Stocking A Display Refugium

[Ohhithere]

Hi everyone, I'm looking to get a ten gallon display refugium for my IM Nuvo 30L, and in the future I might want to add some pipefish or seahorses. I'm curious what plants I should put in, and where to get them. I have been watching vids on YouTube, but there isn't much on display refugiums. Also what light should I get for it. I've heard of these "Home Depot bulbs". What are they? Thanks, and all feedback is helpful!

[Ron Reefman]

Just a word of caution as you start to consider this project. Seahorses and pipe fish can be very difficult to keep, especially in a tank that is tied into a reef tank. Most successful seahorse tanks that I'm aware of are stand alone. Seahorses require heavy feeding because they don't swim after their food, they wait for the food to flow by them instead. That kind of heavy feeding fouls the water (bad for the reef section of the system) and requires more filtration and/or more water changes.

Mote Marine keeps seahorses and they do a 2 heavy feedings each day followed by a 50% water change after each feeding.

Another issue you may want to consider is the cost of seahorses and the relative short lifespan.

There aren't many people who keep successful seahorse tanks for very long and there are serious reasons why that is. I'd suggest that a lot of reefers here would love to keep seahorses, but for a variety of reasons we don't. I'm just recommending you do a lot of research before you start.

Good luck.