Raising Dwarf Seahorses in a Marine Pond

[Henn]

Hi all, I am new to the Forum and R2R. After doing the whole Seahorse and Tank thing, and always having problems, I started raising my Ponies outside in a Marine Pond. Getting multiple generations is normal. If you cannot stand BRINE SHRIMP, please use this method. It should work inside as well. Float a mesh of Nylon Tulle Fabric as a Corral. The cleanup crew lives underneath. The Ponies eat from the natural forage on the Mesh ( submarine canyons ) it takes about a month for the Mesh to green up. Ulva and Calerpa are the only plants ( spaghetti algae is too dense ). The smallest breeding pond was 35 gallon garden pond. The Mesh goes across and down into the water about a foot. One 90 watt grow light about 3 feet overhead was all that was needed. Hard coral does not do well but Gorgonians, ricordea, brittle stars, and pencil urchins are very happy. Never have my critters eaten Brine Shrimp. Would someone run the System without a huge fish and Invert load to see if Coral will reproduce. My Phos. are too high.
System Marine Pond 1 All Bio Filters are Knitted HDPE Ribbon ( the surface is aerobic and the locked ribbon twists are anaerobic ) shade cloth turbans around pond pumps. The outputs are sticking out of the filter can and are the only Current ( no Vortex Pumps for Larval survival ). This Shade Cloth works far better than Coral Sand and is very inexpensive. My fresh water shrimp ponds use the same system. One picture shows the Protein Skimmer / Water Changer. The air can Foam Out from 0 gpd to 15 gpd. That is the only water exchange ever.
SG 1.025
KH 10.5
Temp 75 F
ph 8.1
250 gallons
14 inch depth ( 6 inch shelf )
42 sq ft bottom
If you have any Seahorse passion left, do this and be happy. The last two pictures are why this system was developed. They are from the beginning but show the System Potential. The Tentacle Salute was from one of a mated pair of Brittle Stars. I moved their house to get the picture. Will someone take the tech and grow a real backyard reef. I will help you all I can.

 

[Copingwithpods]

You have a literal tide pool... In your backyard.....with seahorses....WHAT!

 

[Henn]

The Seahorses were hiding most of the day, one was up top when I went out. Here is one of the young adults. A female of about 6 months. Notice the Nylon Mesh. Without it, no Seahorses.

 

[Henn]

This morning was a typical wonderful experience. A pregnant male was alone at the surface at 7 am so I took a photo ( someday I will fall in or drop my phone ). At 8 am the seahorse stared the Shimmy and a baby popped out. By the time I got my phone, there were several. It may take a high zoom to see. These ponies are multi generational Marine Pond reared. I could never sell them but I want more people to help grow them. It is a different view from a display tank ( have some ). It can be done indoors with a 35 gallon pond form and one 90 watt grow light. This approach may work for a number of sensitive reef creatures. They may soon have nowhere else to live.

 

[Big G]

So cool to have an outdoor pond with seahorses. The predatory birds and raccoons here would have a field day.

 

[Henn]

They did. My first Pond was wrecked by a mother raccoon and three kids. An opossum once dove in and got an 8 inch mushroom. It got 20 feet and dropped the remains, got 60 feet further and dropped stone dead. The poly panels at night are for more than temperature control.

 

[fishguy242]

really cool ,what state are you in??

 

[Henn]

My place is in Canoga Park CA, The Bungalow was a Super Host Site ( Separate Bungalow Canoga Park ) until the recent difficulties. The Guests always were amazed at the Ponds here. There is about 750 gallons in fresh Shrimp, pond plants, and Turtles. There is another 750 gallons of Marine in 3 Ponds. The old Lobster Pond ( now the seahorse Corral ) with gorgonian jungle and Brittle Stars , a reef fish breeding tank of Green Chromis and Pajama Cardinals and a pencil urchin breeding area. This morning there was a birthing that I photographed. My Hosting Company will allow me to have a Marine Experience on the site as a day visit. This may be the only way some people can escape their home isolation and have a sanctuary to themselves all day. There is no way to explain the feeling it creates when a little kid sees a Big Brittle Star up close or a Seahorse glides across the Corral. My Display Tanks never had this effect or produced natural life.

