Tank still not ready for SH, but here are pics you asked for

[flower]

Hi, If I haven't done so before...I missed it and let me say WELCOME to the site.
So you want some seahorses. They are awesome aren't they? I love mine.
First, your sand is deep which is great, and if you mix in some refugium mud with it you will be able to have a planted tank, the horses love turtle grass and such to hitch to. I see you did plant a little, but unless you have some nutrient to feed the grass it will die off.
Only a small problem, you built your rock on shifting sand. The rock needs to be on the bottom and the sand around it, and you could add a little more rock..what you have will be buried by the sand. That cute little yellow goby could topple all the rock digging in the sand...which could crush the critters or break the tank.

 

[chappy]

HI NEIGHBOR, ( being in IA we do get to IL often.) Thank You for your comments, and I will indeed find some refugium mud.
I know from the pic's. it does look like the rocks are sitting on the sand. When I was explaining to Joe how we did the set up, I tried to explain we put the rock in first and poured the sand in around it. The rock really is quite stable. The smaller rock you see on the right is where I am planning to make into the feeding tray. I have found a nice shell, and yesterday I was actually boiling it and a few other small shells for new homes for my snails as they grow
PLEASE keep the comments and ideas comming I am open for all suggestions as I do want this to work out. It will be awhile before I am ready for seahorses.

 

[teresaq]

Hi and Welcome. I have been on vacation and havent had a chance to read your whole thread, but your tank looks nice. How many gals is it again. Please read thru the compatibility chart at the top of this forum, and also there are a couple of threads I wrote that may help.
Your heater will either have to be moved to the back of your tank, removed or covered. Because horse tanks need lower temps you prob dont even need it. You will prob need a chiller before you need a heater.
The serpent star will have to be removed.

 

[chappy]

HI and Thank You The Serpent is already no longer in the tank.. The tank is a 37 gallon, You are correct as I won't be needing a heater till maybe December. does get cold here.. It is not even pluged in and it came with the tank. If I do need one, It will be covered. Right now it is in the back corner out of the way. I will take it out before adding any SH. I am running a computer "muffin" fan and that is helping to cool the water temp. down. The tank has completed its cycle ( didn't really cycle at all as the LR &LS had been establised for years). Only real issue was high nitrates that I took care of with a water change. I am waiting patiently ( yea right) to be sure things stay stable,
Thank you again for your ideas and comments,
please be safe and God Bless

 

[flower]

LOL...Pictures are hard to tell when we look at them. I'm glad to hear the rock is buried after all. I missed the serpent star not being compatible. That's what makes this sitre so great...a point one misses another won't. My SH tank is in my bedroom/office (30g with a 30g sump/refugium)
I used coral and macroalgae for my hitches. I also have a couple of fan worms. I keep my room pretty cool. Even in the winter the tank never gets warmer than 75 with the heat on, and in summer I have a window unit besides central air, so even if my mother want's the air off (quiet often...LOL..she snuggles under a blanket when the house is 77 degrees) my room still stays cool. As a result I have not needed a chiller....the heater goes on if the temp drops below 71.
Have you decided (dreamed of) what type of SHs you want?

 

[chappy]

I agree SHs are great. As far as species I am leaning hard toward erectus. I am thinking about 2 females as I am not looking for babies, and without pouches, there is one less thing to be concerned about. I am trying to keep things simple (KISS method).
I will contiue to let the tank sit for awhile and monitor water condition etc. I have also been thinking about adding a sun coral, as I hear they like low lighting and spot feeding the same as the SHs. MY mind is not made up on that one and just another thing to be thinking about.
Keep the comments and suggestions comming
be safe and God bless