Tank Idea with questions: Dwarves

[EnFuego]

I am doing some research into setting up a 10 gallon tank for some dwarf seahorses. I have started researching their rather involved feeding requirements, and have a few other questions.

I know the temperature topic comes up a lot here in this forum, but my question is not what temperature to keep seahorses at, but rather, for those who keep their tanks in the low to mid 70's how many of you use chillers to get it to this temperature? I live in Texas and my house is set to vary between 76 and 78 depending on the time of day. I want to keep some zoanthids and ricordea in the tank with them, so I was considering either a 70 watt MH or a few HO T5's. I'm guessing with the light, and a pump the temp will probably get up to 80 with no chiller on the tank, so do you think one of those Ice Probe chillers be able to keep the tank at a steady 76 or so?

Also, I am setting the tank up with a closed loop for water flow. The water will drain from the larger hole towards the center of the tank (see below), and run through a canister filter turned into a refugium. The return is split 4 ways to minimize the amount of flow coming out of any single return. Do you think an eheim 1250 (317 gph) would be a good amount of flow. That would be right at 80 gph coming out of each return (one in each corner of the bottom of the tank).

Also, would harlequin shrimp be viable tank mates with the horses. I was thinking of starting off with 5-6 seahorse and a pair of harlequin shrimp and then the usual clean up crew, but nothing else.

Here is the tank:

 

[HappySkittles]

you could probably use a fan
i too am going to be keeping dwarf seahorse (my tank is cycling)
the temperature is 76F at night (or on the colder days) and 77 on the hotter days and in the morning. (outside it can get to be 84F and my room is the hottest room in the house so the fan is keeping my tank very cool)
granted my tank is only 3 gallons but my lid is on, i use a compact florescent bulb and there is also a heater that is supposed to heat up to 78 (though it never gets that hot because of the fan)

this is the fan if you wanted to know
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14701

good info here
http://www.syngnathid.org/articles/dwarfKeeping.html

you might not wanna do the harlequin because they eat starfish only and the water will need some serious cleaning
you also have to be REALLY careful what you put in there with them. they are VERY small...so just a few smaller snails and sexy shrimp...no crabs of any kind and no larger shrimp

they also need very little flow....too much will stress them out...most people only use a sponge filter and nothing else (at least from what i have read)

 

[ReefNutPA]

I use Ice Probe chillers on my dwarf tanks to keep the temperature 72F-74F. I had many unexplained deaths 4 years ago when first setting up the tanks - the tank temp was running 76F-78F. After lowering the temperature, there were no further issues.

Personally, for me, fans are not reliable enough to keep a steady/constant temperature without severe spikes on occassion. A fan may do well 95% of the time, but in the unlikely event they just can't pull the temp down enough for whatever reason you will still run into problems. IMO, if you can afford the Ice Probe - it is a better choice.

Not to correct the above poster, but very few dwarf keepers that I know use sponge filters. Most use small HOB filters.

FWIW, I usually advise hobbyists that have never kept larger seahorses or dwarf seahorses to set up a simple tank. After gaining experience, then branch out and get it more complex. Water quality/flow in a dwarf tank is an issue compounded by the 2 or 3 times a day feeding of newly hatched bbs, enriched bbs or copepods. So, keep the poorer water quality & flow issue in mind when planning to add zoas, etc. Most don't fair well in that type of an environment - and unfortunately dwarfs won't fair well is an environment perfectly suited for zoas and other things.

Tom

 

[HappySkittles]

ahh well i have read wrong on the sponge things
i dont have a sponge filter >_< i have a hang on the back but it has a flow adjuster...i thought people used sponge ones to avoid flow
i was happy this filter had an adjuster because i didnt wanna have to buy another filter

i guess the fan usefulness depends on where you live? maybe in a constantly hot environment it wouldnt