starting a seahorse tank? - Page 3

ann83 · 01/14/2007, 06:34 PM

Any RO/DI water. Water is filtered many ways, you will have to ask your lfs or read the labels on the jugs of water at the store. Will say "Reverse Osmosis and Distillation". That being said, you don't have to use RO/DI. If the water has the correct parameters you can use something like Amquel Plus on it and then use it. You'll have to get testing kits anyway, so go ahead and buy some now and test the different sources of water you have at your disposal.

fishymann · 01/14/2007, 09:08 PM

alright i will be sure to pick up test kits next time i get a chance. right now the tank is in debate, my mom loves the idea, and we told my dad about it today and its not that he is against it, he's just not sure where it will go. Where i wanted it he said no, so now i've gotta find a different place.

LekicINC · 01/15/2007, 05:18 PM

5 dollars a lb. is not expensive for me for live rock. In the city where I live its 8.99. If i got around it, its usually about 6 bucks a pound...for good rock anyway. buy thirty lbs, its only 150 bucks.

orb · 01/15/2007, 08:06 PM

hey lekicINC where are the good stores at in the city? will be in midtown all next week. last time, i couldn't find any good ones inside the city-maybe i'm spoiled with the lfs down here, but i've seen some nice pics on manhattan reefers. i must not have seen the good stores. sorry to de-rail this thread. ok-back on topic.

nynex · 01/15/2007, 08:52 PM

Ya everywhere up north live rock is 8.99 a pound. I was up in Detroit a month ago,
I went in a LFS and just being curious I asked about liverock and it was 9.99 a pound for Fiji. I laughed when the guy told me that. Here in florida its around 3.98 for fiji and 4.99 for others. Fishymann pointed out a good deal on ebay...

fishymann · 01/15/2007, 09:12 PM

finally got onto seahorse.org but had to re register ahha, the guys up there are saying my setup sounds great, but they sound skeptical about the rock. im trying to clear up their thoughts.

nynex · 01/15/2007, 09:24 PM

Really? Are they saying No Live Rock???

fishymann · 01/15/2007, 09:26 PM

they'r just warning against it because of hitch hikers. but im sort of PRO rock since it will help with filtration

nynex · 01/15/2007, 09:37 PM

exactly...everyone Ive talked to...said put atleast some live rock in. You can also
put a small cleaner crew in there too.

Fredfish · 01/15/2007, 10:30 PM

Some folks are a little more worried than others about unspecified hitchikers. I personally don't worry about that.

Fred

pledosophy · 01/16/2007, 02:58 AM

Add rock. Lots of it. The more the better. I don't think you have enough. Hitchhikers are an easy fix. If it's dwarfs that's another issue but larger seahorses, more rock is good.

LekicINC · 01/16/2007, 04:38 AM

hitchikers are a ridiculous reason not to get rock. Quarintine the rocks just as you would anything else (forgot to mention that, fishyman you'll need basic equipement for QT tank too. No one said this was cheap!) and any mantis, apistasia, whatever will be much easier to removie. Am I missing something here?

Orb: For the highest quality in both reef and fish, go with New world Aquarium. They are small for store standards (ny) and expensive (ny again). its on 38 and 3rd. There is a thread I started here about stores in the city, mostly everyone says just go to another city! they really dont hold up to most other stores, NW is still pretty nice to found your common stuff, in good quality.

orb · 01/16/2007, 07:24 AM

thanks lekicINC, i will def. check it out. i'm interested to see how multiple systems are set up in very small spaces.

as for info on this thread...

i added all my rock, but no sand. i watched it for a month, and didn't see anything i didn't want on the rock. kinda like a quarantine period, but i got lucky and didn't have to remove anything, or move it. after i felt it was ok, i went ahead and added the sand slowly. i've already got lots of pods on the rock/glass. no livestock in there yet.

i wanted to do a lot of live rock, but also want to do sea grasses, so i ended up going easy on the LR.

make sure you put up pics when it running. good luck

fishymann · 01/16/2007, 02:02 PM

my friend has dried coral from her old tank, she said it was bleached and dried and she has it in storage, she wants to give me some of it when i get my tank up and running. is this safe to use and is there anything i should do to it?

pledosophy · 01/16/2007, 04:09 PM

fine to use. If it was bleached I'd soak in water with a dechlorinator for a couple of days just to ease my mind. I'm paranoid.

fishymann · 01/16/2007, 05:34 PM

alright thank you

i just wanted to make sure itd be alright. since its dried the lighting doesn't really matter correct? will it be more brittle though and break with use from the sea horses? Soak in fresh water or saltwater?

pledosophy · 01/16/2007, 08:06 PM

Light doesn't matter for dead corals. Shouldn't be brittle, depending on what it is.

