank tied in to a 60 gal frag tank with a 50 gal refugium and a 30 sump, I run my chiller at 78-79 degrees.

 

[shapermike]

this is what my refugium looked like after a week in the system

 

[shapermike]

I do have a lot more mangroves now and lots more micro algae

 

[Egres]

is it me or there is already a seahorse in there??...and im not a expert but i dont think its tall enough for seahorse!!

 

[HappySkittles]

big seahorse need like...i wanna say 14 inch high tanks at least
i know some can get to be 12 inches while others can be max at 6-8 inches

 

[shapermike]

The water level is 14" from the bottom to the water level. All the rocks are at oneend and the tank is 24" x 48" with a water level at 14". The sand is at the front of the tank. The water level was raised since this pic was taken. I just measured it right about 14". He seems to like it in there and i have him trained to eat out of the little dish in the pic. I had this seahorse for 3 years now.

 

[HappySkittles]

cool

i love your refugium ^_^ it looks so pretty

 

[ann83]

If you add a seahorse to your refugium, you will no longer be able to use the refugium as a refugium. You cannot culture copepods in it with a seahorse in it, because the seahorse will deplete the 'pod population in short order; and you will not be able to use the refugium for nitrate export, because the seahorse will add far more waste than the 'fuge will be able to remove.

Additionally, a 'fuge is not a good home for seahorses. Tropical species need to be kept at 70-74 degrees, and in a space of at least 29 gallons; with 18" of water height. You're better off setting up a dedicated tank for seahorses.

 

[smurph1415]

i would say no also, set up a tank for it. are you doing dwarf or regular?