 

[tnw50cal]

Now that you told us about the ponds, how about the Mustang in the driveway.

 

[Henn]

What self respecting Seahorse Wrangler would be without a Mustang GT. Ever see the Kurt Russel short ( death Cab for Cutey :>) The car manual says it has 298 HP in 289 CI., 4 Barrel Carb, Factory 4 speed. The original owner got a ticket in Ventura County for going in excess of 125 mph ( and evading arrest ). With the current tires it would be safe to at least 100 mph. It has a new retro radio and speakers and all new vitals from old factory tooling. Without speed limits and one gas stop,
this car can beat a light plane to San Francisco. Someday it will be used to make Crop Circles on the Golf Course of the Beverly Hills Country Club. Most likely they will be seen from outer space and the Glass Pack Exhaust be be heard as far as Pueblo NM.

 

[rayjay]

Unfortunately, by far the greatest majority of hobbyists don't live in area's suitable for year round outdoor setups.

 

[ThePurple12]

So they're surviving on just the pods? You're not adding any kind of food to the pond?

 

[Henn]

Unfortunately, by far the greatest majority of hobbyists don't live in area's suitable for year round outdoor setups.

thanks for replying, the pond system has been used here inside with several different containers. One 35 gallon Pond Form on Grey foam mat
90 watt grow light ( 3 ft above )
4 ft sq Nylon Tulle Mesh across whole top drapes in and forms wonderful canyons
Peppermint shrimp, snails, and hermit crabs ( under the mesh along with refugium algae )
20 air pump for DIY Skimmer
30 watt pond pump wrapped in HDPE Ribbon Knit Shade Cloth in small HDPE Pot sitting on bottom
The output exits the Pot and is the only circular current under the Mesh
This setup will grow many Marine Creatures after the Mesh Populates ( Abalone Snails, Lettuce Nudibranches, and the like). It does not need any Coral Sand because the Knitted Shade Cloth has low oxygen areas within the Ribbon Twists. The Main Pond here has almost no Nitrates and it is full of Fish and Invertebrates. There are no Turbo pumps to injure lava. The Pond can be a Backup Safety or a holding area for the Display tank.
PS: We have freezing nights and 116 F days. The Ponds are set in insulated holes with double covers and emergency heaters and they are still a problem on occasion. It was two weeks of plus 112 F days that killed my pet lobster Norwood. That was why I put in an indoor Tub. It is the use of HDPE Shade Cloth to eliminate Coral Sand and increase flow and efficiency that works here.

 

[Henn]

So they're surviving on just the pods? You're not adding any kind of food to the pond?

They get nothing added to the corral. The only food used in all the Marine Ponds is Dried red shrimp ( course ground ). It feeds the marine fish, the gorgonian forest, mussel shoals, crabs, brittle stars, pencil urchins ( good gawg boy, what you got in that thing ) Everything I don't want to see go extinct, Sir.

 

[Henn]

Dear Reefers, this morning there was an example of why we love the ponies. Please look under the calerpa and you will see a loving couple getting in some tail time before mommy heads off for the day. Pass it on :>O

 

[vlangel]

How can you not love a creature that inter-twines it's tail with its mate? I am down to just 1 male seahorse (as I am not going to keep ponies after he is gone), but I feel so bad that such a social creature now must live as a batchlor.

 

[saige]

How can you not love a creature that inter-twines it's tail with its mate? I am down to just 1 male seahorse (as I am not going to keep ponies after he is gone), but I feel so bad that such a social creature now must live as a batchlor.

if willing to sell i am interested

 

[saige]

Dear Reefers, this morning there was an example of why we love the ponies. Please look under the calerpa and you will see a loving couple getting in some tail time before mommy heads off for the day. Pass it on :>O

if you want to sell any of the seahorses i am interested. (especially in dwarfs and mustang seahorses and potbellies)