My journey starts into the nano world!

[stratmaster]

I'm very excited! I went ahead and ordered a 28 gallon CF-QUAD nano system for $299 from fosterandsmith aquatics and got the nano stand for free! Also included is two of those really fancy nice powerheads (not sure if they're typically included when you buy a nano) now this will strictly be for reef stuff I've decided. I have my 180 gallon FOWLR so I want to do a nice little reef system with the nano. I'm definitely going to need some help on suggestions for corals and things because I've never done a reef system before. I dont want anything real delicate, I only like hardy stuff.

Check it out: Nano Cube Reef Aquarium Kits: JBJ Lighting Nano Cube 28-gallon CF-QUAD

Would I be able to do a couple of those black sea horses?

Thanks,

Steve

[cmor1701d]

The two powerheads may be too much flow for sea horses. If you can cut down on the flow (use just 1 power head, or none) then it may work for them.

Looks like a nice nano package, though the lighting is a bit on the yellow side for my taste (10k/7k cfl).

[Fishguy2727]

That tank is obviously geared towards a reef, which will usually kill seahorses. If you want seahorses you want to design the tank just for them, their needs are very different.

I personally don't like all in one packages, no room for changing things and customization. If it works for you great, enjoy it.

[melosu58]

You could probably do two. Just make sure you research really good because alot of things will be different with SH`s. Here is my diary when I did mine. It will have some useful info.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...ary-88358.html

[iDream]

great deal! i remember seeing you asking about that package and i was so jealous!

but onto those questions if you are doing seahorses you probably shouldnt use either powerhead as they arent strong swimmers and dont appreciate being blown around. coral isnt good for seahorses as they are also delicate and the coral will sting if touched and may very well kill the seahorses.

either way you better post pictures and keep us updated, i feel like im usually the only one lurking the nano reef section =]

[stratmaster]

Originally Posted by Fishguy2727

That tank is obviously geared towards a reef, which will usually kill seahorses. If you want seahorses you want to design the tank just for them, their needs are very different.

I personally don't like all in one packages, no room for changing things and customization. If it works for you great, enjoy it.

Eh yeah I hear ya some what. I don't know what it is about the Nano systems though. When I see one setup there's something about them. They just look so cool and all fancy. I had to have one, what can I say? Lol.

[stratmaster]

Originally Posted by melosu58

You could probably do two. Just make sure you research really good because alot of things will be different with SH`s. Here is my diary when I did mine. It will have some useful info.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...ary-88358.html

Thanks man, I appreciate that. So it sounds like if I do seahorses I'm limited on other things? I wanted to do maybe a derasa clam, an anemone maybe a few pieces of coral and some live rock, maybe a clown fish. Can I do any of this with the horses?

Thanks,

Steve

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

i would NOT do anemone and clown fish with horses...usually if you do seahorses its a seahorse only tank. Also i really regretted putting an anemone in my 28 nano..they grow quickly and it ended up stinging the majority of my corals and killing everything! I ended up moving the anemone to a much larger tank as well as its clown.

Any corals that sting as a defense are bad with seahorses..In my seahorse tank i have mushrooms, zoas, a feather duster, and a leather

Seahorses need hitching posts and will hitch to almost anything even if it will hurt them (stinging corals, heaters, ect). Liverock with many branches is very good...i also have a fake yellow plant in my tank with the seahorses since my leather is not large enough for them to hitch too yet

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

another reason clowns are not good with seahorses is that they are way too fast when feeding. Seahorses are very slow eaters and if you have fish that gobble up the food too fast they wont get any. I have a pipefish, scooter blenny, firefish goby and small bicolor blenny in with my seahorses. The bicolor blenny will be moved once it grows larger. The pipefish and seahorses need to be fed twice a day so i will feed the tank once in the morning and then the seahorse and pipefish again with tweezers later in the evening

[kingman8610]

Originally Posted by kms907

another reason clowns are not good with seahorses is that they are way too fast when feeding. Seahorses are very slow eaters and if you have fish that gobble up the food too fast they wont get any. I have a pipefish, scooter blenny, firefish goby and small bicolor blenny in with my seahorses. The bicolor blenny will be moved once it grows larger. The pipefish and seahorses need to be fed twice a day so i will feed the tank once in the morning and then the seahorse and pipefish again with tweezers later in the evening

Ok now THAT is cool! Idk why I never thought about feeding my hermits with tweezerz before!! haha yeah I could definitely do that! oh, but where do I get tweezers long enough??

[melosu58]

I too would not add an anenome or a clownfish. The clownfish or any other fish would outcompete the seahorses and the anenome would sting the SH. Read that link for temp. and flow requirements.

[stratmaster]

Thanks for the tips guys! I could probably just do an anemone in my 180 gallon FOWLR? I'll have to think about this though that if I go with seahorses, I'm limited on what I can have. The tank won't be setup for at least another few weeks and then of course I have to cycle it first. I have plenty of time to make up my mind.

Thanks,

Steve

[melosu58]

Good luck on the tank. Cant wait to see it going. Maybe you can do a diary on it so we can see it going.

[stratmaster]

Originally Posted by melosu58

Good luck on the tank. Cant wait to see it going. Maybe you can do a diary on it so we can see it going.

You bet I will! It won't be for some time, I just mainly ordered the tank because it seemed like such a good deal. I have many problems going on right now with my 180 gallon FOWLR tank I want to get straightened out first before I venture on another tank.

Thanks,

Steve

[stratmaster]

I went ahead and made the order guys! I bought the Nano system and got the stand free! I also bought the specific nano skimmer for the system as well. It's going to be here tomorrow, I'm so excited. I'm gonna be moving about 40 pounds or so of live rock from my 180 gallon FOWLR as I actually have wayyyy to much rock in there. The Ray could benefit from some room being freed up, and as an added bonus I don't have to spend any money on live rock.

The LFS I go to just so happened to have three black seahorses (tank raised, too!) I went ahead and paid them, he was more than nice enough to let me pay for them and he's going to keep them until my tank is cycled. He told me with the live sand I bought + the live rock I'm going to use it shouldn't take to long to cycle.

I am going to use macro algae I think for the filter, the chaetomorpha. My only concern is there some kind of small light I can keep in back where I put the macro algae in the filter? Or do I not need macro algae?

Thanks,

Steve

[iDream]

there are definitely lights you can buy, i wouldnt know where, but you could certainly go without the macro

also try to find some marine plants for the horses to latch too, maybe a small bit of some kind of macro in the display for them, as rock isnt suitable because its rough and rugged

[stratmaster]

The nano tank, stand and things came today. I'm so excited! I'm getting the stand setup right now and put together. Gotta unbox the tank. Will be sure to take plenty of pics along the way! I'm probably going to be up until like 6am in the morning setting this thing up haha.

I just wish my Emperor Angel would get better

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

I got my long tweezers from my mom...she's a nurse and brought them from the hospital haha....but i think if you look in a pharmacy they might have long tweezers, or maybe even a hobby shop. They are very useful

Don't forget to put pictures up!!!

[ChizerBunoi]

This is really interesting. Could you post some pictures as you go along? Good luck and I hope your Angel gets better.

I also wanted to add that if you put an anemone in the fowlr system, to make sure that your light source is adequate as they obtain the majority of their nutrients that way.