Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
Little Fish, I posted this shortly after Christmas:
https://www.livingreefs.com/book-review-poseidons-steed-t21831.html
https://www.livingreefs.com/book-review-poseidons-steed-t21831.html
Pony Tank?
- Thread starter little_fish
- Start date
little_fish
Reef pro
That seems like an amazing book, ill have to check it out!
little_fish
Reef pro
Catherine, what temperature do you keep your sea horse tank at?
After doing some research, i think im going to plan on keeping my tank at 75 degC, which is a little warmer than usual, but I would still love to keep a pair of Barbouri someday and they require water temps to be a little higher. I think this might also help with the macro algae. Pete has said that the erectus should be able to handle a wide range of temperatures and should be fine.
After doing some research, i think im going to plan on keeping my tank at 75 degC, which is a little warmer than usual, but I would still love to keep a pair of Barbouri someday and they require water temps to be a little higher. I think this might also help with the macro algae. Pete has said that the erectus should be able to handle a wide range of temperatures and should be fine.
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
You're not planning on mixing species in the same tank are you? There are some VERY strong opinions about that among seahorse keepers. I mixed reidi and erectus in the same tank before I knew differently. I've still got them together but in the future I plan to keep my species in different tanks.
How is your macro/ gorg/ lighting research going?
I keep mine at 70-72 degrees.
Catherine
How is your macro/ gorg/ lighting research going?
I keep mine at 70-72 degrees.
Catherine
little_fish
Reef pro
I was, but i guess i need to do a little more research then. I also havent had much time to look into that, finals is currently dominating my life. But i was planning on going to office depo and looking into getting two clip on lights that i could put 25 W curly q bulbs into, giving me about 50 W, which i think should be right for my 14 gal tank. Also, i currently have a mechanical filter for the tank, but would i be correct in assuming i dont need it, and can get rid of it? I would only have biological filtration, plus water changes.
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
What were you planning on using for your filtration? Seahorses are pigs. A couple times a week I run my water over a GAC for a couple hours.
C
C
little_fish
Reef pro
I was hoping to put in a skimmer in the fall, i was more curious for this summer. Do you think that i should keep it just to polish the water every now and then (for tank in the fall)? It is just a simple activated carbon filter. I didn't think the skimmer would be necessary for this summer.
And i don't know what GAC stands for . . .
And i don't know what GAC stands for . . .
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
GAC: Ground Activated Carbon: I have one of these: Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor That I filled a few inches with this: Two Little Fishies Hydrocarbon 2 Granulated Activated Carbon
That is for the water going to my MAIN TANK. I keep my refugium OUT of that loop because you don't want to KILL your pods you're working so hard to grow. I copied Wonton's idea of this:
Wonton's set up is genius for pod production! If you use a skimmer for your fuge then you're going to have a lot of pod carnage. On your fuge for this summer in my opinion, simple water changes is what you want. I'm not the best resource for this kind of information. I strongly suggest you post a drawing of your 'fuge on the DIY thread on Living Reefs and the guys there will seriously help you out! They really, really know their stuff and have helped me with my set-up on many occasions. I can look at your drawing for artistic value but really, I'm plumbing impaired.
Think of your fuge as one sub-routine in the water cleaning flow chart. Does that help?
Catherine
That is for the water going to my MAIN TANK. I keep my refugium OUT of that loop because you don't want to KILL your pods you're working so hard to grow. I copied Wonton's idea of this:
Wonton's set up is genius for pod production! If you use a skimmer for your fuge then you're going to have a lot of pod carnage. On your fuge for this summer in my opinion, simple water changes is what you want. I'm not the best resource for this kind of information. I strongly suggest you post a drawing of your 'fuge on the DIY thread on Living Reefs and the guys there will seriously help you out! They really, really know their stuff and have helped me with my set-up on many occasions. I can look at your drawing for artistic value but really, I'm plumbing impaired.
Think of your fuge as one sub-routine in the water cleaning flow chart. Does that help?
Catherine
little_fish
Reef pro
Can you describe what is going on this picture, I see the refuge up on upper left corner, and then it looks like you have flow down to the tank on the right, which runs through some piece of equipment, and then into the tub on the right, which seams to be both the inlet and exit. Its the water in the refuge being pumped directly into the tank? I only see one tube.
