Seahorse/Reef Build

[Icedout20]

Hello everyone I would like to share my system build.
This build stated as a nano-reef and over the course of a year of planning, procuring and testing has defiantly turned into something else. This system has been running for 2 months so far.
System specs are as follows.

Seahorse Tank
37 gallon tank with130W PC lights, CLS with two 19” vertical spay bars run by a Quiet One 3000 pump, custom PVC pipe overflow to the 29 gallon, 30lb of live rock and 2” live sand bed.

Reef Tank
29 gallon with two 150w 10k Metal halides, four 14w t5 actinics, HOB 600gph overflow, two Koralia 750gph pumps, 50lbs of live rock and 3” live sand bed.

Sump
15 gallon with custom baffles, feed from 29 gallon, Quiet One 3000 as the return feeding into both 37 and 29.

Protein skimmer
CPR Bakpak

ATO
29 gallon tank with an Aquahub ATO kit and Aqualifter for the pump.

Chiller
Teco CA-200 chiller driven by a Quiet One 1200 pump. (For sale) Not really the right size.

Current fish.
Two Ocellaris Clownfish
One Sergeant Major
One Scooter Blenny

Test Readings.
Ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 5ppm
PH 8.4

First days of set up

Fist fill with saltmix

Initial Aquascape.

Fist week after live rock added.

New aquascape in 37 gallon with Marco Rocks dry rock

 

[Icedout20]

Continue

Continue

Tanks as they are now.

Sump

Plumbing and Equiptment behind the scenes

Reef Tank Fish

Seahorse Tank Fish

 

[ChadTheSpike]

Does the temperature on your teco say 77.2? That is not an appropriate temperature for seahorses... If you want to keep seahorses alive and well for the normal duration of their lives, you will need to be less than 74F all the time.
In addition, please ensure you properly QT everything, since SHs are sensitive to pathogens that can be brought into the system by just about everything.
Otherwise, nice setup.

 

[Icedout20]

I plan to get a bigger chiller. The teco is for sale.

 

[April F]

Nice setup - not really ideal for seahorses, but nice nonetheless. Depending on how many fish you intend to put in the reef side (I would say you are near your limit now for a 29g tank), you will probably only be able to keep 2-3 seahorses in the seahorse side, less if you overstock the smaller tank.

Chad is right. You are going to want to maintain temps at no more than 74 - a little cooler if at all possible. This usually slows coral growth.

You are also going to want to either keep all CB fish in your reef, or risk losing your seahorses to diseases they can carry. I know clowns are readily available as CB - not so sure about the others you have already listed. With your setup, there is a huge potential for disease being circulated from your reef tank fish to your seahorses.

What type of algaes, gorgs, tailholds, etc are you planning for the seahorse tank? Right now I see a strong outflow current (enough to move the sand in the front of the tank) and nothing for them to hang on to. Seahorses won't live long in this type of environment. They aren't strong swimmers and don't like being blown around the tank. If there is too much flow they will likely find a spot where they can hang on, and do so until they starve.

Your scooter appears very emaciated. They normally eat only pods found in a well established tank. Unfortunately, seahorses will also eat those pods, so whatever minute number of pods may be in your tank from your live rock from the other tank are probably being decimated by the scooter as soon as they appear. IMO, not a good tankmate for seahorses, or for a new tank. Looks like he's starving to death.

I know you've put a lot of work into this setup, and like I said before, it's a nice setup, but IME it's not going to be a good setup for seahorses. Seems like an awful lot of work, money, and plumbing for 2-3 seahorses. If you continue with your plan to put seahorses in it, I wish you good luck.

 

[Icedout20]

I plan to build some artificial hitches, not really sure what algae. The Scooter is actually looking better from when I bought him. The flow is something that I still am working on I am testing out a few different hole patterns.
I only plan to get one more fish for the reef. I only plan to have two pairs so a total of 4 seahorses. As for the temps I am currently going to upgrade. I got the teco to see what it could do but it is just a bit too small for system so now I have a better idea what size I need.

 

[rayjay]

Next to bacteria problems which are exacerbated by the temperature being above 74°F, the next biggest problem is pathogens introduced by other tank mates.
In fact, because of this, for best chances of success it is recommended to keep only seahorses of the same species from the same origin in a set up.
Just because another fish is in another tank doesn't solve the problem when the water is all connected as the pathogens will permeate all tanks connected.
MY THOUGHTS ON SEAHORSE KEEPING