is this setup ok?

[CoralBeautyII]

Hi,
I'll be getting a pair of hippo.kelloggi in a few days. They are only 2" long so i figured a smaller tank would be best so i can monitor their feeding etc.
The tank i have ready for them is a 10g with tons of algae. Various forms of algae, some macro algaes with a feathery appearance i can seem to identify. hair algae, and some other thick grass type algae that is dark green.
I also ordered a red kelp algae 8" tall on a rock, hoping they will hitch to this.
I'm starting to wonder if I have too many rocks?? Should i take out some rocks? I would keep that huge flowing macro on the top rock since i think its strong enough for them to hitch to.
I'm going to fix the power head today so it doesnt jet out like that.
The temp is 74 is that ok?
Here are a few pics...I know its a TON of algae lol, it doesnt bother me though, i find it relaxing
Oh, P.S, this is only a growout tank, the ponies will be going into a 50g hex once i see they are healthy and eating well and put on some growth. Probably in five months or so (im not sure how fast seahorses grow)

[FishGrrl]

Because of the large amount of algae, I'd test your ph, nitrate and phopspate. Excessive nitrate can depress ph, and that can lead to all sorts of problems. Aside from that, I don't think the seahorses will care about the algae either, and it might provide them with some microfauna to snack on. You might want to consider adding a feeding station since mysis could get lost in the hair algae. Hitching posts as well, inexpensive silk plants work really well for this.

re: taking out the rocks. I prefer to give seahorses more open space, even if you don't take out the rocks, perhaps stack more towards the back wall, or around the edges to create an open space in the middle.

[CoralBeautyII]

thnx
i will go test the water and let you know what it is.

yeah there might be too many rocks.
are hippo kelloggi really active? or do they just hitch and hangout??


edit...
i tested the water

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0, tube did not change color, yellow= zero on chart

ph 8.2

temp is bluish on 74, so i believe that makes the temp 73?
isnt 73 kinda cold?? there is no heater and temps are pretty stable

spec gravity 1.025

tank has been setup for a few months now with only live rock, four nerite snails and a ton of algae.
RO water is used
pc lighting power compact 2x65 watts

i think that about covers everything

[CoralBeautyII]

I took out a few rocks. I think they will have more room now
I'll be picking up a plastic plant tomorrow, and i lessoned the flow by converting the stream up towards the surface. It seems more gentle now.
searhorse ready??

[pledosophy]

What kind of MJ is that?

IMO you will need more hitches.

Temp is fine. IMO 70-74 is ideal. I wouldn't go higher then 74F myself. JME.

Only drawback with having that much HA in your horse tank is that the seahorses will have it growing on them soon to. Not really a bad thing, doesn't bother the seahorses none, but that part always bugged me. JMO

HTH

[rcmike]

Also if the kelloggi are "tank raised" I would read this post as well. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1229860 A lot of people, even experts, aren't having much luck with them.

[CoralBeautyII]

I got the tank raised ones from dr fosters and smith. They said they are doing really well in their facility and they've had great luck with them and claim they are "hardy"
Will see what happends i guess. They were only 36 dollars, other sites that were recommended wanted like a few hundred dollars for their horses. This is my first time, so a few hundred on a mustang i believe it was called, is out of the question at this point

yes i know about the hitches, i'm going out now to buy some.
A few plastic plants will do?

the maxi jet is the smallest one they make, i believe 400?? its just like 105 gph...if i recall

[LisaD]

I'd leave in more of the rocks, arranged as suggested by Fishgrrl, but prune the hair algae. IMO you are going to need the biological filtration capacity. If you haven't "fed" the tank to increase the population of bacteria, you may start a mini-cycle by adding the seahorses, along with their daily feedings. I'd watch water parameters and have some saltwater on hand for frequent partial water changes. Do you have good quality frozen mysis on hand?

[CoralBeautyII]

that long huge algae in the center isnt hair algae. its threaded with a fern like tiny leaf, light green with a bluish white hue, extremely long strands about a foot long. definetely strong enough to withstand a seahorse tail. im not trimming that for nothing, i like it, and i feel it serves a natural purpose.

hair algae is on the bottom glass and other rocks though along with some other kinda of dark green thick macro something.

i just bought a few plastic plants and i have red kelp on a rock coming in the mail tomorrow.

the frozen mysis i have is hikari because i read that PE mysis is on the large side

[LisaD]

Hikari is a good choice for the smaller seahorses you are getting.

No offense on the algae, I was concerned the seahorses might get tangled in it and that it might release too much CO2 at night, causing pH fluctuation. I have a lot of decorative macro in my planted reef, but I also have a refugium full of chaeto that is lit 24/7 to offset pH dips during the dark cycle in the main tank.

[CoralBeautyII]

Originally posted by LisaD
Hikari is a good choice for the smaller seahorses you are getting.

No offense on the algae, I was concerned the seahorses might get tangled in it and that it might release too much CO2 at night, causing pH fluctuation. I have a lot of decorative macro in my planted reef, but I also have a refugium full of chaeto that is lit 24/7 to offset pH dips during the dark cycle in the main tank.

Should i test the ph at night?
Hmm, i didnt think about them getting tangled, you may be on to something there.
I'll have to keep a close eye on them.

They arrive tomorrow
I'll post pics when they get settled in.
How long should i drip acclimate them for?

[LisaD]

Did you get them? I usually acclimate at least an hour. FWIW, I have a lot of macro in my tanks too (but mostly halimeda and caulerpa).

Yes, you could test pH at night and in the daytime, see if it is significantly different.