Soak in freshwater with the dechlorinator.

Geez you sure do pester a lot.

Keep it up.

Kevin

fishymann · 01/16/2007, 09:02 PM

i pester now so that later i dont have to pester about how to keep my almost dead seahorses alive

pledosophy · 01/16/2007, 10:27 PM

Which is the resposnible thing to do. Kudos to you for doing so. WOuld be great if all keepers where so dedicated.

I'm just pulling your chain a bit about the "pester" thing. Your word, just struck me as funny. I like being pestered, as long as it's about fish, and not to do the dishes.

fishymann · 01/16/2007, 10:34 PM

yea i knew you were joking around. I should get a yes or no tomorrow about the fish tank, if i get a yes i should have the empty tank by the weekend. When i soak the live+dead+dying rock should it be in salt or freshwater?

fishymann · 01/17/2007, 03:59 PM

insteadd of a home made DIY nitrate reactor, what if i took a small HOB filter and filled the chamber with seachem denitrate and ran that secondary ? or would this just be a bad idea

pledosophy · 01/17/2007, 06:14 PM

That works, just keep the flow low.

Brent Burton · 01/19/2007, 01:42 PM

Really you don't need any special lighting just for LR. I just turned the lights on for the first time in several months on a tank i have and the live rock still looks awsome. not as bright but deep purple. If you end up deciding to keep coral you can build your own lighting very easily for cheap. checkout hellolights.com
if you put compacts or mh on your LR and it will blossom

fishymann · 01/23/2007, 04:45 PM

should be able to start the setup this weekend. I will log the experience, pictures and maybe some videos? i hope to be a successful seahorse keeper.

fishymann · 01/26/2007, 03:59 PM

alright, got the tank emptied today. and getting the stand tomorrow. How should i go about cleaning it? I've read some things about vinegar?

01/14/2007, 09:08 PM	#52
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	alright i will be sure to pick up test kits next time i get a chance. right now the tank is in debate, my mom loves the idea, and we told my dad about it today and its not that he is against it, he's just not sure where it will go. Where i wanted it he said no, so now i've gotta find a different place. __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/15/2007, 05:18 PM	#53
LekicINC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manhattan, NYC Posts: 265	5 dollars a lb. is not expensive for me for live rock. In the city where I live its 8.99. If i got around it, its usually about 6 bucks a pound...for good rock anyway. buy thirty lbs, its only 150 bucks. __________________ As much fun as it is to bring the fish into our world, there is nothing like going into their world. Current Tank Info: 75 f/o

01/15/2007, 09:12 PM	#56
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	finally got onto seahorse.org but had to re register ahha, the guys up there are saying my setup sounds great, but they sound skeptical about the rock. im trying to clear up their thoughts. __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/15/2007, 09:26 PM	#58
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	they'r just warning against it because of hitch hikers. but im sort of PRO rock since it will help with filtration __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/15/2007, 10:30 PM	#60
Fredfish Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 2,661	Some folks are a little more worried than others about unspecified hitchikers. I personally don't worry about that. Fred __________________ Advice is like a firehose. Be careful how you drink.

01/14/2007, 06:34 PM	#51
ann83 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: MO Posts: 937	Any RO/DI water. Water is filtered many ways, you will have to ask your lfs or read the labels on the jugs of water at the store. Will say "Reverse Osmosis and Distillation". That being said, you don't have to use RO/DI. If the water has the correct parameters you can use something like Amquel Plus on it and then use it. You'll have to get testing kits anyway, so go ahead and buy some now and test the different sources of water you have at your disposal.

01/15/2007, 08:06 PM	#54
orb Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: orlando Posts: 602	hey lekicINC where are the good stores at in the city? will be in midtown all next week. last time, i couldn't find any good ones inside the city-maybe i'm spoiled with the lfs down here, but i've seen some nice pics on manhattan reefers. i must not have seen the good stores. sorry to de-rail this thread. ok-back on topic.

01/15/2007, 08:52 PM	#55
nynex Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 141	Ya everywhere up north live rock is 8.99 a pound. I was up in Detroit a month ago, I went in a LFS and just being curious I asked about liverock and it was 9.99 a pound for Fiji. I laughed when the guy told me that. Here in florida its around 3.98 for fiji and 4.99 for others. Fishymann pointed out a good deal on ebay...

01/15/2007, 09:24 PM	#57
nynex Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 141	Really? Are they saying No Live Rock???

