Getting ready for water change

Samina

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 6, 2017
Messages
1,077
Reaction score
3,739
Location
Long Valley
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I mean this in the best way possible so please don’t take offense, but do you think it’s possible that such a huge cleaning regularly maybe hurting your horses? Seahorses are pretty sensitive creatures and when I used to keep them, I would try as much as possible to help minimize stress on them. I know from your other posts that you have kept them for sometime now and this has been working for you, but I’m just curious what your thoughts are in this regard.

Also, I would observe them hunting for pods and other critters in the tank majority of the day. I made sure they were fed atleast a couple times each day but they still would scour the rock and substrate for pods. Just something they do from my observation. By doing such a deep cleaning, you are diminishing the chances of a pod population and other little critters your horses would normally hunt for.

Do you think that maybe having a setup where biological (quality live rock) and mechanical filtration can help you keep a good water quality so that you can possibly do weekly or biweekly 20-30% water changes instead of having to rip clean everything? That way, it doesn’t completely disrupt the microfauna that establishes in the tank.
 
OP
OP
Paulie069

Paulie069

Random Acts Of Kindness
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
2,694
Reaction score
11,005
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Do you have some other method of biological filtration? I'm just wondering how your seahorses can survive without the beneficial bacteria.
Well all water I use is ALWAYS from the ocean no big secret. I’ve had an aquarium professional test my water about month ago and he said my water is within two tenths of what u would consider perfect. Even he was shocked and impressed
 
OP
OP
Paulie069

Paulie069

Random Acts Of Kindness
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
2,694
Reaction score
11,005
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I mean this in the best way possible so please don’t take offense, but do you think it’s possible that such a huge cleaning regularly maybe hurting your horses? Seahorses are pretty sensitive creatures and when I used to keep them, I would try as much as possible to help minimize stress on them. I know from your other posts that you have kept them for sometime now and this has been working for you, but I’m just curious what your thoughts are in this regard.

Also, I would observe them hunting for pods and other critters in the tank majority of the day. I made sure they were fed atleast a couple times each day but they still would scour the rock and substrate for pods. Just something they do from my observation. By doing such a deep cleaning, you are diminishing the chances of a pod population and other little critters your horses would normally hunt for.

Do you think that maybe having a setup where biological (quality live rock) and mechanical filtration can help you keep a good water quality so that you can possibly do weekly or biweekly 20-30% water changes instead of having to rip clean everything? That way, it doesn’t completely disrupt the microfauna that establishes in the tank.
To be honest I really don’t know a lot of what you just talked about. I’ve only just begun to first of all hear about these things and now I’m trying to learn as much as I need todo my seahorses are happy healthy and alive. That’s most important to me. It’s hard sometimes to make heads or tails of all the things I’ve read in past 3 weeks. I’ve asked lots of questions all over R2R about tons different things. This site is basically reason I’m getting bigger tank soon. And for some reason my horses really don’t act stressed that much I would notice. Not saying never there is times thief not happy. There is one thing I failed to mention in my thread is I Feed them about an hour after cleaning and they eat it up like champs. Sorry long winded
 
OP
OP
Paulie069

Paulie069

Random Acts Of Kindness
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
2,694
Reaction score
11,005
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
To be honest I really don’t know a lot of what you just talked about. I’ve only just begun to first of all hear about these things and now I’m trying to learn as much as I need todo my seahorses are happy healthy and alive. That’s most important to me. It’s hard sometimes to make heads or tails of all the things I’ve read in past 3 weeks. I’ve asked lots of questions all over R2R about tons different things. This site is basically reason I’m getting bigger tank soon. And for some reason my horses really don’t act stressed that much I would notice. Not saying never there is times thief not happy. There is one thing I failed to mention in my thread is I Feed them about an hour after cleaning and they eat it up like champs. Sorry long winded
 
OP
OP
Paulie069

Paulie069

Random Acts Of Kindness
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
2,694
Reaction score
11,005
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
[/QUOTmy buddies E]

325B6CE8-1C8B-43C4-A31A-5BC0C2E39E14.jpeg
 

Paul B

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
17,950
Reaction score
60,766
Location
Long Island NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Paulie, my good friend and favorite clam supplier. I also don't understand the need to wash the gravel.
I know you use NSW as I do but there is almost no bacteria in clean seawater especially where you collect it. I collect on shore so mine is filled with chopped up seaweed and sand so I get a lot of bacteria but that bacteria won't help at all if you wash everything.

If I were you, and I am a lot older and have less tattoos, I would not wash the gravel at all. I would maybe take it out in a net and pour some seawater through it if you want a very clean look but that bacterial film that covers the gravel is what cleans the water.

Your seahorses will obviously live with how you are doing it as long as you change the water constantly
but in between changes that water will start to form ammonia. It has to as there is no bacteria to reduce it. In a short time those horses will die if their water is not changed.

The fish will be stressed by that and never feel comfortable.
You probably know that seahorses breed constantly as they should. They also eat constantly. I collect the same seahorses as you, very cool creatures.

I would add a piece of live rock which you can find near your boat dock. Thats all that is needed for water purification. You can still remove the plants to clean.

That would go a long way to keeping those horses healthy.

But I love your clams. :D

I collected these from the same water you collect. The female is transferring the eggs to the male, and dropping a few.
This was in my reef with all the other fish, but I partitioned them away from the rest of the tank so I could collect the babies which grew up and spawned.

Good luck

 
OP
OP
Paulie069

Paulie069

Random Acts Of Kindness
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2019
Messages
2,694
Reaction score
11,005
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Paulie, my good friend and favorite clam supplier. I also don't understand the need to wash the gravel.
I know you use NSW as I do but there is almost no bacteria in clean seawater especially where you collect it. I collect on shore so mine is filled with chopped up seaweed and sand so I get a lot of bacteria but that bacteria won't help at all if you wash everything.

If I were you, and I am a lot older and have less tattoos, I would not wash the gravel at all. I would maybe take it out in a net and pour some seawater through it if you want a very clean look but that bacterial film that covers the gravel is what cleans the water.

Your seahorses will obviously live with how you are doing it as long as you change the water constantly
but in between changes that water will start to form ammonia. It has to as there is no bacteria to reduce it. In a short time those horses will die if their water is not changed.

The fish will be stressed by that and never feel comfortable.
You probably know that seahorses breed constantly as they should. They also eat constantly. I collect the same seahorses as you, very cool creatures.

I would add a piece of live rock which you can find near your boat dock. Thats all that is needed for water purification. You can still remove the plants to clean.

That would go a long way to keeping those horses healthy.

But I love your clams. :D

I collected these from the same water you collect. The female is transferring the eggs to the male, and dropping a few.
This was in my reef with all the other fish, but I partitioned them away from the rest of the tank so I could collect the babies which grew up and spawned.

Good luck

Hey Paul how’s it going bud,, I no longer do those cleanings. I stopped using the 20gal tanks. Now that everything is in my 55gal setup,, I just wanted to show u what I did for 2yrs prior, and with what I call great success as in only had very minimal problems. Your advice is much appreciated and totally respected as you have more experience and knowledge than I do. To bad you won’t be around when my tank is 47yrs old ( neither will I)
 
Back
Top