Dawn's seahorse garden. Farewell 36g bowfront!

[Felicia]

Looks lovely as always, Dawn. I really enjoyed getting to see the seahorses moving around in that video. Eve was the one being all active up in the front corner, right? I'm so thrilled to hear Adam has recovered. What's this I hear about a sump? I am so behind and need to go back a few pages and just start reading, haha. Anyways, seems like everything is doing well for you. I still can't get over those yellow polyps. They're so bright that they almost look fake. Hands down my favorite coral in your tank

[vlangel]

Looks lovely as always, Dawn. I really enjoyed getting to see the seahorses moving around in that video. Eve was the one being all active up in the front corner, right? I'm so thrilled to hear Adam has recovered. What's this I hear about a sump? I am so behind and need to go back a few pages and just start reading, haha. Anyways, seems like everything is doing well for you. I still can't get over those yellow polyps. They're so bright that they almost look fake. Hands down my favorite coral in your tank

Thanks Felicia. I am planning to move my sump into my basement. The chiller has a preset 2 degree differential from the high temp to the lowest, so it kicks on often. It's not terrible but it is in my livingroom. However if I am willing to drill through the floor I can move the sump, (and the offending chiller) into the basement room where I kept my fish supplies anyway. There is a drain there and a sink not far. That would make WCs so easy for me. I have a spare 20g long which would make a nice sump and if I keep the height 10 feet or less I think I can use my 9.5 mag drive. So there, you are all caught up.

Everyone loves the yellow polyps, I think they are everyone's favorite in my tank.

[Felicia]

Thanks Felicia. I am planning to move my sump into my basement. The chiller has a preset 2 degree differential from the high temp to the lowest, so it kicks on often. It's not terrible but it is in my livingroom. However if I am willing to drill through the floor I can move the sump, (and the offending chiller) into the basement room where I kept my fish supplies anyway. There is a drain there and a sink not far. That would make WCs so easy for me. I have a spare 20g long which would make a nice sump and if I keep the height 10 feet or less I think I can use my 9.5 mag drive. So there, you are all caught up.

Everyone loves the yellow polyps, I think they are everyone's favorite in my tank.

Thanks for the quick summary! That sounds like a good plan! I can't wait to live in a house where I can designate a fish area like that and keep the mess out of the middle of my living room. I bet it will be really nice to get the noise of the chiller and sump out of your living room. Good luck!

[vlangel]

Thanks for the quick summary! That sounds like a good plan! I can't wait to live in a house where I can designate a fish area like that and keep the mess out of the middle of my living room. I bet it will be really nice to get the noise of the chiller and sump out of your living room. Good luck!

I will keep you all posted on the progress.

[vlangel]

I read an article put together by an aquatic vet about seahorse's nutritional needs. It was very informative. Weak snick and weak hitching can both be a result of inadequate nutrition. Seahorses are so picky about what they will eat that this can present a challenge. Nearly all frozen mysis is insufficient by itself. Thank goodness for Dan's feed that can enrich live food to meet their needs.

[Felicia]

I read an article put together by an aquatic vet about seahorse's nutritional needs. It was very informative. Weak snick and weak hitching can both be a result of inadequate nutrition. Seahorses are so picky about what they will eat that this can present a challenge. Nearly all frozen mysis is insufficient by itself. Thank goodness for Dan's feed that can enrich live food to meet their needs.

Do you only use Dan's feed to enrich, or do you use other things as well? Its definitely difficult that they'll only eat frozen mysis. Mine would only eat PE mysis and absolutely nothing else.

[vlangel]

Do you only use Dan's feed to enrich, or do you use other things as well? Its definitely difficult that they'll only eat frozen mysis. Mine would only eat PE mysis and absolutely nothing else.

Spirulina powder also has some beneficial stuff but for me it's just easier to feed live brine shrimp and ghost shrimp Dan's feed. I know it is formulated with everything necessary. I had read that seahorses that got live food consistently typically lived longer.

My ponies like Hikari frozen mysis as opposed to PE. I think at least PE is healthier but my guys like the little stuff. I had to get San Francisco Bay this time so I hope they eat it. Mine will eat frozen omega brine shrimp and I give them that just for something different on occasion.

[vlangel]

Yesterday I did a deep clean on the tank. Scrubbed and scraped the glass, basted all the rock work, stirred the sand and did a WC. It looked pretty good and I thought of taking a pic but there was too much glare. When Dave got home from work he suggested a movie so I never did take the pic. Maybe today.

[teenyreef]

Aaaaaaaaaaaa, what a tease

 

Looking forward to an actual picture!

[vlangel]

Eve giving the hairy eyeball!

A top down shot of Adam in his garden.

There teeny, see I came through! Not much has changed in the tank except my blue clove polyps are receding and I am not sure of the cause.

[ReefWeeds]

Eve giving the hairy eyeball!

A top down shot of Adam in his garden.

There teeny, see I came through! Not much has changed in the tank except my blue clove polyps are receding and I am not sure of the cause.

Beautiful, Dawn! The tank is so clean!!!

Yesterday I did a deep clean on the tank. Scrubbed and scraped the glass, basted all the rock work, stirred the sand and did a WC. It looked pretty good and I thought of taking a pic but there was too much glare. When Dave got home from work he suggested a movie so I never did take the pic. Maybe today.

I read from the bottom up Well, your hard work paid off! The tank looks sparkling!