01/15/2007, 09:37 PM	#59
nynex Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 141	exactly...everyone Ive talked to...said put atleast some live rock in. You can also put a small cleaner crew in there too.

01/16/2007, 02:58 AM	#61
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Add rock. Lots of it. The more the better. I don't think you have enough. Hitchhikers are an easy fix. If it's dwarfs that's another issue but larger seahorses, more rock is good. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

01/16/2007, 04:38 AM	#62
LekicINC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manhattan, NYC Posts: 265	hitchikers are a ridiculous reason not to get rock. Quarintine the rocks just as you would anything else (forgot to mention that, fishyman you'll need basic equipement for QT tank too. No one said this was cheap!) and any mantis, apistasia, whatever will be much easier to removie. Am I missing something here? Orb: For the highest quality in both reef and fish, go with New world Aquarium. They are small for store standards (ny) and expensive (ny again). its on 38 and 3rd. There is a thread I started here about stores in the city, mostly everyone says just go to another city! they really dont hold up to most other stores, NW is still pretty nice to found your common stuff, in good quality. __________________ As much fun as it is to bring the fish into our world, there is nothing like going into their world. Current Tank Info: 75 f/o

01/16/2007, 07:24 AM	#63
orb Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: orlando Posts: 602	thanks lekicINC, i will def. check it out. i'm interested to see how multiple systems are set up in very small spaces. as for info on this thread... i added all my rock, but no sand. i watched it for a month, and didn't see anything i didn't want on the rock. kinda like a quarantine period, but i got lucky and didn't have to remove anything, or move it. after i felt it was ok, i went ahead and added the sand slowly. i've already got lots of pods on the rock/glass. no livestock in there yet. i wanted to do a lot of live rock, but also want to do sea grasses, so i ended up going easy on the LR. make sure you put up pics when it running. good luck

01/16/2007, 02:02 PM	#64
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	my friend has dried coral from her old tank, she said it was bleached and dried and she has it in storage, she wants to give me some of it when i get my tank up and running. is this safe to use and is there anything i should do to it? __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/16/2007, 04:09 PM	#65
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	fine to use. If it was bleached I'd soak in water with a dechlorinator for a couple of days just to ease my mind. I'm paranoid. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

01/16/2007, 05:34 PM	#66
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	alright thank you i just wanted to make sure itd be alright. since its dried the lighting doesn't really matter correct? will it be more brittle though and break with use from the sea horses? Soak in fresh water or saltwater? __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/16/2007, 08:06 PM	#67
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Light doesn't matter for dead corals. Shouldn't be brittle, depending on what it is. Soak in freshwater with the dechlorinator. Geez you sure do pester a lot. Keep it up. Kevin __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

01/16/2007, 09:02 PM	#68
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	i pester now so that later i dont have to pester about how to keep my almost dead seahorses alive __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/16/2007, 10:27 PM	#69
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Which is the resposnible thing to do. Kudos to you for doing so. WOuld be great if all keepers where so dedicated. I'm just pulling your chain a bit about the "pester" thing. Your word, just struck me as funny. I like being pestered, as long as it's about fish, and not to do the dishes. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

01/16/2007, 10:34 PM	#70
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	yea i knew you were joking around. I should get a yes or no tomorrow about the fish tank, if i get a yes i should have the empty tank by the weekend. When i soak the live+dead+dying rock should it be in salt or freshwater? __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/17/2007, 03:59 PM	#71
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	insteadd of a home made DIY nitrate reactor, what if i took a small HOB filter and filled the chamber with seachem denitrate and ran that secondary ? or would this just be a bad idea __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/17/2007, 06:14 PM	#72
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	That works, just keep the flow low. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

01/19/2007, 01:42 PM	#73
Brent Burton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Anderson, INDIANA Posts: 26	Really you don't need any special lighting just for LR. I just turned the lights on for the first time in several months on a tank i have and the live rock still looks awsome. not as bright but deep purple. If you end up deciding to keep coral you can build your own lighting very easily for cheap. checkout hellolights.com if you put compacts or mh on your LR and it will blossom __________________ crazyreefer Current Tank Info: 70 bowfront reef w/30g sump/refugium,75g community w/20g sump/ref, 45g seahorse w/10g sump & 5g ref.

01/23/2007, 04:45 PM	#74
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	should be able to start the setup this weekend. I will log the experience, pictures and maybe some videos? i hope to be a successful seahorse keeper. __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge

01/26/2007, 03:59 PM	#75
fishymann Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 731	alright, got the tank emptied today. and getting the stand tomorrow. How should i go about cleaning it? I've read some things about vinegar? __________________ 55 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump/fuge