Here We Go Again

[Matthew5664]

Well this is just a teaser from what is to come.

Got some new sand washing in some RO to go in tonight SW is made up powerhead is ready and LR is in the sump of my reef. By tomorrow morning I may have something that looks like a Seahorse tank. Next will be Macro Algae and then the real fun begins.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Jealous! SO are you going Fuge. like macro planted tank or LR+Reef?

 

[Matthew5664]

macro planted tank all the way.

Hopefully going to link it to the reef so they will benifit from a larger water volume. Plus its on a auto-topoff and only 1 WC to do!

 

[SkiFletch]

Nice, you gonna re-inforce that poor table its sitting on? . looks a little bowed

 

[l337dave]

hehe... my gf want's seahorses too, I told her I think I've got a bit of learning to do before we go there but I'll be watching this thread for ideas!

 

[Matthew5664]

Ski > support? what for?

No. got a stand in teh boot (trunk) of my car for it to go on plus got 20l of madeup SW some black backing and a sheet of poly for it to sit on. I'll go one better and get a photo, I'll use the works camra


Back in a mo.

right here you go one 2'x18" stand. in beech

Hope you learn something dave! this is new to me too

 

[SkiFletch]

Wow, your trunk actually looks clean...

 

[Matthew5664]

"Wow, your trunk actually looks clean... " makes up for the state of my house! Baby stuff everywhere!. Oh just one thing how come there sooooooo small yet he has 3!!!! loads of washing a DAY! I have one a week!

Anyway enough about the little terror in my life on with the tanks.

Got home and got the tank setup with 40l RO and redsea salt mixed for 5 hours with a seio and a air line connected to the venturi bit. Great for mixing and airating! then with the stuff from the LFS did a water change on the reef and use the old tank water to help the cycle. in went 2kg of sand plus some from the reef to kick start it along with 2 of the smaller bits of LR from the the sump.

And this is it so far. Got to get a bigger return pump for the sump in the reef so I can T off to the Seahorse tank and make a overflow. and get some LR and some Micro then scape it and test it Oh! get a heater and some more sand then clean up crew. then and only then will the girldfriend be taking me to get the livestock.

Heres sea corner as we have named it.

Had a thought...... I could get a meen corner tank in there

 

[SkiFletch]

Damn the seahorses, get a bigger corner tank 8)

 

[Matthew5664]

got so algea to go in the tank today in it went along with some more from my sump.

 

[AMS]

What seahorse species are you going for? I assume your going for a "tropical" species like erectus or kuda.

Hopefully going to link it to the reef so they will benifit from a larger water volume.

Probably not the best idea. The "tropical" species of SH will not tolerate the temperatures of reef aquariums, "tropical" SH like the temperature between 71-74 degrees, and NO HIGHER. I hope you have done your research on these wonderful creatures, they are not in any way your average marine fish.

 

[Matthew5664]

Research? What do i need to do that for?

 

[James B]

hows the tank going matt.

 

[Matthew5664]

Cycling at the mo. NO2 is comming down and the NO3 is on the rise. Been in contact with Marte from Here because he's got his SH tank sharing the sump of the main tank. And altho AMS told me otherwise I've ordered a 1" glass cutter and I'm waiting on the bits from my swimmimg pool supplyer to conect the tank to the sump. with a 1" flow and a 20mm return the overall turnover through the sump won't be that great (800lph) and so the temp will be kept down (hopfuly) The reefs at 26 sitting with temp going up to 27.9C at the higest (26.6 today) The SH tank is at 24 room temp and goes down to 22 at night. I'm hoping that the flow of reef tank water at 26 will stop the SH tank from going down at night. We can only wait and see. Once the mini cycle is done the LR and algea will go to the sump and the tank drained into a load of 20L containers I have ready then the drilling can begin.

 

[AMS]

I dont mean to be a pain Matthew, but SH do not tolerate normal reef currents. They are very poor swimmers, and flow rates of 2 to 4 times the tanks volume in optimum for SH. Yup, thats no mistake, only 2-4X turnover. Though, if you used spray bars you could go higher on the flow rating.

I think you should give seahorse.org a look, you will be a bit enlightened on the tough job it is to care for SH.


Good Luck with your SH You'll love them.