So My Fiancee Talked me into a seahorse tank

[Greybeard]

Might I recommend an alternative layout tool? Try Sketchup https://www.sketchup.com/

Easy, free, and _much_ more capable than layout via Excel

I knocked this out in about 2 minutes.

 

[mgoesma]

Thanks I'll give it a try.

 

[mgoesma]

ya that doesn't work. it must be installed on your pc. i couldn't find a phone version.

 

[Greybeard]

ya that doesn't work. it must be installed on your pc. i couldn't find a phone version.

Nope. No phone version, PC only. There is a SketchUP viewer available for Android devices at the play store, but that wouldn't help you much.

 

[mgoesma]

I am trying to decide what skimmer to use.
it is a 37 column aquarium with a 10 G sump. so space is an issue.

Currently i am looking at :
SCA-301 SC Aquariums 65 Gallon Protein Skimmer
Reef Octopus Classic 110INT 4” Internal Protein Skimmer
CORAL BOX CURVE DC PROTEIN SKIMMER D300

Does anyone have a recommendation?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I'm so glad you found Dan at SeahorseSource. Dan is the kind of person when you meet him you think "Now THAT'S a great human being". I truly adore him and his values.I should probably admit we're friends, so I'm a little bias, but trust me, you don't hear me gush over my other friends like I do Dan. LOL! Sorry, other friends!

My hat from 2008. I still wear it proudly and am actually wearing it right now!

 

[mgoesma]

I'm so glad you found Dan at SeahorseSource. Dan is the kind of person when you meet him you think "Now THAT'S a great human being". I truly adore him and his values.I should probably admit we're friends, so I'm a little bias, but trust me, you don't hear me gush over my other friends like I do Dan. LOL! Sorry, other friends!

My hat from 2008. I still wear it proudly and am actually wearing it right now!

Ya he was supper helpful.
I would recommend him too and we have never met.

 

[mgoesma]

I just found a custom sealife 1/5 hp chiller for $75 working.
Is that a good deal?
It is an older one.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

It sounds like a good deal to me. I have 6 chillers and all of them are presently discontinued.

 

[laga77]

What kind of chiller?
I have been looking into a few but they are all so expensive.

Chill Solutions, about $200

 

[vlangel]

Mark, the chiller sounds like a good deal if its working well wnd in good shape. I have a 1/6 hp Coralife chiller that I paid $350 for a year and half ago. I have the SCA 302 skimmer and it skims great. The pump crapped out in 6 months with the frequent shutting off and on with water changes. I bought a 2nd pump and I leave it run while I do the WC and just turn the bubbles down. Its still going strong a year and a half later. Fit the biggest skimmer you can fit. I had the SCA 302 in my diy 10g sump.

 

[mgoesma]

Update Time:
This is the current tank. the fishies will be going home with my Sister and her kids next week.

The work i need to do:
1. Convert t8 light to 2 24 in T5. (I already have all the supplies.)
2. remove center shelf from the stand and add sides and doors.
3. drill aquarium.
4. paint back wall (I'm looking for recommendations on paint. I want it to be blue)
This is what i'm looking at currently(Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Sail Blue Rust Resistant Enamel Spray Paint)
5. add baffles to sump.

Supplies i have already received:
1. some plumbing fittings/overflow box / return

2. Some dry rock. I still am waiting on multi branch Tonga to be avalable and i need a couple lbs of rubble.

3. Live sand

4. DC return pump.

5. Chiller ( i still need to clean and paint it. Any recommendation on how to clean would be welcome.)
5. pink 24 in HOt5 bulbs.

Items on order:
8” X 8” X 1” PLATE MARINEPURE CERAMIC BIOMEDIA
BRS REACTOR - SINGLE
4 PC fans and covers

Items Yet to abtain:
Apex Controller
Multi Branch Tonga
Dry rock rubble
Float switch
Supper glue Insta-set
Skimmer
water container
plumbing fittings(I'm thinking red pipe and white/red fittings)

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[vlangel]

You have your work cut out for you but I think your tank and supply list look good. Are you planning on using any of the artificial decor? I can envision the gazebo-pillar like structure being incorporated with live macro algae and coral for a very appealing scape. Greek mythology and seahorses could add a mythical vibe?

