Seahorse tank - build thread

[SueAndHerZoo]

Bear with me guys, I've never done a build thread before so feel free to ask for what I'm not providing or tell me to knock it off with things you don't want to see or hear about.

The tank is a 72 gallon bowfront with a 20 gallon sump. Equipment I'll be using:

• Remora Aqua C protein skimmer (have had it for 10 years, still love it).
• Current USA eFlux DC Flow Pump, 1050 GPH. Brand new, so far really liking it.
• Vortech 40 for water movement.
• Icecap Gyre 3K for water movement.
• Lumini Pixie 30 Full Spectrum lamp (2, being delivered tomorrow).
• Heater (will only be used if room temp gets cold - seahorses are better in 72 degree water)
• Possibly a UV filter, depending on need.

Here's a photo of the aquascaping I did yesterday, but not loving it so will probably make some changes next time I get a day off.

It's been a while since I've started a new tank from scratch so I'm doing lots of reading and research on what may have changed since the last time. I went with less sand than I usually do in the display tank, but put more than I usually do in the refugium section of the sump. Hoping that will be the best of both worlds; shallow sand bed and deep sand bed.

Stay tuned!
Sue

 

[Peach02]

sounding good but seahorses tend to not like a lot of flow and a mp40 provides lots of flow

 

[sfin52]

Agree low flow and very clean water. A bare bottom may be a good thing with sea horses.

 

[Devaji]

welcome to R2R I have been follwing your post on the FB SH pages.
lots of good info around for sure.

as far a cycling I really like a fishless cycle with a good quality bottled bac. fritz turbo start 900 or the like. there is a big thread on here by docreef i believe that test most of the ones on the market. a bottle of you choice bac. and some ammonia and you're off to the races...pun intended

that is how I will cycle all my tanks these days.
dont run lights while cycles no need.

I would run a UV. watch the UV episode that BRS did there is a flow rate for algae and a different one for pathogens.
I even thought of run 2...might be over kill IDK

have fun!

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to "wait and see" regarding amount of flow. All the new articles about seahorses state that we were wrong to think they needed low flow and that they actually benefit from some areas of high flow. So once I'm cycled and have the ponies in there, I will play around with flow and perhaps remove the Vortech.

I have a bare-bottom in my dwarf seahorse tank, but prefer to have a shallow sandbed in my erectus tanks. Last horse tank I had was much too deep and caused problems - this time I went shallow.

And of course, I changed the aquascaping, again! Since I am torn between "all natural" decor and colorful plastics, I'll keep the plastic and artificial plants on the far left, while the rest of the tank will be living corals and macro algae. The feeding station will go with the plastic plants and I'll get more hitches for that corner.
Sue

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

welcome to R2R I have been follwing your post on the FB SH pages.
lots of good info around for sure.

as far a cycling I really like a fishless cycle with a good quality bottled bac. fritz turbo start 900 or the like. there is a big thread on here by docreef i believe that test most of the ones on the market. a bottle of you choice bac. and some ammonia and you're off to the races...pun intended

that is how I will cycle all my tanks these days.
dont run lights while cycles no need.

I would run a UV. watch the UV episode that BRS did there is a flow rate for algae and a different one for pathogens.
I even thought of run 2...might be over kill IDK

have fun!

Thanks, Deva . . . nice to see you here! I am absolutely going to use bottled bac.... I purchased Dr. Tim's One and Only as well as his ammonia chloride... just trying to decide when to add it. I want to be done aquascaping before I do that so that I can then leave it alone and let the bacteria go forth and multiply. And yes, then my ponies will be off to the races.

I have two old UV units in the basement somewhere.... both were given to me when I purchased used tanks and I've never used either so I either have to find some manuals to go with them, or just bite the bullet and buy a new one. But I don't want to even think about a UV until my tank is stocked, right?

I love the new 5 minute videos by BRS..... really soaking up a lot of good info there!
Sue

 

[Devaji]

Thanks, Deva . . . nice to see you here! I am absolutely going to use bottled bac.... I purchased Dr. Tim's One and Only as well as his ammonia chloride... just trying to decide when to add it. I want to be done aquascaping before I do that so that I can then leave it alone and let the bacteria go forth and multiply. And yes, then my ponies will be off to the races.

I have two old UV units in the basement somewhere.... both were given to me when I purchased used tanks and I've never used either so I either have to find some manuals to go with them, or just bite the bullet and buy a new one. But I don't want to even think about a UV until my tank is stocked, right?

