Gyres ok with Seahorses?

Charles4400 · Mar 28, 2020

Was planning on putting a reefwave in for a new seahorse build but was wondering if anyone ever experienced problems with seahorses hitching onto it and damaging their tails?

Are gyres safe to use?

vetteguy53081 · Mar 28, 2020

NO, they require low to moderate water flow and most gyres even on low flow are still high in current

Charles4400 · Mar 28, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
NO, they require low to moderate water flow and most gyres even on low flow are still high in current

I suppose that depends on the size tank. I'd be setting up a 75 gallon dt and was thinking a programmed gyre would allow the sway I was looking for.

But assuming the flow was not an issue, is there a danger of tails getting caught in it if they hitch to it?

laverda · Mar 28, 2020

I think the smaller Tunze wave box would be a much safer alternative.

rayjay · Mar 29, 2020

I know nothing about the gyre, BUT, I DO know a bit about seahorses.
Seahorses have NO requirement for low to moderate flow. When I FIRST started the hobby in 2002, it was THOUGHT that with seahorses rudimentary movement capabilities, low flow was necessary, but, it wasn't long before that theory was discarded and replaced by the recommendation of a minimum flow of 10X tank volume. Many of us long term keepers are more in the range of 20X and more.
I like to have areas of low, medium and high flow with hitching available in all areas so they can choose as individual just what they want at any given time.
For me, it's important to have sufficient flow to keep detritus and food in suspension long enough to get it taken up by mechanical filtration to lessen the amount of personal physical work to remove such before decay sets in.

Wee Mad Arthur · Mar 29, 2020

rayjay said:
I know nothing about the gyre, BUT, I DO know a bit about seahorses.
Seahorses have NO requirement for low to moderate flow. When I FIRST started the hobby in 2002, it was THOUGHT that with seahorses rudimentary movement capabilities, low flow was necessary, but, it wasn't long before that theory was discarded and replaced by the recommendation of a minimum flow of 10X tank volume. Many of us long term keepers are more in the range of 20X and more.
I like to have areas of low, medium and high flow with hitching available in all areas so they can choose as individual just what they want at any given time.
For me, it's important to have sufficient flow to keep detritus and food in suspension long enough to get it taken up by mechanical filtration to lessen the amount of personal physical work to remove such before decay sets in.

Interested to know what you are using to generate the flow.

rayjay · Mar 29, 2020

WMA, I'm big on cheap and as such I use what I have on hand as much as possible.
As I have had Hagen 802 power heads (I think they are now called aquaclear somethings) since I got into reefing Jan 94 with MANY tanks needing many power heads, I just continued using them when I switched a tank over to seahorses back around 2002.
As age progressed and physical health deteriorated I ended up over a few years, shutting down all my reef tanks and fish only tanks, leaving me with a lot of tanks and a lot of equipment like power heads (33 of them)
As it became wise to increase tank flow I merely added more power heads.
It's important to place so that seahorses don't get blown against something to be damaged, and in some cases I manufactured pieces to fit on the output tubes to deflect in many directions and that is useful especially for my tanks to keep the crap in suspension so OTHER 802s fitted with "quick filter attachments" can remove the suspensions from the water.
I also have Hagen 902's (no longer available) that are 900+ g/h but use them mostly in the abdominalis 90g tank.
I haven't bought any power heads now since late 90's and while I've lost some over the last 10 years, I still have 19 on the go so I figure why buy some expensive thing when I already have something that works and continues to work for a long time.

Chris Spaulding · Apr 9, 2020

I am running 2 max spec fx330 on my seahorse tank. The tank is 50 gallon planet aquarium. The gyres are on the back running gradual pulsing 30% antisinc. I have the nem covers on the cages and I have not had any issues.

Charles4400 · Apr 9, 2020

Great to hear thevgyres worked out for you and covers do their job.

I got 2 of the reefwaves but having problems with one of them. They come with a mesh sleeve to put over them for small fish and snails but hear nem protect will be making hard sleeves for them soon.