starting a seahorse tank? - Page 14

tanks2u · 05/14/2007, 08:01 PM

I went with a 30g Oceanic cube instead of the 16g acrylic, so weekly water changes here I come. I'm sure you may have seen this, but incase you have not check out the nanoplanner from Current USA. It's a free program that anyone can use and it's not only for nanos. Basically it's a reminder program for all the various tasks an aquarium owner needs to do. Check it out if you haven't already.

fishymann · 05/15/2007, 12:15 PM

yea i had that pretty useless in my eyes. i know when i have to do maintence and stuff, itd work better for larger tanks when you have to do things more routined and a lot more things then just a few water changes now and then

tanks2u · 05/15/2007, 06:56 PM

Yeah, I kept hearing smaller tank bigger problems. Now that I have the 30 on the stand sitting in my living room, I think I made the right choice. I won't pickup the rest of the equip until this w/end; the anticipation is killing me.

fishymann · 05/15/2007, 07:13 PM

take time, they are very delicate animals and itd be a shame to see them die.

fishymann · 05/28/2007, 02:37 PM

newest batch of pictures

fishymann · 05/28/2007, 02:38 PM

Brewce · 06/01/2007, 12:48 PM

Those are some good pics fishymann. I have been following your thread and I was wondering how things turned out after you had to rip out the rock to find your female. Does she stil hide like that ? And is that a picture of your 2g pico reef? What do you have in that?

Brewce

fishymann · 06/01/2007, 04:37 PM

they dont hide to much anymore, every now and then. Heres the link to the pico
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1103379

fishymann · 06/16/2007, 11:43 AM

I need some advice my fellow seahorse keepers! My rock is getting to much ditrite build up. The flow from the return isnt enough to have full water current. I know i need to keep the current slow enough for the horses but i need it enough to keep everything from settling

Right now i have a maxijet 400 pointed at the surface of the water just to break up the stagnant water, it works but is not powerfull enough at all to do what i need to do for the rest of the tank.

So how do you think this would work, 2 maxijet 600 (or 900 which one?) One on each side (left and right), left up towards the upper strata and on the right down towards the lower strata?

Basically which would provide enough current but not to much?

pledosophy · 06/17/2007, 08:09 PM

Do a water change and suck it out, or use your cannister as a vacuum.

If your going the powerhead route, I think you should look at the Seio's first since the flow is more broken up.

If the detritus is building up in the rocks maybe a MJ1200 attached to a spraybar under the rocks would give you more flow, and break up the detritus.

The only way I have been able to keep my rocks clean and seahorse tanks algae free is by using spraybars under the rock work.

JME HTH

fishymann · 06/17/2007, 10:17 PM

alright thanks, i have been sucking it out and am leaving the lights off for a few days, but it usually comes on back. Maybe i'll work out some spraybar with a mj900 since i hear the 1200s put out an extreme amount of heat. Thanks pledo

bill-e · 06/20/2007, 08:00 PM

I didn't read all 14 pages so this may have been suggested already but you could modify your plumbing to add a spraybar all across the bottom back of the tank and increase the size of your pump to get more flow.

I'm running a Quiet One 3000 through a chiller and the flow seems to be fine, no dead spots and I could possibly even go larger but I'll wait for the horses and see how they react. My spraybar goes down the right side with 3 holes angled diagonally to hit the side glass, then across the back with holes aimed at the rock work and diagonally up the back glass, then around the corner for about 6". This creates good movement with no dead spots and no jet streams.

Also, did you ever get rid of those brass fittings?

WILDTHING · 06/29/2007, 12:05 PM

The reason you are having "scum" on the surface of the water is because you don't have a overflow which would pull water from the top getting rid of the scum. A more powerfull PH aimed at the top breaking up the water tension would help simply by mixing the scum back into the water. In the past when I've had a drilled tank without an overflow I simply used a PVC elbow with the opening at the water surface, it acts like asmall overflow. You could try to mod your plumbing by cutting your intake pipe and adding an elbow. If it doesn't work just get a joiner and reinstall your original pipe, you wouldn't even need glue as its underwater anyway. if you try the elbow be sure to get a joiner to go from your size PVC to at least a size or 2 up to a bigger elbow.

As for the build up on/ between your rocks just buy a simple turkey baster from wal mart or the supermarket and "blow" your rocks. I have a 900g seaswirl return and 2 tunze pumps in my 75g and I blow my rocks daily and you wouldn't believe all the stuff that gets stirred up daily when I do it.The reason is simple, no amount of flow can get everywhere in a tank, there is always a crevice or spot where one rock shades another and thats where things will settle. A 2$ turkey baster will take care of it without adding heat to the tank or ugly PH's .

One last thing, if you try the elbow, be sure to cover it with a piece of plastic gutter guard from Home Depo so the Sh's don't take an eventfull trip to the sump. do you have a sponge or something covering your intake now?

seahorse20 · 08/03/2008, 03:56 PM

hi can anyone tell me what is a good website to go to for a good tank set up for seahorses

cateyes · 10/22/2008, 04:15 PM

just read all 14 pages.
how about an update fishymann, is all going well???

tholton33 · 03/21/2009, 08:26 PM

Lets hear an update! This has been an awesome learning tool for me as I am trying to get everything in effect for a SH tank of my own. Thanks fishymann and everyone who has given advice keep it up!

05/14/2007, 08:01 PM	#326
tanks2u Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 135	I went with a 30g Oceanic cube instead of the 16g acrylic, so weekly water changes here I come. I'm sure you may have seen this, but incase you have not check out the nanoplanner from Current USA. It's a free program that anyone can use and it's not only for nanos. Basically it's a reminder program for all the various tasks an aquarium owner needs to do. Check it out if you haven't already. __________________ 30g rebuild in process Current Tank Info: Out of hobby for some time, just window shopping.

