I've been reading up, setting up, and I'm finally at a place where my Ponies are on their way!
(Anita, I've been asking similar questions as you, so I share your excitement and confusion! )
I am so excited, but having last minute jitters - I'd appreciate it if you could look over and give me comfort that my set up is good, and clear up some questions.
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My Set up:
37G tank, approx 1/3 volume (30lbs of porous) LR, Remora Pro skimmer, eheim small canister (for added bio and carbon), small powerhead, >1" live sand substrate, fake corals and plants for hitching posts, and 150W 10k Halide with 2x65 Actinic.
Tank has been cycled and steady for almost 2 months. All figures are good. amm 0, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, Ph 8.2, Ca 430, spg 1.0245. Temp generally btwn 77-80F.
So far in the tank: 12 turbo snails, 6 nassarius, 6 bumblebees (the LFS told me they sandsift, and convinced me to get them instead of the nassarius but they don't seem to do much...), 12 bluelegged hermits, 3 small feather dusters, small button polyp, small pagoda cup, and a red scooter blenny (dragonet).
I will put in 4 ponies (h. erectus). Eventually, I am thinking of maybe 2 more tankmate fish, other than a few more small safe corals.
The layout was originally a mountain of LR in the midde with sand around it, but reading Pete's advice to Anita I have rescaped it (oh the horror!) to a pile of rocks along the back, with a open sand bed in the front (where the synthetic coral and plants are). The flow is generally aimed at the walls, to create opposite direction flows along both sides toward the front.
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Is this ok? (I hope so - I did a lot of reading and thinking). Was the Island set up better? I see some people say open space is not as important as vertical, and some say open sand area is good. Will the horses feel too exposed? When you speak of horses wanting "cover" or "privacy", how much is necessary? Are the fake plants sufficient? or do they need to hide behind the LR wall and caves?
Do I need more snails?
I read the advice here on Caulerpa. It is good to hear that the Crash is not necessarily a disaster. But can you explain what it means to "take the entire" frond? Isn't everything connected somewhere? If so, wouldn't you have to break it off somewhere? I would love to have some real macro algae down the line, for realism and nutrient control.
I have seen conflicting advice on turning filters off while feeding. Wouldn't bits get sucked in to the filters and create waste problems? Or is that negligible?
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Finally, tankmates:
I think I want to get a false clown and something else. I'm just not a big fan of the cardinals or firefish. I was looking at a Velvet Fairy Wrasse... but don't see much about them and SH compatibility. Would that be a problem? Any other suggestions (colorful but traditional "fish" shaped fish is what I want)?
Is there a limit on how much coral I can have in the tank? The LFS guy told me they don't count toward tankmate livestock count. Is this true? (Naturally, aside from the room to grow, 6 in separation, etc.)
I really want a Tridacna clam. I have read many conflicting advice on this one (some say no, some say feasible). The sygnathid.org tankmate lists list them as a possible ("3"). I know they are potentially dangerous, if the horses try to land in/on them. My understanding is that it depends, on the specimen, the seahorses, and set up. I have set the tank up with a ledge on the LR toward the top, so the horses can't get above and into the clam. Would this work? Any other advice/suggestions on making it work? I intend to set up the horses first for a while, and keep an eye out to see where they wander around, and where they are unlikely to go, in my tank.
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Thank you guys for this helpful forum and all your advice. I am so excited with my Tank, I sit in front of it already, just looking in - and I don't even have my horses yet!
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Congratulations on your new tank and soon to arrive horses. I have placed the answers to your questions below the question in between the carrots << >>.
37G tank, approx 1/3 volume (30lbs of porous) LR, Remora Pro skimmer, eheim small canister (for added bio and carbon), small powerhead, >1 live sand substrate, fake corals and plants for hitching posts, and 150W 10k Halide with 2x65 Actinic. <<Metal Halides are nice but in reality pose some heat related problems. It is going to be difficult to keep your tank temp in an acceptable range. >>
Tank has been cycled and steady for almost 2 months. All figures are good. amm 0, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, Ph 8.2, Ca 430, spg 1.0245. Temp generally btwn 77-80F. <<77 to 80 is to warm for seahorses. The recommended temp for tropical seahorses is between 74 and 76 >>.
So far in the tank: 12 turbo snails, 6 nassarius, 6 bumblebees (the LFS told me they sandsift, and convinced me to get them instead of the nassarius but they don't seem to do much...), 12 bluelegged hermits, 3 small feather dusters, small button polyp, small pagoda cup, and a red scooter blenny (dragonet). <<Nass snails sand sift more then Bumblebees do IME. I keep and recommend 1.5 Nass snails per gallon. >>
I will put in 4 ponies (h. erectus). Eventually, I am thinking of maybe 2 more tankmate fish, other than a few more small safe corals.