Also with the protein skimmer, i was thinking about getting a hang on the back one for the main tank, i know they are kinda ugly, but from my brief poking arounds, they seem to be cheaper and they tend to have a smaller rating. Although, it seems like no one make a protein skimmer smaller than 60 gal, although i did find a nano for 20 gal, but that is too small.
Also with the protein skimmer, i was thinking about getting a hang on the back one for the main tank, i know they are kinda ugly, but from my brief poking arounds, they seem to be cheaper and they tend to have a smaller rating. Although, it seems like no one make a protein skimmer smaller than 60 gal, although i did find a nano for 20 gal, but that is too small.
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
Little fish, this isn't my system it's wonton's. Here's a link to her build thread: https://www.livingreefs.com/wontonflips-125g-build-t18305.html
She's got a detailed description of her system on her thread so I'm not going to try and navigate you through it. What I really love about her system is that she sends a separate loop to her mini fuge and that gravity drains back into her tank. If she used a pump to get the water back she would kill pods. Watch the movies she posted, her build thread is really awesome!
I had my protein skimmer on my tank for a long time and really hated it. Not only is it unsightly but it also tends to be a bubble maker and it seemed like no matter what I did I always had micro bubbles in the main tank. You can build a skimmer if you're handy but yeah, they are expensive! Check with Craigs list in your area, someone is getting out of the hobby and you might be able to find a good used one. Really do your research with skimmers because they are expensive and there are a lot of bad ones out there.
Catherine
She's got a detailed description of her system on her thread so I'm not going to try and navigate you through it. What I really love about her system is that she sends a separate loop to her mini fuge and that gravity drains back into her tank. If she used a pump to get the water back she would kill pods. Watch the movies she posted, her build thread is really awesome!
I had my protein skimmer on my tank for a long time and really hated it. Not only is it unsightly but it also tends to be a bubble maker and it seemed like no matter what I did I always had micro bubbles in the main tank. You can build a skimmer if you're handy but yeah, they are expensive! Check with Craigs list in your area, someone is getting out of the hobby and you might be able to find a good used one. Really do your research with skimmers because they are expensive and there are a lot of bad ones out there.
Catherine
little_fish
Reef pro
Opps, sorry i missed that little detail . . .
That is a really great idea, but i don't think ill be able to do it, i don't know how i would be able to get my tank up high because I cant put in shelfs. But perhaps it would be wise to invest in a big, sturdy bookshelf . . .
To avoid total pod destruction, do you think i could pump water into the part of tank containing the skimmer first, let it do its things, and have the return water flow back into the main tank via gravity, and avoid destroying the pods? Or would the skimmer not work as well that way? The only problem with that is I think i would have to get my little tank drilled, which im not sure i can do . . .
urg, really need to start a build thread. I will do that later tonight
That is a really great idea, but i don't think ill be able to do it, i don't know how i would be able to get my tank up high because I cant put in shelfs. But perhaps it would be wise to invest in a big, sturdy bookshelf . . .
To avoid total pod destruction, do you think i could pump water into the part of tank containing the skimmer first, let it do its things, and have the return water flow back into the main tank via gravity, and avoid destroying the pods? Or would the skimmer not work as well that way? The only problem with that is I think i would have to get my little tank drilled, which im not sure i can do . . .
urg, really need to start a build thread. I will do that later tonight
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Ah, I've done some reconfiguring cuz i had problems reaching the fuge for maintenance. This setup is not complicated, but not really for everyone's setup :) I have a whole room to put this stuff in after all! There are simpler ways to do this, but this is just how I chose to set mine up.
First image....the sump below, with a pump -- it's just got enough power to get the water up, but only makes small ripples so the pods can have a peaceful place to grow. I have to add more chaeto. It's all in the sump right now cuz I was doing maintenance.
Yellow arrows show water going up to the fuge. We drilled a hole in this particular fuge (formerly an acryllic sump ) towards the top, and put a bulkhead, sealed it w/ silicone. We wanted to move it further for 2 reasons -- ease of maintenance and to slow the flow into the tank cuz it was rushing out too fast and making too many big bubbles in the tank. Anyway, red shows it travelling through the pipes, slightly angled down of course so it's all gravity fed to the dt.