I have the same dc return pump only the 6000, (my sump is in the basement so I have 10 ft of head pressure) and I love it. Its quiet, efficient, gives off minimal heat and I like being able to control the flow.

 

[vlangel]

O yes, in regards to cleaning the chiller, see if the face plate is removable. If it is gently use a vacume cleaner and suck out as much dust and dirt as possible. Do it gently though. Some chillers have a filter behind the grating and clean that as thoroughly as possible.
If you are spray painting it thoroughly mask off all areas with grating so no paint goes into the works of it. Chillers are sensitive to dust and air bourne pollutants. They are quite expensive pieces of equipment so you don't want to damage it.

 

[mgoesma]

I plan to take the case off and grind it down and paint it. that easy. For cleaning im thinking the inside. i took off the plumbing fitting and the chiller is filled with sand like media. i was thinking of just hooking it up for a bucket and pump then running the pump for a week or so. maybe even adding a little vinegar to the water to dissolve anything inside. for the radiator i was planning on just hosing everything off. mine doesn't have much electronics. its more or less a small AC unit. The controller is separate.

And no im not going to use any of the existing decor. i'm planning to save that for a future fresh water build. lol
Im planning to have 3 island in my aquascape. 1 larger with a large tonga branch tree on it. one medium with a few branches and one smaller. I then plan to use coral and macro to fill out the rest.

 

[Zoaeasy]

Has anyone ever used a brine shrimp hatchery with Seahorses?

I have but it is more to keep them occupied Or for a treat. Mysis is the way to feed. I have fairly simple 20 g set up
I use lot of marine pure media in the back to enlarge bacterial filtration
Once you have the basics down it is relatively simple to keep up.

 

[vlangel]

I plan to take the case off and grind it down and paint it. that easy. For cleaning im thinking the inside. i took off the plumbing fitting and the chiller is filled with sand like media. i was thinking of just hooking it up for a bucket and pump then running the pump for a week or so. maybe even adding a little vinegar to the water to dissolve anything inside. for the radiator i was planning on just hosing everything off. mine doesn't have much electronics. its more or less a small AC unit. The controller is separate.

That sounds like a good plan. I forgot to address cleaning the parts the water passes through but that is exactly what you should do. In fact all the chillers I have had said to flush it with fresh water 4 Xs a year! (Yeah right, LOL). I do it usually once a year.

 

[mgoesma]

i got the chiller and it seams to be working great. I have been running it in a bucket of vinegar water for about a week. all kinds of things have came out of it. planning to repaint the box this weekend. i got a lot of new supplies all post later this weekend. but my goal is to get the tank painted, drilled, and chiller painted this weekend.

I also plan to rebuild the stand and add doors.(i need it to be taller) but maybe wont get to that this weekend.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I looooooove chillers for every tank. It makes things so much easier.

 

[mgoesma]

So I wanted to give a weekend update. I have rebuilt the chiller. I started by running with vinegar water for about a week. Then I took the case off , ground it down painted it, replaced the plumbing fitting then put it back together.

These are the before and after photos. I thought I took more but it looks like the camera wasn't working.

I also cleaned out the aquarium, drilled the overflow and return, painted the back, and installed the bulkheads.

I took a few photos of this process.

I then completely tore the stand apart and result it. I decided I wanted it to be 4 inched taller so I used the old legs to frame out the new doors. I also removed the middle shelf and closed in the sides and front.

this is before mid way and almost done. Still need to touch up paint and Install hinges and pulls.

Over all I feel it's going fairly well. I wanted to build the light but the ballast I have has strange colored wires so I'm just ordering a new one.