starting a seahorse tank?

[fishymann]

the shrimp is almost completely gone. i guess ill throw another one in to keep it cycling?

 

[fishymann]

alright threw in a nother shrimp today cuz the other one has totally gone for a day now. Just wondering how would this setup be

clean up crew
2 kuda or reidi (not sure yet) SH
mandarin goby
firefish

how would that work out in the tank? The mandarin would not be added for a while to ensure a proper copepod population and i would culture them to provide enough food for him.

would that be okay on bioload and compatibility

 

[whatnot45]

That sounds perfectly fine, and will allow you to later down the road get more seahorses should you choose.

 

[fishymann]

alright great thank you guys so much for all the help. i really owe you guys sooo much for all this help and everything its amazing how a few people can really educate some one.

 

[il0vemypug]

are sea horses too difficult of an animal to start out with?

 

[whatnot45]

i think if you do enough research before hand that they are possible to start out with seahorses as your first marine fish.

 

[fishymann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9537454#post9537454 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by il0vemypug
are sea horses too difficult of an animal to start out with?

I feared this same thing too when i started but between asking questions, researching, and just a lot of thinking you realize what makes it difficult and you work as much as possible to make it as simple as possible.

 

[il0vemypug]

thanx, I see you have a 37 gallon tank for them, I am considering a 55 gallon, do you think this would be good, or are they more comfortable in a smaller area?

 

[fishymann]

55 would be great for a few pairs. theres actually a build going on with a 55 heres a link;
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1061347

Good luck to you if you do decide to do it.

 

[fishymann]

alright, was researching firefish a bit more they'r jumpers... guess i outa bite the bullet and cut the rest of the acrylic i have and make a top out of it. Will the lessen the light getting to the water or will it not bother it? Also second shrimp is almost all gone and ammonia spiked yesterday to .25ppm but 4 hours after that reading was at 0ppm and nitrite is at 0ppm.

 

[pledosophy]

Firefish are fun but they will jump.

The acrylic will not affect the light output.

I'd feed the tank and watch the spike again to make sure, but sounds like the cycle might be done.

 

[fishymann]

thanks pledo. im gonna check and see if its cheaper to just buy a top from my LFS befor i go and cut up the acrylic.

 

[whatnot45]

i think it would be cheaper to just get a top at your LFS, and that way it would be hinged, and would flip up easily.

 

[fishymann]

yea the hinge is the only reason because i have the acrylic here with me.will be calin today to find out the price and to see if they got snails

also, is it alright if the display tank lights are on for like 14 hours instead of 12?

 

[whatnot45]

Its not recommended, or so i believe, but i leave mine on for that long. I hate walking into the room to feed my seahorses at like 7:00 to find the light off, so i keep it on extra long

 

[fishymann]

alright, because once i start feeding schedules with the searhorse because of highschool i leave my house by 7am so id have to feed them around 630, then when i get home (most likely feed them around 230) and then some time that night so if i have it turn on at 630 and off at 630pm i just figured that would give me a very small time line.

Got off the phone with my LFS 13$ for the glass hood SO WORTH IT, so going to pick that up, some nassarius snails (3-5?), maybe 1 or 2 scarlet reef hermit crabs if they have them, and another test kit (grr running low on dipsticks even though they are so expensive).

 

[fishymann]

alright, so i got 2 scarlet reef hermit crabs (lil guys) 3 good sized nassarius snails and one really small one. Its so nice to see something living in the tank i'll keep an eye on levels. I'm going to make a lil tank ( a few gallons) out of the acrylic i have laying around as a copepod culture tank, i might start that tomorrow.

 

[Glass Oceans]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8900697#post8900697 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nynex
fishymann I was thinking of also doing a seahorse tank too.

I have a 75 gallon (Fish,Live Rock-Will soon turn into a
full blown reef). Im running a 125 gal wet/dry. I really didnt
want the seahorses to go into the 75 gal, so what I was thinking
was to set up a 20 gal next to the 75 and run a second overflow
from the 20 gal into the 125 wet/dry,plus the return pump back.

This way the 20 gal would be part of the 75 gal system and
would hold better stability. I would put some live rock in the 20
gal along with the Seahorses. Plus maybe some anemones and
a small cleaning crew.Not sure yet.

Once again just an idea, Not sure if it work,but I kinda think it
will.

I'm doing the same with my 90. I made one out of acrylic. No horses yet but soon. Stay away from the anemones in a seahorse tank and any stinging coral too. Check out Draco Marine for some alternative info.

 

[Glass Oceans]

I agree with the majority here regarding the flood potential. Maybe you should do some tests prior to putting any more stuff in the tank. Try shutting off the Pump "power failure test" and see if your sump doesn't overflow. Try stopping the siphon and see if your tank doesn't overflow. I guess if nothing really bad happens then you're ok.

 

[fishymann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9586100#post9586100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Glass Oceans
I agree with the majority here regarding the flood potential. Maybe you should do some tests prior to putting any more stuff in the tank. Try shutting off the Pump "power failure test" and see if your sump doesn't overflow. Try stopping the siphon and see if your tank doesn't overflow. I guess if nothing really bad happens then you're ok.

if you had read carefully the system has been checked multiple times and its safe.

i have tested it and the water line in the return area of the sump gets to low befor the display over fills. So in any case (pump fails or siphon fails) neither tank will over flow.Basically worst case scenario will be burned out pump and no circulation in the tank but thats better than floods

quick question, are the snails nocturnal? during the day they are NEVER out they'r always under the sand. i've been sick since sunday so i really haven't had a chance to go down after the lights turn off to see if they come out.