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View Full Version : How much is too much?


TikiDan
02/24/2008, 11:06 PM
Just wonder how much flow a seahorse could handle?

pledosophy
02/25/2008, 01:56 AM
Depends on how big the seahorse is, species of seahorse, how the flow is broken up, tank size, if the flow is constant or alternating.

That's a big question and impossible to answer in a blanket statement IMHO.

You'll have to watch the horse in the system and adjust accordingly. Spraybars will allow you to have more flow. In larger tanks powerheads with a larger diameter output work better then the more jet stream style.

Rule of thumb for horse tanks is 3-5x the tank volume per hour. I have gotten my tanks around 20x without issue for extended periods of time through careful planning.

HTH

TikiDan
02/25/2008, 01:44 PM
cool.

I set up a red sea max tank 3 months ago, and added 2 seahorses yesterday. They kind hid in between rocks most the time so i thought I h=might have too much flow for them. I will turn one of the power heads off and see if they come out more.

urbanrat84
02/26/2008, 04:38 AM
If the seahorses have only just been introduced into the tank they are bound to be feeling a little timid and will need some time to settle in to their new surroundings. In the meantime, if you are worried about your setup - post the details and the experienced seahorse keepers can help you make any adjustments needed or give you the thumbs up if all is well.

ann83
02/26/2008, 10:01 AM
It is also possible that the temperature is too high for them. Aside from the often repeated bacterial risks at temperatures higher than 74 degrees, high temperatures can also make your seahorses lethargic. Luckily, those max tanks are built to accomodate a chiller.

Also, I looked through the specs, and depending on how the flow is set up in these things, you could be fine, or the flow could be too much. You could try fitting spraybars to the powerhead outlets (if possible?).

TikiDan
02/26/2008, 12:37 PM
I have had one of the pumps off for a day now so I am only pushing 150gph and they are out more.