Red Sea Reefer 350 for seahorses!

Critterheaven · Jul 11, 2017

Hi there. I have been keeping seahorses off and on for about 8 or 9 years. I have had erectus (raised several hundred babies), reidi and barbouri. We moved a few years ago and I have been fighting the urge to get them again. Finally gave in and ordered a new Red Sea Reefer tank and stand. It should be here Friday and I have slowly been gathering equipment for it.

I have three barbouri coming tomorrow from another forum. The previous owner says he has had them together for at least a year. A combination of seahorsesource and Divers Den at LiveAquaria. They will go in my 25 cube for the time it takes to cycle the Red Sea. Eventually I plan on ordering several more from Seahorsesource once I get these three settled in to the new tank.

Equipment list:
Red Sea Reefer 350 (73G display tank with 18G sump)
2 Kessil 160s for lights. Would not be enough for my reef tank but fine for seahorses, softies and macro
a couple of tunze powerheads covered in mesh bags to keep tails safe
Will modify the return to be a surface spray bar with locline
1/15 Artica chiller
9W UV sterilizer
Reef Octopus 150 sss Skimmer

That's the major stuff anyway

I am going to take the black film off the back and leave it clear to my light colored wall behind the tank. ALso going to try to paint the outside of the bottom with a light sand colored, textured paint and go bare bottom for easier clean up. Will get a few snails for clean up and have some tonga rock I am going to re sterilize and use for hitches along with several gorgonians and different types of macro.

I would really like to try to raise barbs so hoping I can match up a few pairs and let nature takes its course!!

Will post some pictures as I go along.

JOE_2217 · Jul 11, 2017

Critterheaven said:
Hi there. I have been keeping seahorses off and on for about 8 or 9 years. I have had erectus (raised several hundred babies), reidi and barbouri. We moved a few years ago and I have been fighting the urge to get them again. Finally gave in and ordered a new Red Sea Reefer tank and stand. It should be here Friday and I have slowly been gathering equipment for it.

I have three barbouri coming tomorrow from another forum. The previous owner says he has had them together for at least a year. A combination of seahorsesource and Divers Den at LiveAquaria. They will go in my 25 cube for the time it takes to cycle the Red Sea. Eventually I plan on ordering several more from Seahorsesource once I get these three settled in to the new tank.

Equipment list:
Red Sea Reefer 350 (73G display tank with 18G sump)
2 Kessil 160s for lights. Would not be enough for my reef tank but fine for seahorses, softies and macro
a couple of tunze powerheads covered in mesh bags to keep tails safe
Will modify the return to be a surface spray bar with locline
1/15 Artica chiller
9W UV sterilizer
Reef Octopus 150 sss Skimmer

That's the major stuff anyway

I am going to take the black film off the back and leave it clear to my light colored wall behind the tank. ALso going to try to paint the outside of the bottom with a light sand colored, textured paint and go bare bottom for easier clean up. Will get a few snails for clean up and have some tonga rock I am going to re sterilize and use for hitches along with several gorgonians and different types of macro.

I would really like to try to raise barbs so hoping I can match up a few pairs and let nature takes its course!!

Will post some pictures as I go along.

Wow sounds awesome! would love to see some pics. That's a large tank for sea horses! Good luck!

vlangel · Jul 11, 2017

Welcome to R2R. I think you are our only barbouri keeper, ( that I know of) and I will enjoy following.

Critterheaven · Jul 11, 2017

Thanks! It will hold about 3 pairs of barbouri. They are significantly smaller than reidi or erectus but I don't want to crowd them.

vlangel - Thanks! I have been on the forum in other areas but haven't contributed to the seahorse section much!

vlangel · Jul 11, 2017

Critterheaven said:
Thanks! It will hold about 3 pairs of barbouri. They are significantly smaller than reidi or erectus but I don't want to crowd them.

vlangel - Thanks! I have been on the forum in other areas but haven't contributed to the seahorse section much!

With all your experience with different species, you have valuable information to share with the rest of us. Its great to have you join us!

Critterheaven · Jul 11, 2017

Thanks again. Will post some pictures of the barbs when they come in!

Critterheaven · Jul 12, 2017

Three barbs arrived today safe and sound. Been enriching some artemia for them to help get their appetites back and they seem to all be eating them up quickly! Adding some quick iPad pictures in a sunny room but hopefully you can still see them.

brett_schn · Jul 12, 2017

Don’t take the black paint off behind the overflow. Cut around it and keep it on over the overflow if not u will see the plumbing on the over flow box

Critterheaven · Jul 12, 2017

Good point! Will watch that. Got a big bunch of red macro in, just hanging it from the fake plastic hitch for now after the fresh water dip. Too much for this tank (put a bunch in my reef tank too).
So here is their temporary home in my 25G Mr Aqua cube. They all seem to be moving well, breathing easy and eating both the live and some frozen I put in.

vlangel · Jul 12, 2017

They look great and it sounds like they are off to a good start. I bet you are super excited.

Critterheaven · Jul 12, 2017

Incredibly yes! I have missed having seahorses in my life!! Friday I should get the tank delivered. Then just have to build the stand and put it all together then paint bottom, cycle with ammonia, attach chiller etc etc! Should be able to have them transferred mid August or so.

vlangel · Jul 13, 2017

Lots of good stuff! I will be following. I painted the bottom of my tank underneathe with a textured sandstone paint and I love the ease of maintenance, plus not having to be super paranoid about scratching the glass. I even use a mag-float again which I had not used in years with sand bottom tanks.
The hardest part was getting paint underneathe the tank bracing on the bottom. It worked out.

shornik · Jul 13, 2017

This sounds like its going to be a great seahorse tank and can't wait to follow along as you get it set up. The ponies look great in your smaller tank - good luck with everything.

Daniel@R2R · Jul 13, 2017

Following along as well!

Critterheaven · Jul 13, 2017

Thanks all. I did clean up a lot of the "stuff" on the bottom of the little tank so I could more easily sunction out the detritus. Just one rock to help keep tank cycled and a couple of finger leathers. Hung all the macro on the plastic plant. Will do a 5-10 gallon water change tomorrow just to make sure all is well.

Courier for the Red Sea reefer called and said they had two pallets, 400 pounds, marked salt to deliver to me. Sure hoping it is the tank and stand lol!

ksfulk · Jul 13, 2017

Pretty neat to see this come together. Ive never had enough... focus for a species only tank, so I'll live vicariously through this one

Critterheaven · Jul 14, 2017

Tank arrived today on a big pallet. Haven't had a chance to even peak in the boxes. Should be a fun weekend!

Critterheaven · Jul 16, 2017

Stand is built and sump is ready. Need to do some work on the tank though, peel off black backing and spray bottom.

Meantime Draco and Cassiopeia are courting in the 25G! Resting between twirls!