Your ideas on a perfect seahorse tank....

[Nanook]

OK, I have wanted to keep horses for a long time. I was hoping to keep them in my 145 gallon refugium tank, but that plan fell through because my water temp on the main system runs 77-78 degrees.

I am leaning towards a tank no larger than 100g display and no smaller than 60 gallons.

I am looking for some suggestions from the pros on tank size, lighting, filtration, sand, etc. I am pretty knowledgeable in the reef hobby and have a very good background in equipment, water prams, etc. So, any ideas let em rip

 

[ScooterTDI]

I would really like to set one up 24"X24"X32" with a 8" DSB, a dense thicket of turtlegrass, and maybe only a 1-3 pieces of very choice rock. I'd probably put 2 antisync vortecs on it to get the seagrass blowing back and forth.

Scott

 

[TamiW]

I would really like to set one up 24"X24"X32" with a 8" DSB, a dense thicket of turtlegrass, and maybe only a 1-3 pieces of very choice rock. I'd probably put 2 antisync vortecs on it to get the seagrass blowing back and forth.

Scott

Ooo. thanks for the idea. I am planning on setting up my 65 as a sea grass/macro tank and didn't think about getting some wave action, but I think that would be really nice.

 

[ChadTheSpike]

I would really like to set one up 24"X24"X32" with a 8" DSB, a dense thicket of turtlegrass, and maybe only a 1-3 pieces of very choice rock. I'd probably put 2 antisync vortecs on it to get the seagrass blowing back and forth.

Scott

I would also set up this way, this is a great idea! The only thing to think about is how to cover up the vortechs to make them seahorse safe (caged or something similar). I would probably do the wave action with a wavebox supplemented by either a CL or other SH safe PH.

 

[ScooterTDI]

The MP10 comes with foam covers. I don't know about the MP20 or MP40 though.

I wouldn't want to do waveboxes because the pulse is going to be very short and it would look somewhat unnatural to me.

CL could work nicely if you include an OM or something.

The reason I mentioned this is because I saw a video of wild horses once and it amazed me how much flow was running through the seagrass beds they were it. The waves were really shifting the grasses back and forth.

Scott

 

[pledosophy]

Since you already have so much experience with reef tanks it might be a new challenge for you to try a different style of setup. I would look at a macro dominated system, or a non photosynthetic tank. It might give you a new direction to learn and create a greater appreciation/understanding of the hobby as a whole.

Seahorses can take any lighting, but the higher the light the more you will need to control the temperature. Most people need chillers to keep seahorse tanks at temps below 74.

For current design, I like to have a lot of flow in my horse tanks. The key is to break it up. Seahorses can't take jet stream style flows like the out puts of maxijets, they need there current to come from a wider area IME.

I run closed loops on spraybars behind my rocks to get rid of any chance of build up and to keep stray mysis from falling in, it works well for me.

If you have to have a powerhead a vortech on a constant setting with a cover has been used by many with success. Right now I have a koralia nano, I've used the tunze nanostreams as well.

Just leave a place for the seahorses to retreat to if need be.

Sand is a personal preference thing. Some people really like the look, but with certain species it is better to go barebottom IMO. It just depends on what species you plan on keeping. Whatever species you decide on, I would stick with just one since you are new to seahorses.

I prefer to keep 3x the height of the horse for vertical swimming room, so I don't go to deep on the sand.

Skimmers are cool, but IMO they belong in the sump and not on the side of the tank.

UV's are nice but if you run one use a prefilter and again factor in the added heat.

I really like refugiums on horse tanks because when the fuge is healthy it will feed the tank with larger pods that the seahorses will hunt, keeping them more active in the tank.

Cover intakes for powerheads or closed loops.

Buy aquacultured seahorses, from a place that raises the fry in a tank from the time it is released to the time it is sold. Buying TR or WC's will cost you more headache in the long run then the extra few dollars for an aquacultured horse.

If you don't plan on breeding, then get all the seahorses of the same sex. So many people are not intending to breed, but when the fry is released they do all they can to save them. Better to go with a same sex tank from the get go IMO.

HTH

 

[ctenophors rule]

the 24X24X32 sound sawesome, but why not 32X32X32!

now use a 3-4 inch multi sive grain sand bed, one large branchy piece of tonga, , andtwo led lights

one led light is positioned a few feet higher than the other, now comes the fun part.

Get a large sprouted red mangrove and position it so that its leaves will overgrow and shade the tank light. keep it well trimmed so that it remains under the second led.

try and eventualy reach an equalibrium where no mechanical filtration is necesary.

 

[Aquaticpaul]

I know some will probally not agree with me but i love culupera (fern looking one ) can't think of its real name on spot. but my tank is a 29 hex ive got a few peices of live rock i dont run a uv sterilizer but deffinetly have a skimmer id suggest nothing hanged on i think sumps the way to go but as long as you keep the culupera in tak i think it is very natural and my horses are always hitched on it ive got it growing in the back side of the tank but its growing around but again the horses loooooooooooooooove it give it a try

 

[ctenophors rule]

I know some will probally not agree with me but i love culupera (fern looking one ) can't think of its real name on spot. but my tank is a 29 hex ive got a few peices of live rock i dont run a uv sterilizer but deffinetly have a skimmer id suggest nothing hanged on i think sumps the way to go but as long as you keep the culupera in tak i think it is very natural and my horses are always hitched on it ive got it growing in the back side of the tank but its growing around but again the horses loooooooooooooooove it give it a try

i cant imagine anyone denying the us of caulerpa mexicana, as log as you carefuly prue before it becomes sexual.

IMO If you keep your temperature right, proper nutrition, and you tank natural to reduce stress in the horses, they shouldn't need a UV filter.


As far as protien skimmes go, prefer to go natural. I have diy skimmers just in case, bt my macro algae mangroves and religious waterchanges are all the filtration my horses need!

 

[The Reef Expert]

Vortech pumps are now starting to ship out with the EcoSmart controllers I think. It is really cool to see the seahorses swaying to the wave-patterns. As a supplemental snack for the horsies, it would be a good idea (in such a big tank) to have turtle grass with copepods.

 

[ctenophors rule]

I cant imagine anyone denying the use of Caulerpa Mexicana, as log as you carefuly prune before it becomes sexual.

IMO If you keep your temperature right, feed nutritious foods, and make you tank natural to reduce stress in the horses, they shouldn't need a UV filter.


As far as protien skimmers go, I prefer to go natural. I have diy skimmers just in case, but my macro algae mangroves and religious waterchanges are all the filtration my horses need!

Thats not to say that the protien skimmers wont be helpful in some applications. I just dont like the fact that they kill bbs, copepods, and the like.

had to fix all the mistakes, sorry about that.