Steph's 7G Planted Cube

[-Nemo-]

Even before starting my first marine tank years ago, I wanted seahorses, in particular dwarves. Now is finally the time

Here's the plan,

ADA 7.2g Rimless cube tank (12" [30cm] each side)
50w Finnex HMA Heater
HOB Filter (Unsure on specifics, explained later)
PAR30 20k LED Bulb
Carib Sea Hawaiian Black Sand


I want this to be a very sleek looking tank and part of the effect I want, I will be having a black background and black sand. Along with the shimmer from the LEDs, I hope I get what I want.

If all goes as planned, the only visible equipment will be the input to the HOB filter. I want to put the heater in the filter, which is why I'm not 100% sure on the filter type yet. I want to get the heater first and then see what fits it but since they're seahorses, they need a low flow rate as well.


Planed stocking,
~6 Dwarf seahorses
These guys are adorable... They don't get any larger 1" (2.5cm) head to tail, and they reproduce like CRAZY, which is good, because they generally don't live longer than 1-2 years. The babies can stay with the parents, which is a plus. So basically you can almost have a constant population of them. Because of their small size, they only eat live foods so I'll be hatching out the baby brine shrimp quite often!

2 Harlequin shrimp?/A group of sexy shrimp?
Not sure on which yet, still weighing it out in my head

Various macroalgaes


Since dwarves are so sensitive, even small things like aiptasia and hydroids can kill them. I have seen hydroids in my tank, so unfortunately I can't use anything from my tank safely. I'll be using base rock and cycling the tank by dosing ammonia (as I did with my 75g).


I have ordered the heater (which is supposed to be tiny, only 5" (12.5cm) long), so that I can start checking out filters. Tank getting ordered early next week, I still need to figure out its final location and get a stand for it.

Excited

 

[seffieuk]

Excited

Me too, cant wait to see this develop

Seffie x

 

[jameshughes1989]

Sounds like a great plan. I must say horses aren't my cup of tea but I have a feeling this will be a cracking tank. I am liking the idea of a black background with black sand, it should give the tank a real clean look. Good luck!

James

p.s. when can we expect pics?

 

[Yuma]

Definitely want to be tagging along on this one. Very interested to watch this take shape.

 

[-Nemo-]

Photos coming as I get things

Heater finally made it here, Going to take it with me tomorrow and see what filters I can cram it into! First choice is an aquaclear filter, as I love them, but not sure they will be physically large enough, hoping some kind of diagonal placement of the heater will allow it to fit.

I had never heard of this company of heaters before but every review was raving about them and I must admit it IS very sleek looking.

Tank and other goodies being ordered this week.

I've been looking at different types of macro to later add and I was assured by multiple people that the LED lighting is going to be more than sufficient for what I want to do. I'm looking at dragon breath macro (Looks awesome!), Red Smooth Lead Kelp (rhodophyta sp.), Halimeda. I'm also looking at seagrasses, but they require a deep sand bed so I haven't decided on that yet.

This tank is going to be a stark contrast to my reef tank... Very little rock, tons of macro.

 

[Yuma]

Been looking at the Dragon's breath as well as there are several people around on the forums that I frequent that are using it with good results. One in particular sells 3 or 4 small baggies full of trimming it back every week to ten days.

 

[-Nemo-]

This had to be put on hold recently as I thought I would be need of money going elsewhere... but it seems that the money issue is going to be OK, so this project is back on.

I fumbled around with the heater and filters and decided to go with an aquaclear 30. A few modifications later, and the heater is sitting nicely inside.

More to come soon

 

[bae1994]

looks like this could be a great project ive always thought if i was to do a sea horse set up id go with a wier and have it above my reef tank and use the main tank as a sump but i think the aptadia etc would wreck that plan lol

watching with interest

 

[-Nemo-]

Well, my tank is backordered from two different sites, for two weeks
I put in an order and it will be shipped as soon as they get it...

In the mean time, I'm clearing an area for the tank and believe I've found a suitable stand. I'm also ordering the lighting and sand today.

Still debating on livestock other than the ponies...

 

[-Nemo-]

I got my substrate and light in.

For substrate, I'm going with about 1" of mineral mud and then about 2" of aragonite sand. The seagrasses need a deeper sand bed. The black sand is exactly what I was hoping it would be... Perfect grain size and color.

I plugged in the PAR38 LED bulb quick and wow! the colors look AMAZING. Very impressed...

The ADA tanks keep getting delayed because they are coming from Japan, so instead I decided to get a 30cm rimless cube from GLA instead. Their quality is supposed to be right up there with ADA... That is ordered and should hopefully be here the end of next week.

In the mean time, begging someone to make a stand for me, and going to go searching for a light fixture for the LED bulb.

I'll have pictures up when the tank arrives

 

[GAB99]

5$ says i played a part in subconciously making Steph add harlequin shrimp as a potential stock

 

[-Nemo-]

haha Gab, they are interesting little things. I think I might skip out on them though. I'm thinking about going with a group of sexy shrimp (5 or 6) and maybe a catalina Goby.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but the temperature needs to stay lower to reduce the chance of bacterial infections in the ponies, so the temperature won't be going higher than 74F, with it likely staying around 70F. Always wanted a catalina, so this is a great oppertunity.

 

[seffieuk]

Oh that sounds a great opp to get a catalina then, they are gorgeous, cant wait to see it

Seffie x

 

[sorgan]

You hoping to keep sexy shrimp? I hope so as I hope to start breeding them soon and if you have some I can bounce some ideas off you.

 

[-Nemo-]

Definitely think I'm going with the sexy shrimp Sorgan, think i'll do 3 M/F pairs and see how that goes.

Got official word the tank will be here thursday YAY

Got a pre-filter sponge made today... couldn't find any that fit so got two smaller ones and put holes in them and then glued them together Now no one will get sucked up