New Seahorse tank Diary

[smartorl]

It's not letting me edit.
The first line was a question.
Also, like I stated before have you contacted them with your wants? They have always been very accomodating and if it's something that they don't stock normally possibly because of low demand, they can get it for you.
Not to be a jerk but this is their site which they provide to us to learn and share and if you are complaining about their stock on their site without giving them a chance to rectify it, it's kind of rude.
Not trying to start an arguement or hurt feelings, it's just that it was posted more than one time and I while we are trying to bring in new people, it just bothers me that there would be complaints like this that a person on the fence about joining our community or ordering from SWF could see.
World's largest run on sentence.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smartorl http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/240#post_3354722
What temp are you planning to run the tank at.
I have tried it several times, my experience is that it breaks apart really easily and makes sure a mess that I get aggrevated and toss it for fear of it rotting and contamination my water.
The only time I have had success was in a 10 gallon coldwater tank that I set up had for my catalina gobies and even then, I wasn't super happy with the look of it.

Thanks for the heads up..I plan to have the tank at around 74. Without a heater the temp bounces between 71 and 75. I figured at 74 if it took a swing either direction it won't shock the horses to bad. So you think it isn't cold enough for this macro?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smartorl http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3354727
It's not letting me edit.
The first line was a question.
Also, like I stated before have you contacted them with your wants? They have always been very accomodating and if it's something that they don't stock normally possibly because of low demand, they can get it for you.
Not to be a jerk but this is their site which they provide to us to learn and share and if you are complaining about their stock on their site without giving them a chance to rectify it, it's kind of rude.
Not trying to start an arguement or hurt feelings, it's just that it was posted more than one time and I while we are trying to bring in new people, it just bothers me that there would be complaints like this that a person on the fence about joining our community or ordering from SWF could see.
World's largest run on sentence.

I must admit I hadn't thought of how new comers may view it.
The thanks anyway payday is tomorrow thing was supposed to be a funny reality thing. You know...just my luck.
About the "As for giving SWF a chance at rectifying" ...I have, I used the contact us route, openly complained route...so far you are the only one to even notice, they have not. The only thing in my e-mail was the AD about free snails.
My suggestion to them was to treat the credit for dead critters as they do the redeemed items, when you make an order just ship it automatically. Instead right now they credit the account and I have to go crazy looking for something that will go in my tank to make up the amount deducted from the credit.
They don't always have everything I want all at once making it hard t make that amount up, when I finally had it up there...then the credit brought it way down again. After 6 months I have not been able to juggle it. Again I have given up and going to spend my money on something else and again wait for all the ducks to fall into place.
So that is me being rude...in perfect sentences.

 

[novahobbies]

I haven't ordered from SWF yet. I may never, in fact! This has been a common debate on the boards for a long time.... do you support your local places, or do you support the online store whose community you belong to? In a perfect world, you could do both. For those of us who have limited funds to spend at a time, the shipping issue becomes the deciding factor. And it's true -- as Flower said, SWF doesn't always have everything you want at the exact time you have funds available and setups ready to accept QT livestock.
I don't see your complaint as being rude, Flower. You're just pointing out one of the inescapable facts of the online business. The lack of real response on the part of SWF is a little disturbing. I hope they give you a true answer to your complaint in the near future.

 

[smartorl]

Again, I ask the question, have you contacted them via phone or email directly about your concerns or with what you are looking for? My favorite lfs rarely has everything I want, that is why I ask and she gets it for me for the next week. I don't think many stores, online or home based, stock the way that they used to. Times have changed and so has many people's way of doing business in order to survive.
To me it's like being invited into someone's home and complaining about the accomodations.
I would be lying if I said that I ordered a ton from SWF, I happen to be lucky enough to not only have several great lfs's but am also friends with several collectors. With that being said, I wouldn't feel comfortable on here kind of blasting SWF about their business practices or stock list (especially in winter) without contacting them first.
I realize you are a little frustrated about the sand issue, as would I be if I were in your shoes but don't lose sight of what a nice perk they give to us in the form of this forum.
I feel that there are just somethings to be handled privately. This is their site, they support themselves with this business, times are tough everywhere, they provide the forum for our use with few restrictions really, and this is one of the ways they advertise.
In addition, I have a transportation company, you have no idea how many of my customers that had a large online/shipping customer base that have gone under due to the skyrocketing cost of shipping. It's crazy and the ceiling is no where in sight with diesel back on the rise.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3354801
I haven't ordered from SWF yet. I may never, in fact! This has been a common debate on the boards for a long time.... do you support your local places, or do you support the online store whose community you belong to? In a perfect world, you could do both. For those of us who have limited funds to spend at a time, the shipping issue becomes the deciding factor. And it's true -- as Flower said, SWF doesn't always have everything you want at the exact time you have funds available and setups ready to accept QT livestock.
I don't see your complaint as being rude, Flower. You're just pointing out one of the inescapable facts of the online business. The lack of real response on the part of SWF is a little disturbing. I hope they give you a true answer to your complaint in the near future.

