New seahorse tank design

[indoreefer]

Now that I am at work I have the time to talk about my possible seahorse set up.

Option #1
Have three tanks on a rack. The top tank will be a refugium with turtle grasses, a deep sand bed, and some live rock with lots of copepods, amphipods, nassarius snails, and maybe some mushrooms or leathers. (So that it is functional and attractive)
The middle tank will be where the seahorses will be. I will have some more turtle grass, deep enough sand bed for the turtle grass, some life rock, gorgonians for hitching, nassarius snails, and maybe some more mushrooms or soft coral that would be safe.
The bottom tank will be the sump with more sand, nassarius snails, live rock, and filter system.
All three tanks will be 24x24x12.

I am not sure on the circulation system yet or the filtration. Any suggestions.


Option #2
Also a refugium of the same size and sump of the same size, but the shelf that held the sea horse tank would actually have 4 tanks, each 12x12x12.

I am going to try using pvc capped at both ends with holes drilled evenly spaced down the front. That way the thought is that the water will be moving more at the top than the bottom, but hopefully there will still be movement. I am also toying with the idea of using a squid to have alternating flow to simulate waves. The water would be coming from the sump. The tank would have two return bulkheads with pvc connecting to them. It would be cut in half so it looked like a trough, but the top would be covered with a mesh like what Florida Aquafarms uses in their rotifer strainers. Water from the sump would also go up to the refugium as mentioned previously. The refugium would drain into the surface area of the seahorse tank to agitate the water and allow the pods from the refugium to float down. What do you think? Some of the ideas were variations from what I have read on RC.

On both of the input and return lines I was going to cover the holes and overflow with the 53 micron mesh. I want the seahorses and any possible fry to be safe. So it sounds like you are saying that Option #2 would be best with the smaller tanks that are 12x12x12.
I don't want to use power heads at all, but I thought an external pump from the sump to the tank with a squid would be safe. NO INTERNAL PUMPS OR OTHER ITEMS TO HURT THE HORSES!


Let me know what you think.

[indoreefer]

Bump...No body wants to give suggestions or make comments?
:(

[Seahorsewisprer]

How did I miss this post? I've been on vacation, but I really like the new ideas coming in for dwarfs. I'm really hoping we can come up with better and better ways of making viable systems for these tiny fish.

I really like your idea of different tanks to add more volume. I've seen a lot of threads from people who have cooked their fish. I think it's very difficult to keep tiny tanks a stable temp. And, with the high bioload these fish produce, your use of seagrass is a great idea. I've been researching a bunch in the macro forum, and turns out they are quite the nutrient sponge!

Can I ask about the micron mesh? Would that be to protect the fry from entering the sump? I've found my rotifer seive to need freq soaking in vinager to keep it workable, I wonder if it might clog quickly in your design. You might not need something that small. I think you might be able to use just cloth or work something with the plastic needlepoint mesh. With a spread out area, there is less suctiopn in any one spot. I use the plastic mesh on my overflow to my sump, and fry are able to hitch on it safely.

One thing I've found problematic is amphopods. With no predator they grow to huge sizes and quickly over run a tank. I have seen them grab fry and they make me nervous with my adults when the lights go out! I've seperated my tank into 2 sections, and have dwarfs on one side and a grow out tank for my baby H reidi on the other. The reidi eat the amphopods. I also keep a peppermint shrimp in the grow out side to eat hydroids. I tried to set it up so I could trade the seahorses every once in a while, but so far I've only had to do it once.

Good luck! keep us posted!

[indoreefer]

On the micron mesh? I wasn’t sure what size I would need. It’s purpose is to help keep the fry safe. If need I would have two or three sets already made so I could switch them out to clean as needed or use a larger size.
The copepods will be in the sump and refugium, but they have the capability to go through the outgoing bulkhead to the main tank. I could use a larger micron mesh that would allow the smaller copepods to go through but keep the bigger ones out. But if copepods are not a good thing due to their size, what would you suggest as a good alternative. I would like to feed live food. Also, once any fry are born I would move them to a different tank. They would get the same water, but not be about to get the copepods, filter, screening, etc.
So would you recommend peppermint shrimp in the refugium and sump. Would they eat the copepods? Thank you for the commends.

[Seahorsewisprer]

I'm not sure if the pepperments eat copepods, but I'm pretty sure they don't eat amphopods. I had a very large outbreak until I put some amphopod eaters in the system.

Copepods are great food. My herd snick them up quickly. I have to grow them in a seperate culture, though. They don't seem to grow quick enough in a system where they are so yummy! I have innoculated my sump a few times, but even in the sump, where there are no predators, I rarely see one.

Micron mesh is so pricey. The places I've found it only sell big pieces. Maybe you know someone to go in together? I have just cloth in my tank. If you look at the type of material in a brine shrimp net, you can see what kind of cloth will keep bbs in. Maybe if just small baby amphopods go through, the dwarfs will eat them? The fry don't need micron mesh.

