Dwarf seahorse tank!

[KatieKontak]

I finally got the okay from my fiancée to start my first seahorse tank and I cannot wait. We are moving in about two months so that means it'll have to wait a while but I like to have everything planned out ahead! I'm going to go with a 10 gallon and a small herd of seahorses (suggestions on amount would be good!) and I'm going to start with dead rock and dead sand so I don't have to worry about hydroids. I cannot wait to start this and any advice would be more than welcome!

Shopping list:
A 10 gallon tank w led lighting
Sponge filter
Master salter test kit
Salt
Water condition (suggestions would be appreciated!)
Hitching post and decorations

There are obviously other things I need but didn't wanna make thing too long! Like I said, I'd love any constructive criticism so the more the merrier!

 

[Bectan01]

Is this your first saltwater tank? I can't recommmend any water conditioners ( I assume its to treat tap water?) I would recommend not using tap water at all. Other than that you look ok, invest in a refractometer for measuring salinity too

 

[KatieKontak]

I'm planning on buying distilled because I don't want to use tap water and I also don't want to use water from my lfs in case it has hydroids or anything bad in it. This is my first saltwater and I'm used to having to add a water conditioner to the water for my freshwater tanks. Do you not add anything to the water to remove chlorine? Like prime for freshwater.

 

[Bectan01]

Nope, not if its ro or best of all, ro-di you don't need to add anything. Your salt mix will contain all the good stuff

 

[HusbandsTank]

Try to find a 10 gal extra tall, they love to move up and down.... Quite the opposite of most fish.

Also they like a plant to link to.

 

[KatieKontak]

Okay thanks for the advice! Is there a good brand of refractometers to go with? I was looking at one yesterday from instant ocean by it was called a hygrometer for the measuring salinity. I'm also planning on hopefully training mine to eat frozen brine shrimp, but it so, would I only feed them brine shrimp or mysid and other types of frozen too? I'll be doing live brine shrimp at first until they take to the frozen and then when I hopefully (!!!) get babies if all goes well, then I'll be using the bbs as well.

Also would it better to go with a hob filter with a sponge in it or an actual sponge filter? I've never used a sponge filter so it seems confusing.

 

[Bectan01]

Refractometers are different tools to hydrometers. Refractometers are much more accurate for measuring salinity, they are a bit more expensive tho. They both do the same job. I don't know much about HOB filters ( I don't use any mechanical filtration) so hopefully someone with seahorse knowledge can help you out with that one and also what they eat all I know is that they are difficult to care for and have to be in a species only tank.

 

[Bectan01]

Oh and I got my refractometer off ebay, I couldn't event tell you what brand. It was from china...

 

[KatieKontak]

Lol eBay seems to be the place to go. I really appreciate your help! I've been doing tons of research and still have a lot left to do but I cannot wait to have my own piece of ocean!