Gorgonian Temp
 

Hey, Soft Coral people. I'm am thinking about starting a seahorse tank in a spare 20H I have. For their "hitches" I want to add several gorgonaians. I've heard the seahorses must be kept at a maximum of 74 degrees farenheit. All the species of Gorgonians will be photosynthetic. Will they be able to survive at this temperature, or should I just stick to macro algae?

I kept my 54g Seahorse tank between 75 and 78 degrees and had gorgonians successfully.

Photosynthetic gorgonians, usually with tan or brown polyps, are best suited for most reef aquariums since they can feed from photosynthesis and also on food particles, plankton or artificial plankton drifting in the water column.

Most Gorgonians are best kept under high output fluorescent lighting. Some may do well under metal halides; however, they must be acclimated to this lighting or it might prove too strong for them. Temperatures should remain between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius) with a pH of 8.3 or 8.4. The Specific gravity should fall between 1.023 and 1.025. They do require moderate to strong water currents, and may be placed directly in the path of a power head. Stinging hard corals like Hammer Corals, Bubble Corals, and Elegant Corals could sting a gorgonian, and should not be placed where they can come in contact with one... these corals are not on the "safe" list anyway in seahorse tanks.