My new project

Fireworm · 08-15-2007, 10:48 PM

Well this is my first time posting on this site. So hello to everyone. I have been looking into doing a sea horse tank for about a year now. I have done some research on which horses to buy, and have decided to try the redi. One of the LFS's have been quite helpful in my information search. What I have now is a 29g reef tank, with a wide variety of coral. I want to set up a 20g tall fuge for my reef tank, and in this fuge have 1 pair of sh.

I have a hang on back fuge now on the 29, but it is more of a bother than anything. It is to small. I plan on taking the HOB fuge and putting that on the 20tall, probably filled with carbon. I plan on taking sand an live rock out of my reef to start the new tank.

The part I am having problems with is how to plumb the 2 together. I will get the 20 drilled for a return and a drain, but what pump should I use to get the water from the reef to the fuge tank. The fuge will sit on top of a book shelf that is next to the reef. The fuge will sit higher than the reef. Where do I need to drill the holes for the drain and return in the 20t?What pump should I use to get the water to the fuge? At best I will have 2 - 2 1/2 feet of pipe from the reef to the fuge. Any suggestions?

**CarmieJo** · 08-15-2007, 10:57 PM

Hello Fireworm and

to TR.

Mark has an above the tank sump/fuge. Here is a thread about My All New Above Tank Gravity Feed Refugump

rarelyseriousb · 08-16-2007, 06:59 PM

a couple of things. for SH make sure you cruse over to sea horses dot org. they are great people. All the info for SH you need is over there.

putting SH in the fuge might be hard to pull of. Make sure the temp at the fuge can stay at 74. this is warmer than most reefs so that can be a problem. Also it the 20 high is taler than the other tank I would keep them close together. if the hight is to great you will need a stronger pump. this might create to much flow threw the tank for SH. also if the water is falling to fall it will be louder. plus if you lose power you would flood the tank because of the water in the PVC. Drill the tank high in opposite corners. or opposite pains of class also at the top. put baffles in the fuge to keep it from draining more than about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. If you are keeping SH in it you need to keep the flow to the fuge slow.

saxman · 08-16-2007, 07:21 PM

a 20T is really on the hairy edge of being too small. SH represent a huge bioload on a system, and you'll be hard-pressed to keep up with water quality.

also, as mentioned, 74*F is about as high a temp as you should keep tropical SH. the reason being that SH are extremely susceptible to bacterial infections, and the bacterial count in a warm tank is quite high, a good deal higher than a cooler tank. we see LOTS of SH getting sick when the summer temps raise peeps' tank temps.

another issue with plumbing the two systems together is that the SH tank is going to pull the water quality in your reef down.

when it comes time to get your SH, i can't stress the recommendation of getting TRUE CB SH from a reputable breeder or hobbyist breeder. most of the SH you see in the LFS are raised in net pens in the ocean, and are subject to the same pathogens as WC's and should be prophylactically treated accordingly. i should add that these SH are usually touted as being TR specimens. these fish have been raised for traditional Chinese medicine, and were never really meant to be sold as aquarium stock, altho they do make it into the trade. most folks have had dismal results with them. they are typically H. kuda, altho there have been some questionable H. kelloggi and some H. reidi as well. also, there have been a lot of cases where these SH may or may not take frozen mysis, or stop eating it. true CB's are disease free and will come to you happily eating frozen mysis.

sorry for the long post, but that's the skinny...

Fireworm · 08-16-2007, 08:50 PM

Thanks for the info. I have checked out sh.org and love it. I have been reading a little each day. The LFS that I trust in my area for trhe horses assures that they are true CB. They eat mysis straight from his hand. I have been in the shop when he recieved a shipment and watched them feed minutes after being released in th tank. I have been successful at keeping my tank temp at 78 for a week now. I think i can get it lower, i just have to redo my aquascape t o gain access to my heater to turn it down.

The LFS that I trust for stock such as the horses sells only H.reidi, and the one that is closest to my house where I buy my water is starting to sell H.kelloggi. I have read that the second is not a good choice and I am not sure of the the orgin of the horses. The trusted LFS has bought from his vendor in California for years. He has told me that he would show me the video of their operation for the care and upbringing of the horses if I want to.

I am still very much in the planning stages and don't plan on doing anything for a while yet. I really want to make sure that I have all my ducks in a row on this one. I have listened to the TR pod cast on seahorses, and still need to download #36 ? yet to listen to the original one. Is there any others out there that you guys know of? I listen to my mp3 at work all day long at it helps to pass the time.

tim · 08-19-2007, 12:21 AM

good luck with your plans. just remember to take it slow and do it right the first time.