Seahorse Tank Size

[flamingonhot]

Pleder, fyi, my tank was up for about a year before I had the seahorse, and still there was only one clownfish in there. All levels were at zero but AFTER getting the seahorse it went up SLIGHTLY because of feeding mysis 3 times a day. I used about a cube per day with the clownfish eating me out of house and home.

I have a big chunk of an undergravel filter flipped on it's side, and it's packed with chaeto...so I found out if I just put a few shrimp in there on top of the macro it can get it easier and I don't end up wasting a bunch of mysis and have it fouling up the water.

Infact I just tested the water last night, all levels are at zero, ph at 8.3, and everything is thriving. The "lost" mushrooms I had are even starting to reappear. I actually meant ammonia IS 9not close lol) at zero, but nitrites WERE up a little bit.


Sorry if I can't type lately lol!

 

[pleder]

I actually meant ammonia IS 9not close lol) at zero, but nitrites WERE up a little bit.

? ? ? ? ? ? Your ammonia is 9 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Let me be more clear. If your tests are resulting in nitrites being .1 then your tank was not cycled properly. Any detecatable ammonia is capable of killing a fish. Detectable nitirites are a sigh of a tank that is has not completed it's cycle. Nitrates up to 80ppm are fairly common among seahorse keepers but nitrites are a different story.

Research has shown that nitirites are not as harmful to fish as previously thoguht, however it is a sign of the lack of sufficent bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle. I'd bet yor LR came from Walt no?

 

[flamingonhot]

Omg......... lol instead of hitting shift and 9 to make an (...I just hit 9 lol jeesh.


1.Sorry if I sound really stupid here but that's what i'm guessing, was that my nitrite was the one being detected..still in lower levels. I didn't write it down..it could of been nitrates or nitrites...at the moment I think nitrites. Now I have a little sheet thing that when I test every week I can write it down and don't forget it! lol. I usually have so much stuff happening I can't remember little stuff like that.


2. My tank was cycled right for the most part that i'm guessing, I had it up for a total of over two years, but took it down and restarted but kept bio-media. All that was in there was the clownfish and some hermits (had a small dwarf fuzzy lion at the very beginning that didn't mind the clown, but of course when I got the chance to move it to a bigger tank I practically ran it to it lol). Then levels were pretty constant, I did detect nitrates once, but fed less often and it lowered. After a while I added a ton of macro and things got a lot better in water clarity and levels were always at zero. After adding the seahorse everything was doing fine then the shrimp came into effect and I started to detect either nitrites or nitrates, then a few days after feeding the SH differently it went away.


I know i'm sounding like I keep mixing things up here lol. It could of been nitrates or nitrites but I keep thinking nitrites....seems like it should of been nitrates though huh? I keep mixing nitrites and nitrates up .

And I don't know who walt is lol. I got my live rock from some lfs down here in marshfield, WI. Not the highest quality rock but I only had like 4 pounds of it..eventually had to "kill" the stuff because it was filled with bristleworms. After I had it in the tank for a while I added lava rock and tufa rock. THis was all when I was first starting up the tank, was a newbie so did some wierd stuff lol.

Hopefully I was clear with what I said..I keep misstyping things.

 

[xolo]

Hi, Thanks for your replies. So i could buy RO water from the lfs and add salt. I would need a heater and powerhead for the bin that the water would be in and when it is ready add the salt.
How much water would i need for a water change, the tank is about 27 uk gallons not sure what that is in liters. This doesn't include the Lr and Ls, so could be less.
Would i need to do weekly water changes?
I shall go to my local Lfs tomorrow and find out if they sell the RO water, if they don't then i might have to consider having a RO unit, as the other lfs are quite a way from me, as i don't drive, not sure if they would deliver the water.
Thanks again for all your help.
Sarah.

 

[pleder]

YOu could be extra lazy and just buy your salt water from the LFS as well. Then get a jug of RO for top offs.

In your size tank it would be best to change at least 6 UK gallons per week.

Dylan.

