pledosophy

Glad to help. My tank is the exception to the flow rule IMO. When I first started with seahorses the 5x turnover rule of thumb just wasn't enough. So I started playing with stuff and gradually increasing the flow over the last 8 years. My tank was up to the 60x turnover range, but I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Truthfully I'm sure there are far better ways of doing it, I just haven't figured them out yet, or read of the people who have. My tank is a 30g. My sump return is about 300 gph, but I put one of those Penducter things on it so who knows how much that increases it by. I have two koralia nano's, each pointed at specific spots (the sinularia, and the purple gorg). I also have a closed loop that pushes 900 gph into the tank. It returns in the tank by two spraybars that are behind the rocks. I then covered the spraybars with rubble rock. This helps to put a lot of gentle flow through the system, and allow me to keep large piles of rubble rock for pods to breed in without collecting serious detritus. Even with all of that water moving there are places the seahorses can go to to rest, and there food dish is the largest dead spot so the food does not blow out. I planned very hard to give resting spots for the seahorses, I never really saw the seahorses hang out there though, they kinda like the flow IME, but everyone says you need to have them. I would stay away from firehose type powerheads or returns, get the style that have a broad base like the koralia nano's or a Seio. The larger koralia's are not seahorse safe. Seio's are with the guards are also safe. As much as I love Maxijets for everything, they are not so good in the tank either. Best is to go through a closed loop so there are no powerheads in the tank, but that is it's own challenge. IF you decide to go through with it I'd be glad to help out. I've been kinda popular at helping people design there systems for awhile now. Seahorse.org is a good site to read up on them. My username there is Kevin.

college . . . . . .

Pat yourself on the back for that one.

Nice to know Randy. I will pick up the magazine. I do know of them and have been following there feeding updates a little bit. I wonder if the CB ones are more likely to accept prepared foods for life. Thanks.

Are these the ones they are breeding or the ones that are bred in large nets in the ocean and then sold as TR, or CB? (laugh) In the ocean many species are commonly found at higher temperatures, up to the mid 80's. They don't do so well longterm in the home aquarium at these temperatures IME. I am of the belief the seahorses can be (and most often are) asymptomatic carriers for various strains of bacteria, but often strains of vibrio. These bacterias growth rate is greatly affected by temperature. At a temperature of 74F the bacteria's growth rate is slowed and it's protein structure actually changes. At higher temperatures the bacteria is much more virtulent and more likely to cause problems IME. You will see a large rise in seahorse disease in the summer months, when the temps get up a bit. Putting seahorses in a tank that is 80F should not kill them by itself. But IME it will put them at a higher risk to bacterial infection. Since I have been keeping seahorses there average lifespan has increased by 4 years or so, much of that can be attributed to the lower temperature IMO. I would not keep either of those above 74F. The only exception I have made was for comes. They do better around 76F. At 74F they were very lethargic IME. Where as with kuda and reidi I saw no change in behavior from 68F to 80F. I have kept Reidi as low as 64F to treat disease. I keep all fry in the 60's range as well. It's just a suggestion, not a criticism. I don't mean to be up on a soap box, I'll step off.

Not enough beer in the World Benny. Sorry.

I would say tropical species should be kept between 68-74F. I set my heater at 68F. If I have the ice probe set to come on at 73F. I use a clip on fan for most of my cooling. It's pretty easy to keep the tank temp low without any help 90% of the time up here.

See your Dr. and get some antibiotics (laugh)(laugh)(laugh)(laugh)(laugh)(laugh)(laugh)(laugh)

ooopsie. . . . . ..

I got something for Benny but it's not a tank If you want to talk horses, I know . . . well more then most. Some of the lionfish are cool. The Dendrochirus zebra and the Dendrochirus barberi are pretty dope. There are a few different puffers that might be worth moving the corals out depending on how they would do with the macro's. THen there are the leaf fish. Maybe a combination. Then there is the nagging fact I have had a seahorse/seahorses for the last 8 years. Maybe pipefish would be a cool change. The dragon faced are nice as are the alligators. For seahorse species, if they are in captivity I can get them with the exception of the zebra's, so there are some cool options there. . . ? ? ? ? I have always wanted to breed comes or hybrid comes and barbouri. Hmmmmmm.

my friend, don't start away uneasy I saw Jethro Tull live in the late 90's. They rolled Ian Anderson out on the stage in a wheel chair. They opened with Passion Play. He started with the saddest flute solo you have ever heard. Then he jump up and danced around and played phenominal music for three hours. It was quite astonishing at first though. I do love Ian Anderson, he is amazing. I got all holier then though in high school and was opposed to Jethro Tull for the song My God. First time my pops sat me down and told me what was up. That whole album changed my life for the better. Anyways . . . Sandpaper

So I have been a seahorse guy for the last 8+ years. It's been fun, but I might be over it. I setup a reef a couple years ago and really enjoy it. Last week I lost my last seahorse so here I have this awesome planted tank with no fish in it. Any ideas what to do with it? I do want to keep it as a planted setup. Have been thinking about leaf fish or something along those line. Have also been thinking of a lion fish species (Dendrochirus barberi). Maybe pipefish, or perhaps maybe just a different species of seahorse. . . What to do with the empty tank . . . ? ? ?

This hobby was recommended to my Grandfather after his first heart attack to help him relax. He started breeding Angel fish in the 50's. He had 13 or so heart attacks after he started the hobby. I blame the hobby. It had to be the hobby, butter is so healthy.

I dipped a bunch of zoa's with revive recently. I lost a 1/4 of them or so within two weeks. All the rest are fine. It was not effective againast nudibranchs or sponges IME. HTH

Creepy Guy video taping kids playing.

What kind of ballast?

Government Conspiracy.

Ties .

There is a seahorse in there I'm kind of the seahorse guy. You missed the zoa's too I'll get a new pic up soon. Been meaning too. Being a photographer by profession I am the worst at taking pics at home. Might be more because I know how bad the pics of the tanks I take are.

CA2OR (laugh)(laugh)(laugh) (naughty) (rock2)(rock2)

It's pretty fun. Way different from the reef for sure. I just wanted a new challenge. I don't dose phosphates, I just feed more. I did tear out the refugium for awhile and was target feeding LPS down there instead for awhile, but it's setup as a refugium again since some nuissance algae showed up. I need to update my pics of the tank. I'm having a little issue on that, but here is one from October. Tank looks a little different now. I did have to move it a few weeks ago. I'll get some pics up soon.

I keep it in my planted tank with 10 other macro algaes. Mine does not grow so fast but it might be nutrient limited based on it's surroundings. It is a nice algae IMO and does well when it's roots are planted in rock or substrate. JME

I have a few. What do you have for trade? I'd be looking for acans or micro's.

I missed something.

Welcome to the forum.