40 Gallon Planted Seahorse Aquarium

[FinzAquatics]

Hey Everyone,
Over the past 6-8 months I have been working changing the theme of my aquarium. What used to be a reef has been dismantled and started over as a seahorse tank. What started as a simple concept has really evolved into an obsession. I have become extremely interested in macro algae and all the benefits and colors that they can offer. I have truly enjoyed this aquarium over any reef tank that I have had over the past 15 years. Please take a look at the evolution of my aquarium and let me know your thoughts.
I will apologize for the quality of my photos in advance. Someday I will have a camera better than a cell phone in order to take better photos! Hope you like my tank!!


Marineland 40 Gallon Column

Filtration & Pumps
- Fluval 306 Filter
- CPR 24in HOB AquaFuge
- 3x Marineland Powerhead 400
- Coralife TurboTwist UV Sterilizer

Lighting
- Fluval 24" Reef LED
- Fluval 24" Plant LED
- Coralife 24" T5 (Refugium)

Fish
- Springeri Dottyback
- Fridmani Dottyback
- Yellow Clown Goby
- Scooter Blenny
- Yellow Watchman Goby
- 2x True Percula Clownfish
- 2x Dragonface Pipefish
- 3x Hippocampus Erectus Seahorse

Inverts
- Camel Shrimp
- Flame Shrimp
- Cleaner Shrimp
- Tiger Pistol Shrimp
- 2x Emerald Crabs
- 2x Peppermint Shrimp
- 2x Serpent Starfish
- Feather Duster

Macro Algae
- Chaetomorpha Sp.
- Cladophora Prolifera
- Red Grape Botryocladia Sp.
- Red Bush Gracilaria Hayi
- Halimeda Opuntia
- Dragons Breath Halymenia Sp
- Red Bryothamnion Sp.
- Ulva Sea Lettuce
- Red Portieria Sp
- Fauchea Sp
- Green Cymopolia Barbata
- Caulerpa Prolifera
- Red Graciliaria
- Blue Hypnea
- Green Neomeris Annulata
- Red Galaxaura
- Galaxura Subverticillata
- Acanthophora Spicifera
- Mermaids Fan Halimeda
- Shaving Brush Halimeda
- Pine Cone Halimeda
- Mangrove Rhizophora Mangle
- Green Codium Sp
- Blue Scroll Algae
- Red String of Pearl
- Unknown Brown Fuzzy


Corals / Anemone
- Mini Carpet Anemone
- Kenya Tree Leather
- Common Brown Gorgonian x4
- Gold Sea Wip Gorgonian
- Purple Mushrooms
- Yellow/Brown Mushrooms
- Morgonian Gorgonian
- Purple Ribbon Gorgonian x2

Liverock
- Approximately 70 lbs of assorted live rock (both tank and refugium combined)

I am sure some of you may comment on the fish assortment in with the seahorses. Yes, I know it is a bit unconventional of a seahorse setup but to date everything has worked out flawlessly. Everyone is getting along perfectly and the tank & livestock continue to thrive.

Hope you enjoy the photos and the progress that I have made with my aquarium. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions.

[FinzAquatics]

Here is a shot of the initial rockwork

[FinzAquatics]

After allowing the tank to clear and adding some fish, I felt that I needed to add more liverock into the aquarium.. You also may notice a powder brown hippo tang, which was a temporary addition to the aquarium. He was being house for a friend and has been removed since this photo..

[FinzAquatics]

From there I started adding macro algae into the aquarium to get some color!

[FinzAquatics]

Over time I continued to add new variety of macro algae into the tank... and then once I had enough things for a seahorse to enjoy, I finally added my first seahorse.

[FinzAquatics]

Whats better than algae for seahorses to hold onto? Gorgonians!!! Time to start adding Gorgonians along with even more macro algae!

[FinzAquatics]

Time for some closer photos to see some stuff a little better. Lets start with a few of my favorite macro algae varieties!

Below from left to right
Dragon's Breath, Blue Scroll, Red Portieria, Red Grape

[FinzAquatics]

Here's a couple shots of my seahorses hanging out in some of my algae or on some of my gorgonians.

[FinzAquatics]

One of my newest macro algae varieties that I am crazy about

ORA Blue Hypnea

[FinzAquatics]

I gotta take more pictures of my Gorgonians, but here is one of my Morgonian Gorgonians!

[FinzAquatics]

That is all for right now. I need to take some more pictures tomorrow to show the current state of the aquarium. I have moved some stuff around and added many more gorgonians since these photos were taken. Please check this thread again very soon for some up to date photos. I really hope that you enjoyed looking at my setup and feel free to ask me any questions about my setup!