The layout was originally a mountain of LR in the midde with sand around it, but reading Pete's advice to Anita I have rescaped it (oh the horror!) to a pile of rocks along the back, with a open sand bed in the front (where the synthetic coral and plants are). The flow is generally aimed at the walls, to create opposite direction flows along both sides toward the front. << Sounds fine>>
Is this ok? (I hope so - I did a lot of reading and thinking). Was the Island set up better? I see some people say open space is not as important as vertical, and some say open sand area is good. Will the horses feel too exposed? When you speak of horses wanting cover or privacy , how much is necessary? Are the fake plants sufficient? or do they need to hide behind the LR wall and caves? << I think your current arrangement is probably better than your original. Vertical space is important but so is horizontal space. I would say they are equally important. The horses do very well at finding cover in and around the rock if you provided spaces. Fake plants and LR with caves and holes should be just fine. >>
Do I need more snails? <<Yes I would recommend 1.5 nass snails per gallon.>>
I read the advice here on Caulerpa. It is good to hear that the Crash is not necessarily a disaster. But can you explain what it means to take the entire frond? Isn't everything connected somewhere? If so, wouldn't you have to break it off somewhere? I would love to have some real macro algae down the line, for realism and nutrient control. <<The frond refers to the branch or leaf in some cases depending on the particular plant. Yes everything is connected somewhere. Pruning the branches of caulerpa is like pruning a tree or land plant. Macros are great for nutrient export as well as creating a natural environment. >>
I have seen conflicting advice on turning filters off while feeding. Wouldn't bits get sucked in to the filters and create waste problems? Or is that negligible? <<Canister filters need to be frequently cleaned for this reason. The reason to turn the filter off during feeding is so the food does not blow all over the tank and so the horses can easily get to it without exhausting themselves. Feeding stations work well and allow feeding with the filter on. You can see Pete’s article on www.wetwebmedia.com in the Conscientious Aquarist online magazine. It was in the Sept/Oct issue.
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Finally, tankmates:
I think I want to get a false clown and something else. I'm just not a big fan of the cardinals or firefish. I was looking at a Velvet Fairy Wrasse... but don't see much about them and SH compatibility. Would that be a problem? Any other suggestions (colorful but traditional fish shaped fish is what I want)? << Do you have a species name for the wrasse you are considering? The only problem I see is possibly the size of the tank depending on the species you have chosen. It maybe a bit small. The Assessors make nice tankmates. The yellow one is quite bright and colorful. The Lined Wrasses are small and colorful. >>
Is there a limit on how much coral I can have in the tank? The LFS guy told me they don't count toward tankmate livestock count. Is this true? (Naturally, aside from the room to grow, 6 in separation, etc.) << Keep in mind the seahorses need free space to swim and move about. If you pack the tank with corals you will minimize their swimming space.>>
I really want a Tridacna clam. I have read many conflicting advice on this one (some say no, some say feasible). The sygnathid.org tankmate lists list them as a possible ( 3 ). I know they are potentially dangerous, if the horses try to land in/on them. My understanding is that it depends, on the specimen, the seahorses, and set up. I have set the tank up with a ledge on the LR toward the top, so the horses can't get above and into the clam. Would this work? Any other advice/suggestions on making it work? I intend to set up the horses first for a while, and keep an eye out to see where they wander around, and where they are unlikely to go, in my tank.
Hmmmm that’s interesting I wrote the syngnathid.org tankmate list and do not recall including clams in the list. You must be confused with another site. IMO and E Clams are not a good idea. Once you get your seahorses you will see they are very good at getting into places you never would have thought they could get into. I would caution you against the clams
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Thank you guys for this helpful forum and all your advice. I am so excited with my Tank, I sit in front of it already, just looking in - and I don't even have my horses yet! << Yes it is very exciting. I can certainly relate. I remember waiting for my first seahorses and I am waiting, as I type, for a new pair due to arrive tomorrow. You’re most welcome and best of luck to you with your new tank and horses,
HTH,
Leslie
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I got the Halides with the idea of getting clams... Ack. If I have to get PCs now, it would be such a waste... I have the lid open, and it seems to be stable temperature. But I suppose if I have to get a chiller that would cost about the same...
I have read Pete's article, and am excited about it.
Thanks again for your time and advice
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Ya know a chiller will cost more than PCs and I bet you could sell your halides.
Leslie
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Anita
User Big Kauna
Posts: 66
Karma: 0
Re:New SH tank keeper - guidance appreciated! - 2005/11/03 01:07Yes, I'm very excited also. Setting up my tank is the worst part though! Good luck with your tank, post some pictures when you get a chance.
Anita
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LordProcrastinator
User Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 38
Karma: 2
Re:New SH tank keeper - guidance appreciated! - 2005/11/03 04:38I will try to take pics when my ponies are set up! For me, Anita, set up of the tank was fun and quick. I used a bag of Live Sand and Cured LR and it cycled faster than I imagined. At day 4 it was almost done (ammonia and nitrates were 0, nitrite was below 10)... I couldn't believe it so I kept looking and testing, but it never spiked. in fact, I don't think I ever saw ammonia spike. 2 weeks later things were still good, so I started stocking the clean up crew. Then a few more weeks later, my soft corals, and so on. And you know, I was sitting in front of the tank even when there was only rocks - it's still very facsinating. (I don't know what that says about me, maybe I need more excitement in my life? )
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