Ideal parameters for Seahorses?

I have a 55 gal with some Hippo Reidi. They have been doing well for about 7 months. Does anyone specialize in seahorse keeping and can recommend ideal water parameters for these critters? I've been in the hobby for 20 years or so but have decided to takle the ponnies. Have had the tank up and running with a pair for 1 year now. Temp is always below 74, using a Fluval 304 with high end carbon, lots of caelerpa for natural appearance, ramora skimmer, compacts, LR, no other fish, one brain coral, lots of janitors. Lately, I've noticed a drop in energy level and a few of my paramaters are off: Ammonia up, KH at 50. I'll be doing a 20% water change tonight. But does anyone have the unoficial rule book for these guys?

Thanks.

 

water parameters have to be perfect! Seahorses are also very hard to keep to and i'm expecting you've kept them well ... hope there doing good to.

 

There area couple of memebers that have, or have attempted sea horse tanks. I will give you a bump so maybe one of them will see the thread.

 

Thanks

 

First off, I'm a bit confused as you say that you've had your reidi doing well for 7 months and then later you mentioned the tank has been set up with a pair for a year now. Does that mean you've had the pair for a year and only 7 months of that time they have been doing well?
You haven't said what level of ammonia is present, but for any fish, including seahorses, the test should read zero ammonia. In the very short term it will be an irritant but quickly becomes a lethal matter. It could explain a drop in energy level. I personally would immediately add something like ClorAm-X or Prime to bind up the ammonia until you get the system under control and fix the source of ammonia. Water changes would be a given, but how many and how much would perhaps depend on the source of the ammonia. Something has died off and is decaying to produce ammonia.
If you have nothing like Prime to bind the ammonia then it would be best to transfer the seahorses to a hospital tank with new water matched for temperature and pH until you get the display tank sorted out.
As for the KH, I'm assuming the 50 is in ppm and if so, is low. However, that in itself is not a problem for seahorses unless the pH is also out of whack by a long shot as in perhaps below 7.5
IME, the biggest killer of seahorses is bacteria infestations but the second biggest would be pathogens related to those pathogens picked up from exposure to other fish not bred in the same facility as the seahorse.
You seem to have been doing fine with the bacteria end of it for longer than a lot of new keepers and with that temperature it will limit the rate of growth of bacteria that are present in the system.
I would be watchful with the cannister filter and maintain a regular cleanout of it as they can be a quick source of spreading bacteria if left without frequent cleanouts.

 

Yes, to be more clear, I have had the horses for about 7 months, the tank has been running for about a year. Before that I kept only some shrimps and some inverts as I was not sure what I was going to keep yet. But the water and live rock were transferred in from my larger well established tank across the room.

Yes, I have replaced the carbon and have cleaned the Fluval. I have also done a few 10% water changes now. Ammonia is down, and KH is back up. So it looks like I have done what I needed to do in the nick of time.

Hopefully I can keep them going strong. Each day is a learning curve and although I have been keeping marine fish for a very long time, I still feel that I am not invinsible! :

 

You said ammonia is down. If there is any ammonia still remaining, it will be damaging the seahorse gills at the very least. Ammonia readings MUST always be zero, not just close to zero.
Have you added Prime or a like product to bind the ammonia?