temp?

[low riderr]

is 76 to warm to keep sea horses,also can they be kept with lps coral

 

[TamiW]

76 may be too warm. Ideally you'll want to keep them below 74 degrees. Its not that seahorses can't handle that temperature, they are tropical. Rather the higher temps encourage bacteria to grow, and seahorses are prone to bacterial infections. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

As for LPS corals, most have sweeper tentacles or some other stinging tentacles that pose a threat to the seahorses. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

 

[mattkd5]

i gree you should keep your tank below 74 degrees as for lps corals certain ones shouldnt be a problem i got acans, blastos ,chalices,and some other lps in my seahorse tank without any problems

 

[low riderr]

i have a 29 gal tank i was going to set up as a seahorse tank and move some of my lps into it .my newly acquired emperor angel is tasting some.will uv help with the bacteria? i wanted to tie this tank to my system so that i didnt have to buy alot of new equipment just a pump and light. i guess i could lower the temp of my tank a little and see how it reacts to the lower temps. rite now my tank runs 76to 76.5 year round

 

[Octoshark]

Be sure you don't have any corals that will sting your horses.

Here is a guide from a trusted source: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/lps.shtml

 

[namxas]

FWIW, the two worst LPS offenders are Euphyllia and Plerogyra, altho i would definitely research each species you're considering.

besides the higher temp, you should know that SH are very hard on water quality, so if you're one of those "pristine water reefers", adding a SH system to your reef will most likely impact the water chemistry.

if you're going with a 29 gal, just hang a good-sized HOB on the back and drop an airline into the tank (an open-ended piece of rigid line works well). no other equipment needed, unless you have temp issues.

 

[low riderr]

i need to move my sun coral,some acans and a donut coral for now then see if the emperor moves to something else he is not hitting them hard but it is affecting them.what makes them so hard on water quality?what kind of flow is going on in a pony tank?

 

[TamiW]

what makes them so hard on water quality?

They have an inefficient digestive system so they have to eat a lot. This also means that don't digest their food very well, so their poops are very nutrient rich.

 

[low riderr]

wouldnt this help feed a reef tank?same as a heavily stocked tank

 

[TamiW]

Of course. But just like a heavily stocked tank, you have to be aware of the potential problems that go along with it. Many reef keepers try to keep all nutrients out of the water, and both a heavily stocked tank and a seahorse tank is counter to that goal.

 

[mstrpln03]

Some species of Seahorses are tropical and can be kept at higher temps (75) most however are from temperate water and require temps well below that. I don't know what species you are considering but most probably you will need a chiller to keep them successfully.

And addressing the the nutrient factor, that's why LPS are good candidates for a horse tank, they will consume the detritus. Of course you should stay away from any that have stinging tentacles.

 

[namxas]

i believe it was mentioned previously, but the reason for keeping tropical sp. SH at cooler temps is to keep the bacterial count in the tank in check. yes, tropicals are found at warmer temps in the ocean, however, the bacterial count is very low in comparison to a small box of water. the basic rule of thumb is tropical sp. <74*F and termperate sp. <68*F.

need to move my sun coral,some acans and a donut coral for now

those should all be fine w/SH.

 

[low riderr]

not shure on species yet. just kicken some ideas around before i jump in.if i do this they will be tank raised for shure. its looking like it will have to be two separate systems though, bummer. thanks for all the info