Used Set-Up for Seahorses - How to Make Seahorse-Safe?

[prettyfishy76]

My husband and I will be picking up a 100 gallon tank set-up on Sunday, 10/27. It will be used as the future mansion (once fully cycled) for our large herd of seahorses. There will be a sump underneath which should add another 30 gallons. We already have the chiller, too. We're so excited.

The seller is offering us their crushed coral and some of the rock that has been in the tank. Is it too risky to re-use these items for the seahorses? If so, is there a way to make sure the rock and crushed coral can be made seahorse-safe? I didn't know if I would need to dose the tank with some PraziPro or something to kill off any parasites. Do we have to get NEW substrate and rocks? I have only set up brand new aquariums for the seahorses, so this is the first time we have purchased a used one for them. What care should be taken to clean the tank before we use it? We usually just scrub and rinse them out really well.

I want to do this right because I don't want anything bad to happen to my seahorses. We spend a lot of time caring for them and are very attached. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[rayjay]

There are many that say you should be OK.
I used to be one of those, but after my own personal problems, I now bleach anything that has been used before, and then, rinse well and then treat with ClorAm-X to be sure the bleach is totally removed from the rock especially.
I then cycle using ammonia and once I feel the cycle is complete, I again add ammonia to get to about 1ppm and see if it clears overnight.
Are you planning on mixing species of seahorses or same species from different breeding sources?

 

[prettyfishy76]

I didn't realize you could bleach the rocks and use them again... When you treat the rock with ClorAM-X, do you need to keep it in a tub or can this be done in the aquarium?

I purchased Dr. Tim's One and Only and the Ammonium Chloride. I have heard good things about this helping with the cycle process, so I can't wait to try it.

My plan is to move over the seahorses I currently have. They are all h. Erectus. One is WC (our original) and the rest are CB from Seahorse Source.

 

[Molehs]

When I bleached all my rocks when I started, I soaked them in bleach water for a few days, then a few days in water, powerhead and declhorinator, and then a week outside in the sun to dry/evaporate any other chlorine.

 

[rayjay]

You can bleach, rinse, ClorAm-x and cycle, all in the tank.
If there is a lot of life on the rocks, like mushrooms, be prepared for a big stink as it all rots.
I've also taken live rock and boiled it in a preserving kettle on the barbecue.
Pressure spray after and then cycle.

 

[JenC2012]

I purchased some live rock that has been stored in buckets for two months. I plan on using it to start a seahorse tank. It has a nice film of coraline algae that I wouldn't want to destroy by bleaching.

 

[funkejj]

DO NOT USE CRUSHED CORAL!!!! With horses and the worry about extra decaying food that they don't eat you do not want CC. Go with a fine sand instead. Get rid of the nasty CC and you will be happier in the long run.

 

[funkejj]

I purchased some live rock that has been stored in buckets for two months. I plan on using it to start a seahorse tank. It has a nice film of coraline algae that I wouldn't want to destroy by bleaching.

Have you kept a power head and heater in the bucket? If not good stuff might be dead.

 

[JenC2012]

Have you kept a power head and heater in the bucket? If not good stuff might be dead.[/QUOTE

I haven't maintained it, it's been without heat or water movement. I thought the coraline would still be good even though it smells to high heaven, just thought it would need longer to cycle. Do you think I should bleach them? I also have some other live rock that is set up in my main fish only tank. I am going to break down that tank and could use that rock instead of the stuff in the buckets; would I have to do anything to that rock that is truly live? Thanks.

 

[funkejj]

If there is a lack of water movement then there is no oxygen exchange. The life on the rock as well as good beneficial bacteria both die off. You can put it in a tank and it will cycle but chances are anything good is now dead.

 

[JenC2012]

I read on another forum about cooking your live rock. I'm going to go that route instead of the bleach. I'll seed it with other live rock. Thanks.

 

[rayjay]

"Cooking" live rock doesn't remove pathogens, and, if you use live rock afterwards, you may introduce something else new to the system.
Speaking of cooking, I literally cooked a lot of my rock in a preserving kettle set up on the barbecue.
Afterwards I use the high pressure washer to spray it all down and then I cycled it using ammonia.

 

[Fudz Cwerner]

DO NOT USE CRUSHED CORAL!!!! Go with a fine sand instead.

+1. CC sucks in saltwater tanks in my opinion. And once it's in the tank, it's a bad idea to take it out. I went with the a 3" deep fine argonite sugar sized substrate and I gravel vacuum the top 1" once a month.

 

[GAFish]

Who has the ClorAm-x in the US?

 

[rayjay]

http://www.reedmariculture.com/product_cloram_x.html

 

[clubpenza]

I went with the a 3" deep fine argonite sugar sized substrate.

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[modder man]

It may be to late now, but if not DO NOT COOK YOUR ROCK. There is plenty of marine life that is toxic to humans, when you bake it or boil it you allow those toxins to be released into the air.

 

[MechEngineer]

It may be to late now, but if not DO NOT COOK YOUR ROCK. There is plenty of marine life that is toxic to humans, when you bake it or boil it you allow those toxins to be released into the air.

+1. Zoas are esp bad, run hot water over a colony and the toxic vapors will get yourself an easy trip to the hospital or worse...