It goes through a hold in the drywall here. I still get bubbles, but not as much.
Catherine: Did you post pics of your setup? I'd love to see it! :D
First image....the sump below, with a pump -- it's just got enough power to get the water up, but only makes small ripples so the pods can have a peaceful place to grow. I have to add more chaeto. It's all in the sump right now cuz I was doing maintenance.
Yellow arrows show water going up to the fuge. We drilled a hole in this particular fuge (formerly an acryllic sump ) towards the top, and put a bulkhead, sealed it w/ silicone. We wanted to move it further for 2 reasons -- ease of maintenance and to slow the flow into the tank cuz it was rushing out too fast and making too many big bubbles in the tank. Anyway, red shows it travelling through the pipes, slightly angled down of course so it's all gravity fed to the dt.
It goes through a hold in the drywall here. I still get bubbles, but not as much.
Catherine: Did you post pics of your setup? I'd love to see it! :D
Last edited:
little_fish
Reef pro
Thanks wonton! That is an awesome idea! Im going to try and get it work with my tank on a bookshelf (and no, not a flimsy ikea one, that could be disastrous). I guess while i have your attention, what sort of pump do you use to get the water up to the fuge? Also is there a way to get the water into the return line if it is hooked over the edge, because i don't think i can drill my fuge like you have drilled your fuge and tank
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
Little fish, people use little tanks to make a set up just like what you described. You get a little 10 or 20 gallon tank and put baffles in it. Here's a video series on how to do that:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o]YouTube - Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1[/ame]
I build with glass and acrylic all the time because I'm a stained glass artist but I think anyone with a bit of patience and half a brain can make this pretty easy.
I don't have any of my tanks drilled, yet. Working on it.
You don't have to do it like wonton did but hers is really cool! With mine, for now, I just pull pods out with a fine mesh net and put them in my main tank.
Catherine
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o]YouTube - Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1[/ame]
I build with glass and acrylic all the time because I'm a stained glass artist but I think anyone with a bit of patience and half a brain can make this pretty easy.
I don't have any of my tanks drilled, yet. Working on it.
You don't have to do it like wonton did but hers is really cool! With mine, for now, I just pull pods out with a fine mesh net and put them in my main tank.
Catherine
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Well, the pump I'm using now to get water into the fuge is so old that it has no labels....it's got to be at least 6 or 7 years old. I have no clue what gph it puts out (never tested it).
If you do not drill your fuge, you'll have to use an overflow setup like this:
CPR CS Overflow Boxes
You can always check with your lfs if any of them are selling their predrilled 10 or 20g for cheap :) I got my 20g intake sump predrilled for $25 used. Check craigslist, too.
Whatever pump you use to get water up to the fuge make sure it does not make it too turbulent for the pods,
Have you considered a HOB fuge? Those are nice, too! Very compact!
If you do not drill your fuge, you'll have to use an overflow setup like this:
CPR CS Overflow Boxes
You can always check with your lfs if any of them are selling their predrilled 10 or 20g for cheap :) I got my 20g intake sump predrilled for $25 used. Check craigslist, too.
Whatever pump you use to get water up to the fuge make sure it does not make it too turbulent for the pods,
Have you considered a HOB fuge? Those are nice, too! Very compact!
little_fish
Reef pro
I would like my system to be attached to the tank to increase the water volume though, but i think i will have to go by a glass shop to get it done, because i dont have the tools to do that myself. I think i will be reversing the system though, i would like the part of fuge part of the tank to be the return to the DT so that whole pods will flow down there.
little_fish
Reef pro
Well, i already have a 14 gal tank that i want to turn into a fuge, so im building off of that.
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Are you still talking using gravity to get the water from the fuge to the DT? Cuz that's what the HOB overflow would do--it uses gravity to pull the water into the tank, and a siphon to pull the water from the fuge area to the overflow part that eventually ends up back in the tank. No electrical parts; strictly siphon and gravity, and it will eliminate the need for you to drill the fuge. Pods would still safely get into the DT.
Picasso
Seahorse Whisperer
+1 wonton, LOVE my HOB overflow!
c
c
little_fish
Reef pro
That is excellent! I hadn't had a chance to check that link, and i think that is exactly what i need!
Thanks!
Thanks!
