Seahorses

[Dreamsound1]

Yeah I've only been in this hobby for only 4 months and the seahorse tank is my second tank and after this one I'm starting a 110 gallon tank for a baby bamboo shark and a sting ray and a snowflake eel

 

[gafights]

Yeah I've only been in this hobby for only 4 months and the seahorse tank is my second tank and after this one I'm starting a 110 gallon tank for a baby bamboo shark and a sting ray and a snowflake eel

I have had good success with my daughters seahorse tank. Innovative marine 8. Set it at the lowest pump setting. They are difficult but I have had no problems with live rock. As for the bamboo shark. It will need way more room than that 110 gallon. I currently own three sharks. Leopard bamboo and coral catshark and sharks and rays need tons of room. The bamboo is growing very fast in my 1000 gallon tank and I could not imagine one in a one ten past six months. You can by them at 10 inches but they will grow 8 inches or more in a year with good feeding and water quality so I would recommend at least a wide dimension 300 gallon tank. They are very messy so the more water the easier it is to keep it clean. Some people will tell u that you need 500 gallo. Tanks but you don't Buy u will need at least 300 to keep from changing the water once a week.

 

[marsh]

How much light do they tolerate per day, 8 hours? Are they sensitive to being in a fuge that is very brightly lit with for example T5HOs? I ask because I hoped to do a hang on back or internal in my 55 and either way those lights are only a foot away

 

[CorallineAlgae]

One of the benefits of a refugium is having the lights on when the lights in the main tank are off. This helps keep co2 down, oxygen up, and pH a bit more stable. Having a separate light for the refugium is key for that. Now if your purpose is mostly for pods then that would work fine.

 

[marsh]

Aha yes that does ring a bell. So if I got a little "bow front" 8-12 gallon mini plastic/acrylic type tank next to but not being lit by the t5hos but rather the little led hood lights on a reverse timer. I would "connect" both tanks and keep macro algae in the seahorse tank. I would need a pump of some type and tubing, a few connector valves and screens or sponges to keep the tanks inhabitants in place, no crossing borders.

Anything I'm still missing?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Seahorse would be so fun to have. In a few years when I am more experienced with FW and have some more money avl. From breeding inverts and fish and selling plants, I am going to make the jump to SW and do a 37 gal with a 5 or 10 gal sump and a pair of erectus seahorses. They seem like they would be very fun. Looking forward to updates from all of you!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You can make it much simpler and get a HOB refugium. They don't cost more than an overflow box and pump and are ideal for a seahorse tank. Check out Marine Depot and a few other online sites to see what I mean. A full on sump system would be a lot more complicated if you aren't familiar with the plumbing. The HOB refugiums are super easy. Just add a cheap light, some rocks and a few plants and you're in copepod heaven! This is what I plan to do on my next tank and I've setup seahorse tanks for people before.

 

[marsh]

You can make it much simpler and get a HOB refugium. They don't cost more than an overflow box and pump and are ideal for a seahorse tank. Check out Marine Depot and a few other online sites to see what I mean. A full on sump system would be a lot more complicated if you aren't familiar with the plumbing. The HOB refugiums are super easy. Just add a cheap light, some rocks and a few plants and you're in copepod heaven! This is what I plan to do on my next tank and I've setup seahorse tanks for people before.

The problem with the Hob refugiums, at least the sizes offered on F&S, is the lack of area on the back of my tank. Technically it may fit but I wouldn't be able to enjoy it. I can view the end side of my tank from a whole other room, it is approximately 13" wide by 20" tall. My idea was to add a 5-8 gallon size refugium tank and display it as a "loft" like area off the main display tank.

I'm afraid the lacking edge on my semi-enclosed tank would interfere with "hob" models. Here is the area I plan to attach a fuge tank to:

 

[CorallineAlgae]

That's a very interesting idea. I'd be terrified to put nearly 70 pounds on top of another tank though.

 

[marsh]

That's a very interesting idea. I'd be terrified to put nearly 70 pounds on top of another tank though.

Sorry to run off topic slightly... But to clarify the new tank would have its own support, a handmade iron table, very innocuous. The tank/fuge would be back to the side edge, and I would make the top-line of both tanks evened out, with the fuge bottom likely higher than the base of my display tank.

The photo of the top of my tank is to show the area where my plumbing can fit(and why I suspect the "small" hob fuge online may not hang on correctly). Only a small hole for cords and the opening under my lights. The rear of the tank has a centered opening that is taken up largely by my hob skimmer. Those lights in the photo are temporary, I will be running TH5O lights with little feet elevating them a few inches above the opening.

 

[lovefishys]

Do you have seahorses in your tank yet? Pictures?

 

[Dreamsound1]

I did but it died