Jake's 50+ gallon seahorse tank

Thanks!

Next step is to get the stand skinned.

 

Nice tanks. This is going to be a cool build, I can tell it already.

 

Thanks Seano!

I haven't had much time to work on the tank since university is always busy around this time of year, but I should have an update by the end of the weekend.

I have all of the plumbing parts. I had to deviate from the standard Herbie/Bean Animal overflow since I just don't have enough space to work with. I decided on using two Stockman style stand pipes, one lower than the other (the lower one will be full siphon), with a plain stand pipe for the emergency overflow. If that doesn't work well, I will convert the stand pipes into two Hofer gurgle busters (basically a reversed Stockman, again with one full siphon). I'll post some pictures of the stockman stand pipes I have constructed soon.

I also cut some 3/4" marine grade plywood for the top and bottom of the steel stand. I'll paint the bottom piece with white exterior latex paint. I'll skin the stand when I have more time. All I have decided is that I'll do it myself, after seeing how expensive it is to get it done professionally.

Thanks for reading

 

Everything seems to take longer than I think it will...

Got the overflow started. I'll probably need to adjust the stand pipe heights a bit once I get water in the tank. Hopefully this design works quietly. I'll cut a couple of the overflow teeth out to feed the loc-line under the euro brace.



I cut out the notches in the plywood bottom and am now painting it white. This is taking some time as I am doing three coats on the top side and sanding in between coats.

 

Well sitting in the Vancouver airport waiting for my flight home for the holidays to finally depart, so why not update!? It is already 2 hours late... this city shuts down if there is any white on the ground.

I finished painting the plywood top/bottom earlier today. Here it is! The next update will be in the new year. Things will move a lot quicker when I return.

 

Slowly coming along... the plumbing is nearly finished. I still need to plumb my return pump (Waveline DC5000) and build something to support the plumbing. Right now it is just supported by a few zip ties, or not at all. My only initial gripe with the DC5000 is the weird sized outlet (1.25"). I couldn't find a 1.25" threaded adapter in Vancouver, so I will use the 1.25"/1" barb adapter that came with the pump and 1" vinyl tubing, which I will then attach to the hard plumbing.

I ended up settling on a Kessil A350 for lighting. I chose it mainly because I thought it would have a sleek, low profile look on my tank, and so far I think I made a good choice! I was very close to getting a GHL Mitras instead.

I bought some sugar-fine sand over the weekend and hope to fill the tank with water within a week or two.

Kind of a mess!



Plumbing... two main drains are on right. Emergency drain on left. I was apparently a bit out of practice with plumbing, kind of a hack job.


Cut out a couple of teeth to feed the loc-line under the eurobrace. I like how it ended up.


The A350. I'll use some black electrical tape to better conceal the cord on the mounting arm. I love how long the cord is on the A350 by the way.

 

So after researching sea horses even more, I'm now starting to question whether or not I should use the live rock from my old tank (which has been in a heated/circulated brute garbage can for about five months). I have seen a few people recommend starting dwarf sea horse tanks with dry rock only to prevent the introduction of pathogens and other pests (stingy ones). Now I will not be keeping dwarfs, only larger species, but should I take the same precaution?

I may end up getting a nice UV sterilizer to further reduce the risk of infections.

Fun fact haha... there are still several mushrooms from my old tank that are still alive in the brute container. The container has not been illuminated at all... in fact it has been covered to reduce evapouration. So apparently those mushrooms (Rhodactis) can survive heterotrophically for fairly long periods of time (5 months so far!).

 

Bump... interested in hearing some opinions on live rock vs. dry rock for a large sea horse tank.

 

dry rock only for a pony tank...

i dont think you will be able to run another reef type tank off the same system though...all seahorse species are cold waterish compared to reefs...

as for your over flow i would remove all the teeth....they absolutely kill the performance of the tank and overflow...

 

Thanks for the advice.

I'm not really worried about the 2nd tank right now. I won't be adding it for about a year. Like I said in my first post, I'll see where the water chemistry is at and then make a decision about what animals the 2nd tank will house. I do know I'll be keeping the seahorse tank at 74 degrees, which should be safe for most corals. I have been keeping several soft corals and a Crocea clam in a quarantine tank for about 5 months now at that temperature with no problem.

I'll keep the teeth on the overflow. I know they hurt skimming performance, but they also prevent snails and even fish from going into the overflow. There are thousands of successful tanks out there with teeth on the overflow, so it really isn't a tank killer.