Thanks
Carmen T

[Miz40B]

How unique! Being a plant lover myself I really enjoy the different macros a lot. As soon as my new lamp gets here, my fuge is going to become a haven for them.
You have an awesome set up! Thank you for sharing it with us :)

[FinzAquatics]

Thanks.. Again, I cannot wait to post up to date pictures. Even though the last full tank shot was taken about a month or so ago, I have made great progress with growth and many new macro and gorgonian additions. I will do my best to have them posted tomorrow!!!

[FinzAquatics]

Found another picture that is a little more recent. I tried to make this one larger to allow you to better see and identify the different variety of macro and gorgonians.

[JLynn]

I really like the blue scroll. I had no idea that such a thing even existed! I think I might even like it as much as Codium Lucasii. The ORA blue hypnea is beautiful as well. It is a relief to see one so healthy and blue, because the ones I see in Diver's Den always seem pretty drab, which is a disappointment after seeing the colorful specimen that ORA has pictured on their website.

[reif119]

I love the look of the macros and gorgonians I'm going to make a split 4ft tank with half being a macro aglae seahorse tank and the other half being a reef tank (:

[FinzAquatics]

That would be interesting to see once completed. Be sure to post pictures of the build when you do!

[saltnewb]

Love it, beautiful tank. Where did u get ur macro s

[FinzAquatics]

I get macro anywhere I can... I'm on several forums looking for new varieties, I've just about cleaned EBay out of anything that was offered, and I've used sites like live-plants.com

Ultimately if I see a variety that a like, I don't stop till I get it lol

Right now I'm trying to get my hands on Blue Ochtodes, but have yet to find any available at a reasonable price...

[710RAY]

very cool tank

[FinzAquatics]

Thank you

[FinzAquatics]

[violation]...

[FinzAquatics]

Coralline Cluster (Clowns trying to get the attention)

[lifeoffaith]

This is amazing! I really want to build a seahorse tank, but it may be a while before I get around to it. I really need to get better lighting for my main tank before I branch off into seahorses and all that that entails. What kind of lighting are you using on this tank?

[FinzAquatics]

I have 2x Fluval LEDS... The first one is the marine&reef LED and the other is their LED that is designed for freshwater planted aquariums.. The combination of the two seems to do very well.. The marine & reef seems to promote the colors as the planted lights provides the growth rate..

I need to provide updated pictures.. Tank is looking so much more full as everything is growing out and ive added several new macro species.. Over 35 total macro varieties!

[Subsea]

What spectrum lightinging are you running on this tank. I got Blue Hypnea but it doesn't look line what you pisted. Are you using a cell phone with no filter for the pictures?

[FinzAquatics]

Yeah, my I just use a basic iPhone for my cameras.

I run two types of Fluval LED fixtures

1) Fluval Marine & Reef LED
http://www.fluvalaquatics.com/ca/product/A3983-marine-reef-full-spectrum-performance-led-strip-light/#.VFVbAJUtCM8


2) Fluval Aqualife & Plant
http://www.fluvalaquatics.com/ca/product/A3980-aqualife-plant-full-spectrum-performance-led-strip-light/#.VFVaupUtCM8

[FinzAquatics]

Here is an updated shot of the tank that I took earlier this week!

[FinzAquatics]

This is a cool shot that shows the top right section of my tank. The closer shot allows your to see the true color and variety of macro in my display

[klynde]

Hi, Finz:

Are u using a skimmer in your refugium? Is the fuge reverse lit from the main tank? How long do you keep the lights on each 24 cycle? Can't wait to see what your tank looks like with things grown out a little more! awesome!:wave:

[FinzAquatics]

No skimmer. And yes the HOB fuge is on a reverse light schedule for the most part, although there is some overlap. The displays lighting is on for 12 hours and the fuge light is run 14 hours (+1 hour on each end)

[Maximus]

Do you dose anything? Ca, alk, mg, or any other trace elements?

[FinzAquatics]

I do not dose with calcium. The levels in my salt are high enough and I do not have enough things drawing out the calcium... So water changes serve the function of adding my calcium

Aside from that I do supplement with Alk, Magnesium, and Iodine. Then I add the occasional Phyto & ZooPlex for the filter feeders.. That's about it.

[lifeoffaith]

Love the tank. Looks great! I am loving the blues and reds especially.

[adamv]

How about an update? Great looking tank, a seahorse build is probably next on my list.

[FinzAquatics]

Bad News: I have slowly stripped this tank clean of macro algae.. The only macro left in this tank are a select few that have adhered to the live rock over time... This tank no longer has any seahorses....

