Seahorse tank - build thread

[SueAndHerZoo]

Added the BioSpira and have been seeing real progress in the cycling. I was adding 2 PPM ammonia each night and the ammonia was down to zero the next evening , nitrite was getting high, and nitrate was showing up, so I stopped adding ammonia.

Tonight ammonia is zero, nitrite is .25, and nitrate is 40. I'm thinking in another week or so I can do a large water change and think about "testing the waters" with a small amount of live stock.

Is it safe to add a clean up crew and macro-algae at this phase? I'll start with that, and if things still look good I'll purchase a couple of pearly jawfish (I love them!)

My new skimmer arrived today but I haven't even un-boxed it yet because I don't think I should run a skimmer while still cycling, BUT, it would also be nice to let it start breaking in, too. Maybe this weekend?
Sue

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Update and some major tank changes:

• I've got the Tunze 9410 DC skimmer up and running----really love it so far!
• I added the second light, but really need to find a better way to mount those, I think they are meant for rimless tanks and the mount isn't as secure as I would like.
• I'm not going to use the Vortech MP40 at all because now that I understand and see the capabilities of the IceCap Gyre 3K, it's all I need for flow! That thing is awesome! I spent hours yesterday putting it in different parts of the tank to see where I get the best flow with the least dead spots, and I think horizontally across the back wall, halfway down, seems to be doing the trick.
• Biggest change to the tank? I made an impulse purchase which required a lot of quick "remodeling". I walked into my LFS and he had a tankful of garden eels!!! I have always wanted to see one in the flesh and I have always thought how cool it would be to keep them with seahorses, and there they were! So, along with two of those, I left the store with another 40 pounds of live sand so that I could build them a section with a DSB. I was up all night trying to "build a wall" and re-aquascape the tank so that I could have it seahorse friendly throughout with a DSB in only a section of the tank. These guys are so cool I went back and got the other 3 he had, so there are 5 in my tank.

The challenge with garden eels is getting them to eat in captivity, so I figure if I'm going to be loading up my tank with nutrients in their training process, I might as well train 5 of them instead of just 2, right? ;)

I have been adding different types of frozen food to see what might get their attention, as well as live adult brine shrimp and newly hatched BS. I don't actually SEE them eating anything, but I have read that they feed on planktonic stuff so hopefully they are getting some nutrition while they acclimate to me and my tank. Next time they are out I will try to get a photo but right now they're rather shy.

Here's the tank with the left side being for the garden eels. All I have in the tank now are 5 of them, and two fighting conches that I saved from the tank I tore apart months ago. Tomorrow a clean-up crew and macro-algae arrives in the mail.

Once I'm sure the tank is very stable and able to handle that load, I will think about ordering the ponies after the holidays.
Sue