[vlangel]

Today Dave and I looked into a free desk on craig's list that I could use for a sump stand. It turned out to be a beautiful solid cherry (I think) lawyer's desk. Not only that, it's huge and I doubt it would even fit in my sump room. However the computer desk, (which was my sister and I's study desk) would work for my sump. We are going to move the computer onto the beautiful new desk and use my old study desk for a sump stand. Upgrades all the way around and I still haven't spent any money! Of course nothing has moved anywhere except the new lawyer desk which is on end in the diningroom because it won't fit through the doorway to the computer room. That is a problem for another day however.

[vlangel]

Beautiful, Dawn! The tank is so clean!!!

I read from the bottom up Well, your hard work paid off! The tank looks sparkling!

Thank you stella. Yes, I love it when the tank all clears up from a deep clean and new carbon makes the water so crisp and sparkly. Too bad they don't stay that way, but I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. LOL.

[ReefWeeds]

Thank you stella. Yes, I love it when the tank all clears up from a deep clean and new carbon makes the water so crisp and sparkly. Too bad they don't stay that way, but I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. LOL.

ha! I know it. they stay that way for a day or two then boom. How do you keep your back wall so clean??

[teenyreef]

The tank looks beautiful! I always love all the contrasting colors and textures. And the water is so clear it looks like it's not even there. I'm surprised the blue cloves are receding - I always heard people have the opposite problem and can't keep them under control!

[vlangel]

ha! I know it. they stay that way for a day or two then boom. How do you keep your back wall so clean??

I have the rock pulled away from the back wall. There is more room than you would think because it's a bowfront. That allows me to get my razor edge scrapper back there and I do that about every week and a half. Plus I use a plastic scrubby on all the glass about every 3 days because the seahorses make a slime coating on all the surfaces so I need to keep that from building up and creating a harbor for dangerous bacteria to seahorses. Seahorses are a bit of a pain in the butt however I can't help myself...I love them!

[vlangel]

The tank looks beautiful! I always love all the contrasting colors and textures. And the water is so clear it looks like it's not even there. I'm surprised the blue cloves are receding - I always heard people have the opposite problem and can't keep them under control!

Thanks teeny. I like all the contrast of color and texture too. That was pretty much a happy accident when I combined the contents of 2 tanks into 1.

I am surprised about the clove polyps too. My theory is that the tank is too low in nutrients for them to thrive. For the seahorse's sakes I am doing big water changes, (about 28 gallons a week on the roughly 40 gallon system). On top of that I have a way over rated skimmer running. Even at that my nitrates are still at 10 but maybe I am stripping something from the water that they require. I would love to back off of such big water changes but I am afraid for the seahorses. Adam still has some faint spots on his pouch.

[ReefWeeds]

I have the rock pulled away from the back wall. There is more room than you would think because it's a bowfront. That allows me to get my razor edge scrapper back there and I do that about every week and a half. Plus I use a plastic scrubby on all the glass about every 3 days because the seahorses make a slime coating on all the surfaces so I need to keep that from building up and creating a harbor for dangerous bacteria to seahorses. Seahorses are a bit of a pain in the butt however I can't help myself...I love them!

I'm glad you love them because then I can live vicariously through you and watch your Adam and Eve Your love for them shows, that's for sure.

[vlangel]

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was nice. Ours certainly was and Dave and I even got a nice little motorcycle ride in after the our feast of roast duck. Today my son, (the one who got me into reefing in a more serious way. I taught him about salt water when he was a child but he taught me about reefs when he got older.) and his family are arriving. The seahorse garden is ready to face his critical eye, LOL.

[markalot]

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

How is the slimer doing?

[vlangel]

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

How is the slimer doing?

It's doing! The color is not great and it isn't growing much, however it does have polyp extension and it's not bleached. It fell off of its perch a time or two which did not help it I'm sure. I will try and get a pic for you. How was your Thanksgiving?

[gena]

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was nice. Ours certainly was and Dave and I even got a nice little motorcycle ride in after the our feast of roast duck. Today my son, (the one who got me into reefing in a more serious way. I taught him about salt water when he was a child but he taught me about reefs when he got older.) and his family are arriving. The seahorse garden is ready to face his critical eye, LOL.

Sounds like you had a fun Thanksgiving day! And more fun today with your son and his family!!!! I'm sure he will be in awe of your tank like the rest of us .

[markalot]

It's doing! The color is not great and it isn't growing much, however it does have polyp extension and it's not bleached. It fell off of its perch a time or two which did not help it I'm sure. I will try and get a pic for you. How was your Thanksgiving?

 

Thanksgiving was good, my sister does the turkey every year and this year it turned out quite good and juicy.

[vlangel]

Sounds like you had a fun Thanksgiving day! And more fun today with your son and his family!!!! I'm sure he will be in awe of your tank like the rest of us .

Ha ha Gena, I am not sure it is my tank that inspired or just that he was bit enough by the aquarium bug but he is taking my spare 30g XH tank, stand and light. I think he may take the overflow box, some dead rock and one piece of live rock too. It'll be a good start for him. Now that he's a nano reefer he wants to meet the folks here too!

[gena]

Ha ha Gena, I am not sure it is my tank that inspired or just that he was bit enough by the aquarium bug but he is taking my spare 30g XH tank, stand and light. I think he may take the overflow box, some dead rock and one piece of live rock too. It'll be a good start for him. Now that he's a nano reefer he wants to meet the folks here too!

That's awesome . Maybe my son will be inspired one day too .