what would it take

[[17]shawn[17]]

i have a 60gal sitting around the house just wondring what it would take ti get 4-6 kudra in there and swiming around as happy as can be, keeping in mind im 15 and on a strict budget

[scapes]

save your $$ for college

[Poniegirl]

Good Heavens.
Keep your grades up, TALK to your High School's College Counselor and apply for as many scholarships as that counselor can find for you.
The correct name is Hippocampus kuda. H. kuda, to make it simple.
Have you kept saltwater before now?

[wickeddroptop]

budget and sw fish are 2 words that dont go together

[edwing206]

i agree droptop

[fishymann]

I dont have any sw tanks yet, but i feel like its the same as any setup, start to save and at the same time start to buy things for it, im 16 so i understand money is short but sometimes it can be done if you manage it correctly.

[ReefNutPA]

Hi Shawn,

Quite honestly, it takes quite a bit of money to set up a seahorse tank properly. The majority set them up using at least some live rock to help keep water parameters stable. Assuming you only put 30 or 40 lbs of live rock in the tank, you're still talking a few hundred dollars just for the rock.

It's possible to set up a tank without using live rock, however, it would really take lots of skill and time keeping water parameters in check. Seahorses are very messy eaters and water quality deteriorates very quickly unless the tank is cared for on a very regular basis.

It cost me around $500 to set up my bowfront as a seahorse tank when I did it. Not including the seahorses. If you're on a very tight/limited budget without much income...you may have a tough time with seahorses. Not that it would be impossible...just not real easy

If it's still something you think you can handle, we'd all be glad to give you ideas of what is a MUST to purchase....so you can get an idea of the money involved.

Tom

[Fredfish]

If you are serious about this, see if there is a local salt water aquarium club, join and ask lots of questions about setting up a tank. You will get lots of good info, and will make some good local contacts that can help you out in many ways including saving some money on your setup.

Of course, first you have to convince at least one parent that joining a club will be an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons so you can get to monthly meetings.

Fred

[[17]shawn[17]]

thanks for the help guys/girls i think im going to give this one more thought i just donr think i would be able to keep up with fedings plus my 20gal is kind if steeling every penny i got (just got new lights )

[Fredfish]

Good thinking Shawn. You have lots of time to set up a second tank. I just noticed your location in your profile. London has both a fresh and saltwater club. Rayjay, who posts here every once in a while is from London and had seahorses.

Fred

[edshern]

Shawn,
Try making up a budget to see how much it would cost to put together.
1-Don't forget anything that is needed in the setup &,
2-don't forget to think about how much it will cost to maintain.
I agree with everyone that this can be an expensive hobby, but the exercise of trying to figure out what it would take to create a tank can be a great lesson, and you may even be able to figure out how to pull it off.
good luck

[pledosophy]

Your young, you have good kidney's, sell one on the black market. Will cover the cost of the tank for shizzle.

[billr]

You could pay for your first semester in college for what you would spend getting everything set up. Big expence. Something to think about.

[[17]shawn[17]]

Originally posted by billr
You could pay for your first semester in college for what you would spend getting everything set up. Big expence. Something to think about.

meh i could pay for a semester but i dont have to, my parents will take care of it

[billr]

Help your parents out a little and put the money towards books then. Aquariums are like vehicles, nice to have but expensive to own. I am sure you'll be wanting a new car some day and you will be a better person later in life if you help your parents out with those things you want and not just take it for granted that they will give it all to you thenselves. Good luck in all you new adventures..........

[ATX aquarist]

Psh, I'm 18 and have been keeping salt water tanks for 5 years with no issues. I even raised money to tour the Hawaiian Islands for a month over the summer, I paid for the whole trip, gas, food, and a 26 gallon sps and clam reef and have still raised a few thousand for college savings. I got my first job when I was 16 at Outback steak house, make about $250 a week. Just put 1/3 away to savings and the other 2/3 on disposable income, you can make a mighty beautiful reef if you manage your money sartly.

[[17]shawn[17]]

Originally posted by billr
Help your parents out a little and put the money towards books then. Aquariums are like vehicles, nice to have but expensive to own. I am sure you'll be wanting a new car some day and you will be a better person later in life if you help your parents out with those things you want and not just take it for granted that they will give it all to you thenselves. Good luck in all you new adventures..........

well i got the car part covered to lol
but i get the point

[scapes]

nice parents

[fours2many]

Honestly I wish I had seahorses at 15. Would have given me an intrest and kept me out of trouble.

You said you have a tank.

You would need live rock (you can pick that up very cheap from someone that is tearing a tank down, just make sure they used no copper/ or other meds)I just bought some at $2.00/lb from someone getting out of reefing.

Join a reef club and ask for a cup of live sand.

You really do NOT need special lights for a seahorse tank, unless you want to have macro algae in the tank.

A good skimmer, seahorses are dirty eaters and poopers.

good test kits

That is really about it.

Maybe some plastic plants for hitching posts?

Small power head

If your house stays cool, you shouldn't need a chiller

I would really like to know why I hear so many adults tell young people not to have saltwater. My children have everything from seahorses, to toads, tree frogs, fresh water and each have their own nano tanks. (I have the reef tanks, they are all mine) They love taking care of everything. They feed them and do water changes. Even test the water, heck the even help make the water for water changes. I get more compliments from the people in our reef group about the wonderful job my kids are doing. It really peaks their intrest and they love to try new things. Their friends are jealous. But most of all they LOVE their animals. All of them. I feel that if a 15 year old wants a tank, we should help him, not turn him away.

Kristin

[scapes]

ok Shawn, in response to Kristin, this is the cost of my "basic seahorse setup" of the two I have.

got a deal on 35g hex w/ stand at LFS, came w/ the basic fluorescent light fixture $200+tax
hitching post(I got a REALLY big one, you could get smaller $90+tax
got sand from my other established aquarium (sure LFS would give you a handful) free
4 medium female Erectus's w/appendages from www.dracomarine.org $64.99 each +shipping
HOT filter(probably could get one cheaper) $100+tax
Walmart filter $20 maybe
threw in some existing corals from other tank (you don't need to to save $$)

So, that comes to $670 not including taxes and shipping. This, I would consider a VERY BASIC setup. You could even go cheaper and not buy so many horses.

I've done this for a year now, much success. you of course need to start slow, w/ patience, so you could even pace yourself in your purchases to save $ if you need to. horses don't need special lighting, only required if you have corals. I have upgraded my lighting fixture just b/c I do have a couple zoa's and soft corals. but, it's not needed for SH's.

Hope this helps and good luck!
julie

[[17]shawn[17]]

Kristin & julie thanks for the kind words

so far i got
20gal and stand-free from old setup

65pc lighting-free from my reef i upgraded to a MH

powerhead- free my friend got a five finger discount for me

ac300-free from FW tank

im just waiting to fing a good price on LR and a skimmer and up it goes

thanks to every one who has commented i hope to be setup this sprint/early summer

[[17]shawn[17]]

double

[pledosophy]

I wouldn't go about posting that you have or are using stolen equipment. Not cool.