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I've been doing a lot of reading on seahorse care and the different seahorses. I am used to tropical fresh water fish. My infant loves watching them and I've wanted to start a seahorse tank for years and haven't gotten around to starting one yet. My question is can I use my 55 gallon hex front tank? Its 21" tall 13" wide 48" long. Or should I try to find something bigger? I'm not sure which seahorses we are going with yet but I want to use dry rock for hitching post and sand for the bottom. Should I use the bio active live sand from ***** or just really fine decoration sand?
Thanks
Kel
Hi,
Welcome to the site!
A 55 hex is perfect. yes, dry sand and rock...the bio-loaded sand is just fine, but don't get live reef sand. You will need hitches, I use a mixture of fake décor and rock. One tank is a potbelly horse tank, a ships wheel and anchor along with rock. My 56g column tank with Kuda horses, had Roman columns and branch rock. Sand should be about 2 inches deep. A bubble air line (no stone) to help with gas exchange. Macroalgae will go a long way in offering hitches, and helping to keep the tanks parameters in check...seahorses are very messy eaters, and pollute the tank. I use Caulerpa Prolifera (looks like sea grass), and Botyocladia (red grape)... and the horses love it. Check out "Golf Coast ecosystems" macroalgae is something like $10.00 a pint and that's more then enough, you will never have to buy it again, it grows and grows. You will have to prune it back once it grows too much (called harvesting). You can toss it out, or share with others.
The only really needed expensive piece of equipment would be the chiller, you do really need one. Even tropical seahorses need the temps at 74 to stay healthy, bacteria infections prevail the species. Make sure you purchase CAPTIVE bred horses, no matter the species. captive bred horses feed on frozen Mysis shrimp, and are as easy to care for as any regular fish.
You can use any filter system EXCAPT the under gravel type. I use HOB, but a canister works just fine, and the spray bar is a big help. You do need a power head, however make sure the type you get won't allow the horse to hitch to it and hurt it's tail.
You need RO (reverse osmosis) water...1/2 cup per gallon to make saltwater...let it churn with a utility pump in a tub, for 24 hours before you use it. Be sure to cycle the tank completely before you add any life.
