Hexagons for Seahorses

kanicky

Member
I've noticed that some people on the different boards I frequent are hesitant to use hexagon tanks with their seahorses, not knowing how they would use their equipment and etc.
Our hex is actually a creation of my boyfriend, Nick. He has basically turned it into an all-in-one "nano."
We have the 175 watt Sunpod fixture with white & blue LED moon-lights, as well as an Iceprobe chiller (which effectively cools the 35G of water a little more than 1 degree, which is all that we needed.)
Our hex is complete with filter-floss and Purigen at the top of our surface skimmer, wet/dry filtration below, a refugium with a grow light below that, a submersible UV Sterilizer, and one powerful main pump with 24" of Loc-Line making a half-halo around the top of the tank, for all-around flow. The Loc-Line is virtually unnoticeable, as it sits right beneath the surface of the water, and provides excellent, but not over-powering flow.
We are 90% sure we can fit a Sapphire Aquatics nano skimmer in the hex as well, but have not had time to do that yet, hence why we're still using the Purigen.
Everything I just listed is not visible in the tank - it is hidden behind a partition wall that effectively turns the display tank from a hexagaon to a pentagon. A hex has six sides. The partition wall stretches from one corner of the hex to the third (opposite) corner of the hex, leaving a triangle in the back. This partition has two baffles in the center to give the back wall support and to divide the wet/dry filtration (which is stocked with LR rubble) the refugium and the UV Sterilizer from the return pump and (in the future) skimmer.
We used black 3/8" acrylic for the construction of the back wall/partitions.
The Sunpod sits above the center of the tank, with the Iceprobe behind it, directly in front of the surface skimmer.
We spray-painted the outside of the two walls that house our filtration/sterilization black, but on the return side of the partition, we used tape to leave a small water level gauge, to view the water level in the back chambers. We also used tape to leave a spot for the grow light on the other side of the chamber, for the refugium.
This leaves all five sides of the display tank free from return lines, hoses, and unsightly equipment. Best of all, it's virtually silent. With the use of three timers, everything is completely automated.
Our home stays between 75 - 76 degrees and with the Sunpod on for 3 hours in the morning and then 7 hours at night, with the Iceprobe on all day, the tank doesn't get above 77.8 degrees.
Nick will make a diagram tonight, showing exactly how to do this, and we'll try to take some pictures as well. We’ve used this design with seahorses in the past with great success, and we believe a hex is the best kind of tank for any seahorse or seapony!

I'd be interested to see pictures of other hexagon seahorse tanks
 

kanicky

Member
We posted this on another SW board and they asked for a diagram & pics so here they are!

Here are OLD pictures of Version 1 of this system Nick did 2 years ago.
The new version has NO powerheads showing, the sunpod, refugium, UV sterilizer, and WILL have a skimmer.
Also the pics we will post tonight will show Nick's development in rock design & aquascaping
These pics show the lid Nick made, but we found the tank stays a degree or two COOLER with out the lid.

 

kanicky

Member
New pics as promised!
(These were taken with camera phones, FYI)
These five are just from the different sides of the display that are viewable:




 

kanicky

Member
This picture shows the Loc-Line spraybar across the top of the tank. (The pumps were off for feeding, which is why the level is low):

This picture shows the back left portion of the tank, where the grow-light is attached, lighting the refugium inside. You can see that the glass is painted black around the grow-light:

This picture is an "aerial" shot of the top of the back of the chambers. In the background you can see where the Iceprobe is inserted into the acrylic. (Half of our back lid broke, which is why there's only half of it):
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
wow, i can dig it. i really like what you guys have done with that.
 

kanicky

Member
Thanks so much! Nick put a lot of work into the design - I absolutely love it!
Here's Bella in one of the three feeding dishes. She was waiting patiently for Nick to finish taking pictures so I could finish feeding her




 

kanicky

Member
And here's Alice, our other lovely lady. She hasn't taken to the feeding dish as quickly as Bella, but she's learning:



 
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