05/15/2007, 12:15 PM	#327
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	yea i had that pretty useless in my eyes. i know when i have to do maintence and stuff, itd work better for larger tanks when you have to do things more routined and a lot more things then just a few water changes now and then __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

05/15/2007, 06:56 PM	#328
tanks2u Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 135	Yeah, I kept hearing smaller tank bigger problems. Now that I have the 30 on the stand sitting in my living room, I think I made the right choice. I won't pickup the rest of the equip until this w/end; the anticipation is killing me. __________________ 30g rebuild in process Current Tank Info: Out of hobby for some time, just window shopping.

05/15/2007, 07:13 PM	#329
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	take time, they are very delicate animals and itd be a shame to see them die. __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

05/28/2007, 02:37 PM	#330
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	newest batch of pictures __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

05/28/2007, 02:38 PM	#331
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	__________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

06/01/2007, 12:48 PM	#332
Brewce Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2	Those are some good pics fishymann. I have been following your thread and I was wondering how things turned out after you had to rip out the rock to find your female. Does she stil hide like that ? And is that a picture of your 2g pico reef? What do you have in that? Brewce

06/01/2007, 04:37 PM	#333
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	they dont hide to much anymore, every now and then. Heres the link to the pico http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1103379 __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

06/16/2007, 11:43 AM	#334
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	I need some advice my fellow seahorse keepers! My rock is getting to much ditrite build up. The flow from the return isnt enough to have full water current. I know i need to keep the current slow enough for the horses but i need it enough to keep everything from settling Right now i have a maxijet 400 pointed at the surface of the water just to break up the stagnant water, it works but is not powerfull enough at all to do what i need to do for the rest of the tank. So how do you think this would work, 2 maxijet 600 (or 900 which one?) One on each side (left and right), left up towards the upper strata and on the right down towards the lower strata? Basically which would provide enough current but not to much? __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

06/17/2007, 08:09 PM	#335
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Do a water change and suck it out, or use your cannister as a vacuum. If your going the powerhead route, I think you should look at the Seio's first since the flow is more broken up. If the detritus is building up in the rocks maybe a MJ1200 attached to a spraybar under the rocks would give you more flow, and break up the detritus. The only way I have been able to keep my rocks clean and seahorse tanks algae free is by using spraybars under the rock work. JME HTH __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

06/17/2007, 10:17 PM	#336
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	alright thanks, i have been sucking it out and am leaving the lights off for a few days, but it usually comes on back. Maybe i'll work out some spraybar with a mj900 since i hear the 1200s put out an extreme amount of heat. Thanks pledo __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

06/20/2007, 08:00 PM	#337
bill-e Premium Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Rindge, NH, USA Posts: 300	I didn't read all 14 pages so this may have been suggested already but you could modify your plumbing to add a spraybar all across the bottom back of the tank and increase the size of your pump to get more flow. I'm running a Quiet One 3000 through a chiller and the flow seems to be fine, no dead spots and I could possibly even go larger but I'll wait for the horses and see how they react. My spraybar goes down the right side with 3 holes angled diagonally to hit the side glass, then across the back with holes aimed at the rock work and diagonally up the back glass, then around the corner for about 6". This creates good movement with no dead spots and no jet streams. Also, did you ever get rid of those brass fittings? __________________ Bill Esposito Current Tank Info: Tank Build - 37 gal Seahorse. 65ga AGA. Mostly softies, some LPS and SPS. 8yr old DSB, current pics at http://cerealport.net/digipics

06/29/2007, 12:05 PM	#338
WILDTHING Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Churchville, Va Posts: 1,753	The reason you are having "scum" on the surface of the water is because you don't have a overflow which would pull water from the top getting rid of the scum. A more powerfull PH aimed at the top breaking up the water tension would help simply by mixing the scum back into the water. In the past when I've had a drilled tank without an overflow I simply used a PVC elbow with the opening at the water surface, it acts like asmall overflow. You could try to mod your plumbing by cutting your intake pipe and adding an elbow. If it doesn't work just get a joiner and reinstall your original pipe, you wouldn't even need glue as its underwater anyway. if you try the elbow be sure to get a joiner to go from your size PVC to at least a size or 2 up to a bigger elbow. As for the build up on/ between your rocks just buy a simple turkey baster from wal mart or the supermarket and "blow" your rocks. I have a 900g seaswirl return and 2 tunze pumps in my 75g and I blow my rocks daily and you wouldn't believe all the stuff that gets stirred up daily when I do it.The reason is simple, no amount of flow can get everywhere in a tank, there is always a crevice or spot where one rock shades another and thats where things will settle. A 2$ turkey baster will take care of it without adding heat to the tank or ugly PH's . One last thing, if you try the elbow, be sure to cover it with a piece of plastic gutter guard from Home Depo so the Sh's don't take an eventfull trip to the sump. do you have a sponge or something covering your intake now?

08/03/2008, 03:56 PM	#339
seahorse20 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: whiting indiana Posts: 1	hi can anyone tell me what is a good website to go to for a good tank set up for seahorses

10/22/2008, 04:15 PM	#340
cateyes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: OliveBranch, Mississippi Posts: 2,773	just read all 14 pages. how about an update fishymann, is all going well??? __________________ some things in life are not meant to be understood... just accepted.... Current Tank Info: 150 gallon mixed reef, 35ish gallon RBTA tank..

03/21/2009, 08:26 PM	#341
tholton33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Cedar Rapids. IA Posts: 95	Lets hear an update! This has been an awesome learning tool for me as I am trying to get everything in effect for a SH tank of my own. Thanks fishymann and everyone who has given advice keep it up!