Setup & questions

[Shorething]

The recommendation for larger species seahorses is 30 gallon tank for 2 and 15 gallons for each additional seahorse.

 

[Colton.]

Ok thank you

 

[Shorething]

If you get a controlable DC pump you can play with the flow. I recommend going bigger. Bigger skimmer too. My 2000 gph pump is running 100% but with my head distance and my manifold that diverts some flow to the uv sterilizer I'm estimating my flow in the display to be about 1300 give or take.

 

[Colton.]

So reef octopus 200int or simplicity 360 DC for skimmers
And Jebao DCP 6500 since wave
Pump?

 

[Shorething]

I like the 200 int but you may want to go with a little bigger pump. You can always turn a DC pump down if you have to

 

[Colton.]

Ok

 

[Colton.]

How about 2250gph?

 

[Colton.]

How about 2250gph?

 

[Colton.]

2250gph or 3180gph?

 

[rayjay]

As I see some MISSINFORMATION posted in this thread, I recommend in addition to the "Keeping Seahorses in Aquaria" series, to also go to Facebook and look at Seahorse Source's Group and then click on "FILES" in the line of links just below the group name. Dan Underwood, probably the most helpful person in the seahorse hobby has assembled a lot of files there to help people in their endeavour to keep seahorses successfully.

 

[Colton.]

I cant do Facebook

 

[Shorething]

There are still alot of resources here on reef2reef. If you read through the stickies at the beginning of this forum there is alot of useful information.
I think the 2250 will be more then enough. You can always dial it back and still have enough flow later to add an algae scrubber, uv sterilizer, etc.

 

[Colton.]

Ok Thanks. Will I need the SW4 wavemakers? Or will the sump return pump provide enough flow? The tank is a SC aquariums 80 ³²*²⁴*²⁴" or 120 ⁴⁸*²⁴*²⁴" or 135 ³⁶*³⁶*²⁴"

 

[Shorething]

There are different opinions on how to approach flow. I primarily use my wave makers to stir up detritus and uneaten food. My filter socks will filter it out for me. My seahorses love the flow in my tank. They will swim up to the opening of my powerhead and let themselves be blown across the tank. Most people remove uneaten food after they feed seahorses. The main reason for this is when the uneaten food lays on the bottom bacteria will colonize on it and if a seahorse picks it up and eats it after that it could lead to bacterial infections.
Just what ever powerhead you use make sure you use a gaurd so there tails dont get cut or damaged. I have a anemone gaurd on my powerhead.

 

[vlangel]

Thank you for the info so 6 SH in the 120? And I've read the seahorses in aquaria that have lots of grate info. So how much flow should my sump have?

You want the flow in your sump to maximize the protein skimmer's efficiency. The use of a well working oversized protein skimmer goes a long way in maintaining a healthy seahorse tank.

 

[Shorething]

Agreed. There are alot of organics when keeping seahorses. You need to have a filtration scheme that is adequate.

 

[vlangel]

Is it possible to keep H. Comes aka tigertail seahorses as my first seahorses?

You can keep H Comes as your first ponies but most in the hobby think they are a little more difficult than H Erectus or even the Brazilian specie. I only kept H Erectus and even they can succumb to infections if one is not vigilant about maintenance.

 

[Colton.]

Ok Thanks

 

[rayjay]

I cant do Facebook

Some of the information is also on his articles page of his website. Articles | Seahorse Source
Also, Dan's more recent recommendation is to use the 25-30g for EACH pair of seahorses.