I love the new 5 minute videos by BRS..... really soaking up a lot of good info there!
Sue

glad to hear sue!

good choice on waiting til you get the aqua scape down.
one trick I like is use the "rule of 3rds you can add painters tape to the out side of the aquarium to get your grid, and scape away. we are so used to seeing things in the rule of 3rds maybe that is why you not 100% on your aquascape?

but good on you for getting it down a few years ago i have a 90 cube reef never love the scape so I never glued down my corals lots some that way too. so I say take your time and create something you dig.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

On November 22 I added a full bottle of Dr. Tim's One and Only, and a day later added a capful of his ammonia. The ammonia test is reading 1.0, and nitrites are zero, so now the waiting and testing begins.

I also added one of these lights (I bought two but want to make sure I like it before I open the second box) and so far I'm really pleased with it. The only drawback is you operate it with its remote control, and the sensor is on the ballast, which I usually like to keep hidden under the tank stand.
LED Aquarium Light Nano 30W Fish Tank Lights Full Spectrum Dimmable Coral Reef Saltwater Lamp with Bracket - Lumini Pixie 30

On my next day off I will start setting up equipment in the sump (skimmer, light, rock, grounding probe, etc.) but for now, the process has begun.
Sue

 

[Malifry97]

following!

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

following!

"Don't follow me, I'm lost, too!" But hey, that's what we're all here for - to learn as a team and follow each other. Nice to have you along.
Sue

 

[Malifry97]

lol

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Build updates:

• Added more ammonia to bring it up to 2.0 but still no sign of cycling after 7 days of adding Dr. Tim's so I ordered some Biospira which should arrive tomorrow. When testing just now I might have seen the SLIGHTEST trace of nitrite, but also might be wishful thinking. When the Biospira arrives, I will add that - the more bacteria, the better, right?
• I realized the skimmer I had planned on using from my last tank is probably under-powered for a seahorse tank so I ordered this one last night: Tunze Master DOC Protein Skimmer 9410 DC. It's received a lot of great reviews and was on a Black Friday sale, so I went for it.

Other than that the tank has been very boring. Can't wait to at least get some clean-up crew in there and maybe a few soft corals and macro-algae, but patience is the name of the game and since I've never had any, this is a real personal-growth test!
Sue

 

[Devaji]

that is wired. Dr. tims should have stared the cycle by now? silly question but are you sure you got the right Dr. tims?

I had great success with the cold fritz turbo start 900

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

that is wired. Dr. tims should have stared the cycle by now? silly question but are you sure you got the right Dr. tims?

I had great success with the cold fritz turbo start 900

Just went back to Marine Depot website and checked my order. For that price, I had HOPED it would work!

 

[Devaji]

Just went back to Marine Depot website and checked my order. For that price, I had HOPED it would work!

are you saying you have no ammonia? or its not going down?
what test kits are you using? are they expired? I would get a 2nd option on the test.
if they come back the same I would contact MD

something smells fishy here...lol

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

My ammonia is holding steady at 2.0, but tonight, FINALLY, I see a tiny trace of nitrite. No reduction in ammonia yet. Who is MD?
Sue

 

[Devaji]

^ marine depo one of many short hands on the forums

normally you see a reduction in a cpl days. did the bottle get frozen? maybe the bac. got damaged somehow?

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Maybe I will contact MD, but I figure they only sell the product, they aren't responsible for how well it works. But it wouldn't hurt to let them know I was disappointed in it. A bottle of Biospira just arrived from Amazon. I'll test my parameters again and then probably add it. There's definitely no DISADVANTAGE to adding a different bacteria product, correct? The more, the merrier?
Sue

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Also, I have some corals that I've been (barely) keeping alive for months that I removed from the 92 gallon I tore apart a few months ago. They've been in a 10 gallon tank full of algae and crud with some live rock, some beach-found snails, and a couple of fighting sea conches. What's the best thing to dip them in before I add them to my new, virgin tank?
Sue

 

[Malifry97]

Maybe I will contact MD, but I figure they only sell the product, they aren't responsible for how well it works. But it wouldn't hurt to let them know I was disappointed in it. A bottle of Biospira just arrived from Amazon. I'll test my parameters again and then probably add it. There's definitely no DISADVANTAGE to adding a different bacteria product, correct? The more, the merrier?
Sue

No, there is no drawback to adding biospira