Dawn's 56g memorial seahorse tank!

vlangel · Mar 2, 2017

I am not sure if I should call this one, 'buddies' or 'gluttons'! They are always at the food bowl.

melypr1985 · Mar 2, 2017

vlangel said:
I am not sure if I should call this one, 'buddies' or 'gluttons'! They are always at the food bowl.

Call it "Dining with a friend"

vlangel · Mar 7, 2017

I was looking at pics of my tank when it was first set up and realized that I prefer a clean bb as opposed to the bottom covered in coraline algae. Uhgg, that means a lot of elbow grease in store for me.

In other news, Ruth is looking more and more like a Reuben.

vlangel · Mar 8, 2017

Well I grabbed my metal scrapper and went to work! It took a while but I gotter done. From now on I will keep up with it.

vlangel · Mar 8, 2017

She looks just like new again! I love that this tank is easy to keep it looking fresh and new.

melypr1985 · Mar 8, 2017

vlangel said:
She looks just like new again! I love that this tank is easy to keep it looking fresh and new.

Looks great! I like it better with the clean bottom too. Makes it look like there is sand even though there isn't.

vlangel · Mar 8, 2017

melypr1985 said:
Looks great! I like it better with the clean bottom too. Makes it look like there is sand even though there isn't.

Thanks! I painted it to look like sand, but then I thought that maybe coraline dotted all through it might look even more like sand. What I didn't realize is how fast coraline dots go to coraline major coverage. That made the tank darker, dirtier looking and even more crowded in appearance. Live and learn.

melypr1985 · Mar 8, 2017

I'm with you there! We have a "display" at work that is barebottom and looks really dirty now that the coraline algae has started covering the bottom of the tank. Not cute as it turns out.

vlangel · Mar 8, 2017

Coraline is not too bad to scrape off. I expected it to be harder than it was. I used a metal scrapper with a handle.

melypr1985 · Mar 8, 2017

vlangel said:
Coraline is not too bad to scrape off. I expected it to be harder than it was. I used a metal scrapper with a handle.

That works. I usually use a razor blade.

vlangel · Mar 9, 2017

Ha ha! Have you seen one of these...a seahorse and a seadog?

vlangel · Mar 9, 2017

More traditional tank mate and dinner companion!

vlangel · Mar 12, 2017

Not much new to report. Eve and Ruth are doing well and were playing in the flow earlier today. Yesterday I did a WC and suck debris out of the tank. The glass stays reasonably clean and so I am surmising that nutrients are in control. Tomorrow I will test nitrates.

Heather w · Mar 13, 2017

I can't wait to get my tank cycled for my seahorses. I had to get my 75gal "perfected"

I'm getting there

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vlangel · Mar 13, 2017

Hether w said:
I can't wait to get my tank cycled for my seahorses. I had to get my 75gal "perfected"

I'm getting there

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using REEF2REEF mobile app

Yes, I can see that you are! Hooray for progress. The coral you have look good for seahorses although I could not tell for sure if the long polyps at the ends of your tank on both sides were a stinging coral or not.
Also I see several fish that would be problematic with seahorses, particularly the foxface, dwarf angel and maybe the wrasse.

vlangel · Mar 13, 2017

My little girls enjoying a meal together.

vlangel · Mar 14, 2017

After this morning's WC, I decided to see if I still had amphipods in my 5.5 gallon culture tank. I have neglected it terribly and haven't done WCs or even fed them for a while. Anyway, it still looked pretty good so I harvested some to put in the seahorse display, did a WC and fed them. When they are being fed they produce much better.

vlangel · Mar 16, 2017

Ruth amazes me with how often she changes colors. She is black and white one moment and then dapple gray and white the next.

vlangel · Mar 18, 2017

I am always looking for ways to make my WCs easier since I do so many. I made a huge improvement a year and a half ago when I moved my sump to the basement. That allowed me to fill a brute can from the laundry sink with RO/DI water. The brute can is on a dolly so I just wheeled it from the laundry sink over to the basement fishroom where the sump is. I mix my salt there and since there is a drain right there I can drain the sump into the drain and then pump the newly made saltwater from the brute can back into the sump. No lifting or carrying water, halleluia!

I do still have to drag a brute can full of water a fair distance however, (well past the curtains and through a door to the laundry room). The cold water line runs directly above my sump. I am wondering if I used a saddle valve to pierce the water line and ran tubing to my RO/DI unit with a shut off valve then I could fill my brute can in the fishroom. The problem is the tubing on my portable RO/DI unit is 3/16th and all the kits are for 1/4th inch. If the tubing I attach to unit is not tight enough there wont be enough pressure, right?

Lionfish Lair · Mar 18, 2017

What kit are you talking about that you need that's only comes in 1/4? I'm really a visual girl, so can you point to some links that show what you're talking about. I had water change systems running all over my house. We can definitely make this easier for you.