Tank for seahorses

[snclucas]

Hi

I am aiming to keep a air of seahorses and I would like to build my own acrylic tank. I would be grateful for input on its dimensions. I had in mind maybe a 24x24x24 cube to give it height, together with volume (around 60 gal).

Any suggestions of comments on tank geometry?

Apologies if this has been discussed many times.

 

[JLynn]

That sounds just fine. 60g is more than enough for a single pair. They will be very happy in those dimensions. What species are you planning on getting? Planted tank? Reef tank? Artificial reef tank?

 

[snclucas]

Hi
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking H. Erectus only as I heard they were more forgiving to the first time horse owner. Is this true?
Currently my plan is a species tank only with a few cleaners like snails etc. I am still a way off as I need to learn a ton. I will not entertain getting the aninals until I am 100% sure of the tank set up and sump/refugium etc.
I haven't got a huge budget so my sticking point is the possible need for a chiller as my other tanks (fresh) have issues with heating in summer.
S

 

[JLynn]

Yes, it's true that Erectus are hardy and a good choice for a first seahorse. Another benefit is that they are a little cheaper and more common than other species. You will almost definitely need a chiller, because tropical seahorses should be kept at temperatures of 72-74 degrees. Unless your home is kept at those temps, a chiller is needed to lower the temperature of the tank. Seahorses are kept at those temperatures because it has been found that bacteria reproduce exponentially more quickly at temps of 75+. Thus, to reduce the risk posed by higher temperatures, it is best to keep our systems at 72-74 F. Chillers are expensive, yes. To reduce the expense, I would suggest buying your chiller used off of Craigslist, a local reefing forum, or eBay. Used chillers are, on average, $300-$375 for the size you will need, which is about $200 cheaper than if they were bought new.