Well this is exactly what Smartorl was warning me about. That I would sour someone from ordering or joining. Where would we be if everyone stopped ordering online?
SWF does offer this awesome site for all of us to talk and learn. Also they are the best online saltwater fish place I have ever found. I really have no complaint as far as them talking to me, I think they just don’t know how to go about doing what I suggested and so have not responded. They have in the past responded very quickly and I am a bit spoiled by that.
I kind of feel like they are good friends and I can voice my opinions without regret, or hurting the friendship, but there are little ears that hear so to speak. I don’t think I was being rude, ungrateful perhaps.
I support the local shops but I also order online and the reason I have waited 6 months is because I really don’t want to go anyplace else. Instead I shop for OTHER things I need that SWF does not offer. They have my business, they will always have my business if they continue as they have all these years.
Like you said, the problem of having everything at one time is universal for online ordering…why…because we are greedy or cheap or too broke to want to pay the outrageous shipping fees….but must have overnight delivery, there is no way around it...overnight costs more.
I finally had my order up to the amount to get $19.99 shipping all I needed was a few dollars more and I would be all set and my credit on the dead coral brought it back down to needing another $47.00…I was already at a loss for the last $20.00 I managed to find to order…so I was upset.

 

[smartorl]

Flower, I do hear you completely, it was a friendly reminder nothing more. I by no means meant it as an attack and perhaps the word "rude" wasn't the word that I should have used.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smartorl http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3354935
Flower, I do hear you completely, it was a friendly reminder nothing more. I by no means meant it as an attack and perhaps the word "rude" wasn't the word that I should have used.

All is at peace dear cyber friend, I wasn't offended or feeling attacked, just still licking my wounds of disappointment..
You made a valid point, and one I shall try and remember should I feel the need to verbally pout in the future..They are getting new stuff in lately so maybe I can find that $47.00 worth of live goods, it's really just the price of a coral and my 90g reef with MH lights is ready to be restocked. I also need macroalgae to try and bring the nitrates down from 10, my last test reading.
Going foward with more important thngs... I have another question...what is the easiest or best way to get some amphipods from my 90g so I can seed the 30g seahorse tank?

 

[teresaq]

do you have any blue and white fiber? I always find them in my canister, in the blue fiber. you could place some of that or sponges in the 90 and then transfer to to the 30.

 

[al&burke]

Flower what about that dead piece of coral you had (red one), why don't you put that in your 90 fuge for a while then move it back.

 

[flower]

I found them in my canister too, but I think they got sucked up and grew in there, Oh and I need to buy more of that fiber too, thanks for reminding me.. I do have that piece of red coral...
I just put it in the main tank, the refugiums are both very new. I know I have some critters in the 90g fuge but I really need those guys to stay in there and breed. I put it near the front so I can check at night and make sure critters are crawling on it. With all those tiny holes they should love it.

 

[al&burke]

Next time you clean your canister squeez your sponges in your fuges - or just swish them around in them

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3355038
Next time you clean your canister squeez your sponges in your fuges - or just swish them around in them

LOL...I only have the canister on the very new seahorse tank to clear the water until I get a skimmer (it's my version of life support) ...there is nothing in there to squeeze out. I used to get a bunch of little amphipods in the canister from the 90g but I no longer have one on there, it is 100% sump and skimmer.

 

[teresaq]

ok, so rub some fish food into the the red coral, and set it in the 90. the ampipods should go there to feed. lol otherwise, you could buy them. I have seen fuge pkgs that come with cheato, sand that has pods in it and macro algea

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TeresaQ http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3355056
ok, so rub some fish food into the the red coral, and set it in the 90. the ampipods should go there to feed. lol otherwise, you could buy them. I have seen fuge pkgs that come with cheato, sand that has pods in it and macro algea

I found a reasonable site that sells 500 + another 500 free for $16.99...copepods and amphipods mixed so thats what I plan to do plus the red coral is already in the tank.
They also sell turtle grass $2.99 a plug...it sounds good for seahorses, but how fast does it grow??? Do you know anything about it?

 

[flower]

I just created by accident the most awesome thing for my seahorse refugium. I had an extra Y connector. I added it to the hose from the overflow, part of the hose goes low and part sits higher in the fuge (that was on purpose) . The top hose gets a big bubble which releases and agitates the surface of the fuge (the added bonus)..here is a picture. The flow into the fuge is pretty gentle.
The refugium is a work in progress, I am getting more rock and macro for it …right now it is empty except for a coral skeleton and some sand..LOL..also ignore all the extra glue

 

[al&burke]

That is awesome flower - I think a PH would be good in a fuge as well, on my little 7 gallon HOB fuge i put a small PH - works well.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3355110
That is awesome flower - I think a PH would be good in a fuge as well, on my little 7 gallon HOB fuge i put a small PH - works well.

No extra electric is the goal..it heats the tank and horses like it colder. The only thing I will have in the tank electric will be the heater to regulate the temps from swinging to far on the cold side. My tank drops to 71 or climbs to 75 and I need it to stay within 2 degrees, so I will set my heater for 73

 

[al&burke]

I forgot about temps with horses.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/382639/new-seahorse-tank-diary/260#post_3355115
I forgot about temps with horses.

I was going to get a small power head for the 18g fuge to the 90g...This is working so well...a power head costs around $30.00 a barbed Y connector runs about $2.50...I may try and do the same thing on it. The water is regulated by the shut off valves to each hose from the overflow so it's easy to adjust. Even if I don't get the bubbles the flow going high and low makes a nice gentle current throughout, eliminating the need for a power head.