If all you had in your tank was a clownfish, then you added a couple of seahorses, and fed the seahorses appropriatly, you would see some spikes in your tank. YOu tank was cycled to handel the bioload of one fish. When you strat adding 3 or 4x the amount of food that you were a few days ago it creates alot more ammonia which has to be handled by the bacteria's. It sounds like there was not enough to handel the additional increase, but things are better now. Great.

Walt Smith is the largest importer of Liverock to the United States. His rock is sold in the majority of LFS's. He is the only one I know of who imports rock from outside the U.S.

 

[flamingonhot]

Pleder..that too lmao. Btw one seahorse..not a couple heheh.

I;m still trying to get my 30 up for it. It's going to cost a lot of money I know that much...canister filter....uv sterilizer....and all that good stuff lol.

 

[dixaisy930]

Not to butt in on the post or anything, but I just wanted to mention that clownfish are not ideal tankmates for seahorses. Most clownfish are too active for the comfort of seahorses...some may even harass the seahorse-really depends on the individual fish. I would have another tank the clown could go into, if it didn't work out. If the seahorse shows signs of not eating, or stress, the clown would have to go.

 

[flamingonhot]

lol I know. My false percula seems to be doing great with the seahorse, it's never been aggressive and they've been together for a month. The only thing that's somewhat bad is the clown eats the mysis everyonce in a while, which more annoys me than anything. When the 30's up i'm going to keep the clown in the ten gallon regardless of what I see right now. The only other thing that may go in the new tank are 1 or two more seahorses and a jawfish of some sort, probably yellow-headed or blue-spotted.

Sorry xolo for kind of taking over here!

 

[xolo]

Hi,
Thank you all very much for your advice, much appreciated.
Flamingonhot thats alright, its all useful information, which will help me.
My local LFS sells RO water for £2.79 for 5 uk gallons, they don't sell saltwater.
What's everyones views on underground filters for seahorses? The LFS suggested them when i asked about filters.
They had one seahorse which they said was a yellow seahorse, it was on the bottom of the small tank, it was quite a small horse and looked a bit thin, it kept it's head down a lot, there wasn't any macro or other plants or hitching post, just one piece of thin rock which it could wrap it's tail around, and some shrimps plus bright light, as im no expert on seahorses this one could be fine, just didn't look happy to me.
Thanks again.
Sarah.

 

[crazyelece]

I would not do an UGF in any tank, FW or SW, in this day and age. IMO it is an older technology that has since been updated by good HOB and canister filters that do a much better job and are easier to maintain. For a seahorse tank I would do a nice sized canister filter.

 

[dixaisy930]

You really want to get CB (captive bred) seahorses. They'll eat frozen, and they seem to handle aquarium life better. In my experience, it's hard to find TRUE CB seahorses at lfs. There are quite a few reputable CB breeders online (Draco Marine and Seahorse Source to name a couple). When (if) you do get your seahorse(s), if you do go to a lfs, ask if they are captive bred - captive raised IS NOT the same thing. Also ask to see the seahorse eat frozen mysis.

 

[pleder]

UGF's have there place. They do well in planted tanks as they help to feed the macro alages. Many people are bringing the UGF's back. But don't do it. Take the easy road, just gt a cannister or some other tpe of HOB filter. It's not worth the stress.

Your in the U.K. right? Where? When your ready for some seahorses let me know. I know a few breeders on your side of the pond. Always best to get some good home growm CB's over there. YOu could order from Seahorseireland, but the prices are a little steep IMO. Cost vs. quality wise, I'd go home grown. I do not believe Seahorse Source or Draco, has the ability to ship internationally, not to mention the overnight shipping would be cost prohibitive.

If RO water was that much here, I'd probably just get an RO unit. Do they have the water stores over there? Here in the states we have stores that just sell water that offer RODI water for like $.40 a gallon U.S or somethin similiar.

Dylan you got a seahorse and a clown in a 10g. Livin on the edge dude.

Kevin

 

[xolo]

Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your advice, i think i will get an R/O unit for the water, as i don't drive it be hard for me getting the water home, and if i do have an emergency i would have water on hand.
I live in Worthing, West sussex, uk, near the coast. That would be very helpful.
Thanks again.
Sarah.