For live food, OceanPods has a mix of copepods that I've been able to culture for a few months now. I had them for longer until a stinkin' rotifer got in the culture! I bagged the rotifers and got a new culture. They are really easy to culture. I use live phyto, but you can use paste. I also have a continuous culture of brine shrimp, also very easy to grow. I do have to hatch new eggs every few days or so, just because I want to be sure I have enough small food for the fry.

I am so excited for you and your tank. Sounds hot!

[indoreefer]

I am excited too, I can't wait to get it all set up. I will post pics when I do. Thanks for the info and comments.

[rkl303]

Can't wait to see it either.

Also I'm not sure but this may be a cheaper way around the micron mesh alternative because you might be able to use the screening that we use for exterior doors and windows. I'd ask the DIY thread to see if it leechs any materials but I bet you could find it in a fiberglass or something form...which should be reef save

[indoreefer]

I have an additional option for my setup. I have a 100g rubbermaid stock tank that I was looking at one time to use as a sump for my reef tanks, but haven't yet. Would it be beneficial to hook up my reef tanks and my seahorse tanks to the same sump? That would give me 300 to 500g of water! More water makes stability and chemistry better right, but would it be better for my future horses and my reefs?
Thanks in advance?

[lakehorse61]

i hadnt read your post before but.....

i had babies this morning & wasnt ready. i did move the stallion to a fish bowl nursery but had decided to use a tank set up like what you have.

i bought a 30 gallon oceanic cube and i want to put a 10 gallon sump & a 10 gallon refusium but i am not sure how to connect them all together either. i bought a cool overflow box like i havent seem before. the 2 - 10 gallon tanks will fit under the cabinet neatly.

but how to connect?

did yo come up with anything..........

[Samala]

Indo this is for the larger breeds of horses right? Not dwarfs? I think Aero has all of hers hooked in line together for one incredibly stable system like you are suggesting. As long as you have no fear of hydroids - no dwarfs, and no fry tanks in the line - then I cant really see why you couldnt do it. Personally I'm not afriad of hydroids but then I havent exactly lost anything to them yet (nor have I seen them yet... hmmm) but with reef tanks in line I think it would be inevitable to get them eventually into the SH tanks. With dwarf and fry that could be a headache.

I think the seagrass you are planning in to the seahorse tanks will really help pull out some extra phosphate and nitrates in the other systems. I cant see it hurting.

Oh yeah.. dont forget to post some pictures when you've got things going! We love pictures.. :D

>Sarah

[indoreefer]

I will definately post pics when I am done. If I have foam filters inbetween the tanks will that not keep things out? Would I need UV filters? I was looking at having foam filters on all outgoing bulkheads except for the refugiums that would give the SH tanks their extra live foods. So if I want to have dwarfs and fry attached inline I need them to have their own sump?

[indoreefer]

I have part of the glass for the dwarf tanks and get the rest of it tomorrow or friday. Saturday I plan on drilling the glass for the bulkheads, then put it together. I am still looking for a 75g-120g tank for the display/sump. I will keep you posted.

[indoreefer]

I just received the rest of the glass and I will be cutting holes for the bulkheads over the next few days. I will post pics as soon as possible.

[indoreefer]

There has been alot of looks, but not many responses! :(
I have started drilling the holes for the input and output bulkheads. Will post pics soon.

[Seahorsewisprer]

I'm waiting for pics!

[indoreefer]

You want pics once my cubes are put together or step by step?
:)

[swedge]

Step by Step :)

[indoreefer]

The first picture is a pvc pipe fitting mod, where I took a ¾ inch T fitting and a ¾ inch male threaded fitting, cutting a ½ inch off of each of them both and then glued them together with pvc cement. This piece will be connected to a bulkhead to regulate incoming water flow into the 12x12x12 inch nano tank.



The second picture shows an expanded and connected incoming water pipe using the above modified piece. The holes are drilled so the water will go across the tank at a 45 degree angle from the bulkheads. The theory behind this piece is that more flow (pressure) will come out of the top holes and less as you continue down the piece of pipe.



The third picture is the back panel of the aquarium. I have drilled 3 holes with my dremel. They are not perfect circles, but they work. The middle hole is for a 1 inch bulkhead, while the other two are ¾ inch. The middle bulkhead for draining to the sump/display tank, which will be either a 75g or 120g aquarium. It will have a foam filter covering it. The two side bulkheads will have the drilled pvc pipe attached.





Will post more tomorrow as I will have more time then. Let me know what you think.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/60784t_mod2.JPG http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/60784t_mod2.JPG http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/60784incoming.JPG

[indoreefer]

Sorry about the duplicate pic. I am new at the picture posting. Here it is.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/60784backpanel2.JPG