Pete Giwojna
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Re:Tank Question - 2008/06/19 00:41
Dear MyDanes:
The Square Aqua Tower Aquarium is an interesting concept and it would certainly make a unique setup that would be quite a conversation piece, but I don't think it is a good choice as a seahorse tank. Because of its unusual dimensions (12"L x 12"W x 70.5"H) this would be a very difficult aquarium to service and maintain. You literally would not be able to reach the bottom of the aquarium to do any aquascaping, vacuum the undergravel filter bed, clean up leftovers and uneaten food, or to remove the seahorses or other fish should they need treatment in a hospital tank. It would be very challenging to feed the seahorses their frozen Mysis in a tank like this, since the ponies will be orienting to the substrate at the bottom of the tank, and you would have to introduce the frozen Mysis at the top of the tank almost 6 feet above them. As a result, I can foresee problems with a lot of spoilage and wastage in an aquarium due to its unique shape and extreme height.
Of course, adequate height is very important for a seahorse setup, but our ponies also appreciate plenty of horizontal swimming space and elbow room, and with its 12" x 12" footprint, this tank is pretty cramped in that regard. I don't believe large seahorses such as Mustangs or Sunbursts (Hippocampus erectus) would be comfortable in the close confines of this particular tank.
This tank has very limited surface area for its height, which could lead to poor gas exchange at the air/water interface. This would be a further exacerbated by the marginal water circulation that would be expected for an aquarium 6 feet tall that relies on a 12" x 12" undergravel filter as the primary means of biological filtration and water movement.
If the undergravel filters at the bottom of the tank are air operated, which seems to be the case since the aquarium package includes an air pump, that could result in problems with gas supersaturation. Airstones, air lifts, bubble wands and the like can cause problems if they are too deep because they will cause gas to dissolve in water to match the ambient pressure (the current atmospheric pressure) PLUS the pressure of the water column above the stone. If they are immersed at a depth greater than about 30 inches, the pressure of the water column above them may be sufficient to cause low-level gas supersaturation of the water, especially when there is little atmosphere/water interface (Colt & Westers, 1982). For example, Robin Weber found that airstone submerged in reservoirs 3 feet deep produced gas supersaturation at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The airstones produced supersaturation at a level of about 104%, and the only cases of gas bubble syndrome she has ever observed at the aquarium occurred in the most supersaturated exhibits. In the case of the Square Aqua Tower Aquarium, the bubble stream from the undergravel air lifts would be arising from almost 6 feet down, which could result in chronic gas supersaturation of the aquarium water.
So in this case, the extreme height of the aquarium is actually a handicap in many respects. I don't think this is a practical aquarium system for the home hobbyist and I would avoid the Square Aqua Tower Aquarium in favor of a more conventional aquarium that is at least 20 inches tall.
For instance, you might consider going with a system that was designed specifically with seahorses in mind as an alternative to the Aqua Tower tank. For more information on complete aquarium systems that have been designed especially for seahorses, see the assortment of seahorse tanks available from MyFishTank.com at the following URL:
http://www.myfishtank.com/
They are well-design aquarium systems that have adequate height and many of the features that are so desirable for a seahorse system. For example, they include a built-in a 3-in-1 filtration system with a wet/dry trickle filter that accommodates biological, chemical and mechanical filtration media, as well as built-in aquarium heater and an optional Clear-for-Life™ Venturi protein skimmer, all neatly contained and hidden behind a narrow false back. It also comes with a suitable hood and aquarium light, so it includes all of the equipment you need in one aquarium system. That's an excellent filtration system for a seahorse setup and it would also be suitable for supporting an excellent assortment of seahorse-safe soft corals. With the wet/dry trickle filter and a built-in protein skimmer, it has a much more efficient filtration system than the undergravel filters in the Square Aqua Tower Aquarium.
Or if you are looking for a more economical aquarium that would be suitable for a pair of Mustangs or Sunbursts (Hippocampus erectus), a 30-Gallon Tall aquarium would be a better option for you. In that case, for a very affordable aquarium with excellent height and reasonable size, the tank I recommend in that size range is the 30 gallon Extra-High All-Glass Aquarium (24"L x 12"W x 24"H). Any local fish store can special order one for you from All Glass Aquariums and it's an economical tank with very good height for seahorses at 24-inches tall. You can then equip it with a simple, standard, off-the-shelf glass cover and an ordinary off-the-shelf strip reflector with a daylight florescent bulb, and that can form the basis of an inexpensive yet very solid seahorse setup for a pair of medium Sunbursts. That's a seahorse tank that you can set up for a fraction of the cost of the complete aquarium systems from MyFishTank or the Aqua Tower tank that attracted your interest.
If you order the 30 gallon Extra-High All-Glass Aquarium (24"L x 12"W x 24"H) from your LFS, it will come complete with the glass cover and strip reflector/light fixture or a hood for the unit, if you request it, so you won't need to round up those items separately.
Best of luck finding the perfect seahorse tank for your needs and interests, MyDanes!
Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna
Post edited by: Pete Giwojna, at: 2008/06/19 00:46
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