Good News: All macro and seahorses have finally been added into their upgraded 75gallon aquarium that offers them a lot more space... As well as provide me with a lot more rock space to introduce and cultivate more macro algae! I have not added any of the fish from the 40 gallon into the new tank to create a more traditional seahorse tank.. The fish will be remaining in the 40 while I throw around the idea of converting it back into a reef tank.

I hope to have pictures of the new tank posted very soon!! Below is a just a photo of the tank I upgraded the seahorses to prior to setting it up. (Disregard the equipment that is in the aquarium... None of those aqueon products are being used on this tank :)

[vlangel]

Very cool, Carmen. That will be an awesome seahorse display tank and I look forward to seeing it!

[FinzAquatics]

Here ya go!

Still waiting for it to clear up 100%, but looking great so far

Let me know what you think

[saltwater sam]

That looks amazing! Very exciting! What are the green macros in the front substrate?

[FinzAquatics]

Caulerpa Cupressoides

[Duke4life]

Doing all the live plants have you noticed a difference in nitrates? Just curious as I'm thinking of including some in my setup

[FinzAquatics]

Doing all the live plants have you noticed a difference in nitrates? Just curious as I'm thinking of including some in my setup

Absolutely. I have changed my approach to filtration as well. With the amount of algae I have between my tanks n refugiums, I have difficulty maintaining levels of nitrate for my plants. I have run into situations where I don't have enough nitrates to maintain growth of my plants.... So I have decided to go filterless.. I now run my tank off of sand, liverock, power heads, macro algae, and my refugium which does pass through carbon before returning to tank. I'm sure some may think this is crazy, but its working!!!

[WerezMiePie]

Here ya go!

Still waiting for it to clear up 100%, but looking great so far

Let me know what you think

Once again, jealous of your gorgonians :P.

[hottuna]

what kind of lighting are u now using on the 75?

[lifeoffaith]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[vlangel]

I love it and so will your seahorses. I bet your rock work is also partly responsible for lower nitrates. A year ago I was very surprised to learn that denitrifying bacterias can live inside rock as well as DSBs. It makes sense, especially in dense rock. With so many aquarists moving toward a minimalist scape, they are giving up that benefit, but then I guess that is what reactors are for!

[FinzAquatics]

I love it and so will your seahorses. I bet your rock work is also partly responsible for lower nitrates. A year ago I was very surprised to learn that denitrifying bacterias can live inside rock as well as DSBs. It makes sense, especially in dense rock. With so many aquarists moving toward a minimalist scape, they are giving up that benefit, but then I guess that is what reactors are for!

Yeah... and I stuffed this tank with rock.. There has got to be over 200lbs in it or damn near close to 200 lbs.. Still leaves more than enough swimming room for the ponies

[brokereefer617]

Soooo sick Carmen... I'll have to stop by sometime

[FinzAquatics]

Soooo sick Carmen... I'll have to stop by sometime

Anytime... except im dealing with a crazy glass algae problem at the moment... putting a uv on the tank tonight.. hoping that will help.

side note: my lareefs order finally came in!!!

[lifeoffaith]

Looking forward to more pics as it fills in!

[JLynn]

Looking good! I love your Blue Hypnea; it looks much better than what I see on Diver's Den, occasionally.

[lemkerailroad1]

Doing my first SH tank right now, good info here, any updates

[shah1]

At what temperature you keep this set up at, I heard that sea horses need to be kept at 72 deg water temp

[lemkerailroad1]

68 to 74, depends on what type of SH u have

[FinzAquatics]

Mine are kept at 70-72

[Fishtitious Per]

Very nice tank. What is your current clean up crew?

My original seahorse tank was heavily stocked with macro algae, but my emerald crabs just ate everything they could get their little pinchers on, and of course, leaving the bubble algae remaining in the tank untouched.

Such amazing success with no mechanical filtration. Nice job.

[Reefer140]

Yeah, I've had emeralds eat some macro on me also

[vlangel]

Mine are kept at 70-72
Carmen, I would love to see a pic of your tank now that it has had time to settle. Any chance?

[FinzAquatics]

I will try to get one posted. Honestly I've had a minor hair algae outbreak in a few spots. So dang tough to combat algae in an algae tank :)

Overall the tank is looking great, but a few eye sores if you look real closely.

[vlangel]

I will try to get one posted. Honestly I've had a minor hair algae outbreak in a few spots. So dang tough to combat algae in an algae tank :)

Overall the tank is looking great, but a few eye sores if you look real closely.

The tank looks great Carmen! Very nice, I am sure your seahorses love it. I am fighting some cyano myself in my pony tank.

[VWD]

beautiful tank