Dawn's 30g XH coral Pony corral!

vlangel

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I love seahorses and I have been reading about them for several years. I am finally ready to take the plunge and build a 30g coral corral for 2 seahorses. I live in PA and do not have AC so I need to hook into the sump of my existing LPS tank to access my chiller. I know seahorses want it cooler than LPS corals so I plan to run the water directly out of the chiller into the pony tank, but I will have the temperature probe in the LPS tank. In theory that should create a degree or two difference in the 2 tanks. If I set the chiller for a high temp of 76 and a low temp of 74, I think my LPS will be alright (although it may slow down growth) and still be acceptable to the seahorses. The other challenge is going to be feeding my seahorses. I plan to buy tank raised ponies that are already eating frozen mysis. I don't mind buying pods occasionally to reseed the tank but I need the convenience of frozen for their main diet.
The 30g XH tank is 24" high which is challenging to aquascape so I am going to build a level into the scape. It will be a plexiglass box, about 5" high and maybe 7" across. If it is full of holes, it can house 2 nano power heads with just the outputs sticking out to create safe flow (wont endanger seahorse tails) at the bottom of the tank, which will be good for detritus suspension and for flow for the gorgonians I hope to have. It might even have room to have a mesh bag of rock rubble to be a nice dark pod condo. I have built my rock work and am in the midst of cycling it in a bucket while I wait for my tank and stand to come in. The tank will have some soft corals, gorgonians and macro algae, although I may start out with a few silk aquarium plants until I can replace them with the real deal. I am so excited about this build. I included a pic of what I have so far. Since I am breaking into new territory I welcome all imput. Thanks for checking it out.
 

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fishroomlady

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I will definitely be following! sounds like a great idea. I've always been fascinated by seahorses.
 
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vlangel

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I will definitely be following! sounds like a great idea. I've always been fascinated by seahorses.

Thanks fishroomlady! I too am fascinated by them and I kept talking myself out of it because their feeding schedule ties you down, but alas...I have succumbed.
 

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Awesome!! It sounds like you have done your research!! :)

If you get captive bred seahorses, they should be readily eating frozen foods. I feed 2 small meals a day. When I go on vacation, my tank sitter feeds every other day and I seed the tank heavily with amphipods before I go away. This has been working for me. :)
 
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vlangel

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Awesome!! It sounds like you have done your research!! :)

If you get captive bred seahorses, they should be readily eating frozen foods. I feed 2 small meals a day. When I go on vacation, my tank sitter feeds every other day and I seed the tank heavily with amphipods before I go away. This has been working for me. :)

Thanks, I had wondered about doing something like that when I went away too. That is really good to know that that has been working for you.
 
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vlangel

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I have decided against putting any fish in with the seahorses. I will have peppermint shrimp, bee snails and maybe some small hermits for CUC. Is a 30g enough to consider a pair of pipefish too? I am very regimented with my WC schedule. Do any of you keep pipefish as well?
 

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Very cool!
 

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following along, ill be setting up a 56 gallon column for a pair of seahorses or two come July so I'd love to learn from your experiences.
 

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Pipefish can be kept with seahorses, but just make sure to get captive bred pipefish. Wild pipefish can carry pathogens that can potentially kill the seahorses. I would not add hermits. There is a chance, albeit small chance, that the can pinch the seahorses. The can cause issues for the seahorses especially since they are scaleless.
 
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vlangel

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Pipefish can be kept with seahorses, but just make sure to get captive bred pipefish. Wild pipefish can carry pathogens that can potentially kill the seahorses. I would not add hermits. There is a chance, albeit small chance, that the can pinch the seahorses. The can cause issues for the seahorses especially since they are scaleless.

OK, no hermits then. Yes, I saw there were a few places that captive bred pipefish could be gotten.
 
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vlangel

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following along, ill be setting up a 56 gallon column for a pair of seahorses or two come July so I'd love to learn from your experiences.
You may even have seahorses before me then. I have a big trip for 9-10 days the beginning of September and am thinking of holding off on getting the seahorses until then. Of course once the tank is up and running I may not be able to wait! :)
 
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vlangel

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The LFS called and the tank and stand are in! Hooray, and they were even able to get it in oak color, double Hooray!!! I'll be picking them up tonight with a multitude of other supplies and equipment.
 
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vlangel

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I picked up the seahorse tank and stand. I also a light fixture, a 4 bulb T5 like what is on my coral tank. I will be painting the back of the tank black, finishing making my multi level box and ordering an overflow box on line. I need to do some work on the coral tank moving power strips so they are accessible when the pony tank is up also.
 

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SeahorseKeeper

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Yay!!! :)
 
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