What equipment to add next!? ;)

Dogshowgrl · 12/22/2016, 06:57 AM

I am very happy with my 60 gallon pony tank. I have 4 CB seahorses, 2 green spot mandarins, few peppermint shrimp, brittle star, snail, several softies, (toadstool, gap, xenia, zoas, ect) photosynthetic gorgonians, NPS gorgonians, and a few macros.

I feed ROE, live phyto, and oysterfeast several times a day, on top of the pony's food. Everything is happy, but my nitrates are unacceptable. I currently have a reef octopus slightly oversized skimmer, gfo reactor, and basic filter socks in my sump. I do a 30% WC weekly. I don't have a terrible algae issue, but I want picture perfect more often than not. I tried carbon dosing, but I often get bacterial blooms without carbon dosing, it just made them much worse. I have used Vibrate successfully in my reef. I am willing to try it with my ponies, but both of these deal with the algae, but they don't solve the issue of removal before nitrates are used, without lots of dosing. My husband and I expect out first child in May and both work 2 jobs and I am starting an new company this fall. I need automatic. Lol.

I was looking at:

sulfur denitrator: but they don't seem to be as effective as they sound.

Biopelets: really nice but only take out phosphate and nitrate proportionally, I already have gfo so I was thinking something that focuses on nitrates only but I may add biopelets too.

Sandbed reactor: there's a reason the hot shots use these (Public Aquariums) high risk high reward. Use both nitrates and phosphates. I rarely lose power, an auto generator that kicks on, and have an Apex so even if everything else fails, I set the Apex not to have it come back on after a power failure.

Macro algae: absorbs both, can be beautiful. I plan to add in the future anyways, but I want the micro gone before adding macro.

This isn't just about algae, prolonged exposure to high nitrates block vitamin absorbing in fish. If I am going to keep something in a little box, it will have everything it ever needs.

What are you using? Anyone with experience of getting seahorse tank nitrates to something under 10 in a reef style tank? How? Am I missing a piece of equipment that could help out?

Thank you!

rayjay · 12/22/2016, 11:14 AM

I can't help with your query but just wanted to say that in your stock you list a brittle star. If it is a normal brittle star I'd be VERY wary as they often tend to capture fish (seahorses) and devour them. I had serpent stars which are considered less aggressive and STILL ended up with problems in my seahorse tanks and had to move them back to the reef tanks.

vlangel · 12/22/2016, 03:19 PM

My tank is a 56 gallon seahorse tank a 20 gallon sump. My skimmer is rated for 180 gallons. My nitrates have been staying around 5 ppm. I do not feed anything except the 3 seahorses and 1 fish however. And my tank is bare bottom so detritus and food that is not lifted in the water column is easily syphoned out. My coral and macro algae have to survive with nutrients in the water column. My sump has a 10" X 12" fuge with lots of macro algae and a DSB that is 5" deep for denitrification. Also my rockscape is made with large dense rock that is also probably giving me denitrification.

crocogator106 · 12/22/2016, 03:57 PM

I just added a DIY algae turf scrubber. I'm hoping it helps with outbreaks of various algae due to high nutrient levels.

BlueCat1949 · 12/22/2016, 07:56 PM

It just seems to me that you have too much going on with everything you have in your tank. To many feedings, roe, oyster feast etc. I would try and simplify your set up and make it a better place for your horses. Also what is your temperature? Seahorses do best in the low seventies.

Constantly trying new things to correct a problem is less important than finding out what is causing the high nitrates. Also I agree with rayjay about the brittle star.

Bruce

12/22/2016, 06:57 AM	#1
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	What equipment to add next!? ;) I am very happy with my 60 gallon pony tank. I have 4 CB seahorses, 2 green spot mandarins, few peppermint shrimp, brittle star, snail, several softies, (toadstool, gap, xenia, zoas, ect) photosynthetic gorgonians, NPS gorgonians, and a few macros. I feed ROE, live phyto, and oysterfeast several times a day, on top of the pony's food. Everything is happy, but my nitrates are unacceptable. I currently have a reef octopus slightly oversized skimmer, gfo reactor, and basic filter socks in my sump. I do a 30% WC weekly. I don't have a terrible algae issue, but I want picture perfect more often than not. I tried carbon dosing, but I often get bacterial blooms without carbon dosing, it just made them much worse. I have used Vibrate successfully in my reef. I am willing to try it with my ponies, but both of these deal with the algae, but they don't solve the issue of removal before nitrates are used, without lots of dosing. My husband and I expect out first child in May and both work 2 jobs and I am starting an new company this fall. I need automatic. Lol. I was looking at: sulfur denitrator: but they don't seem to be as effective as they sound. Biopelets: really nice but only take out phosphate and nitrate proportionally, I already have gfo so I was thinking something that focuses on nitrates only but I may add biopelets too. Sandbed reactor: there's a reason the hot shots use these (Public Aquariums) high risk high reward. Use both nitrates and phosphates. I rarely lose power, an auto generator that kicks on, and have an Apex so even if everything else fails, I set the Apex not to have it come back on after a power failure. Macro algae: absorbs both, can be beautiful. I plan to add in the future anyways, but I want the micro gone before adding macro. This isn't just about algae, prolonged exposure to high nitrates block vitamin absorbing in fish. If I am going to keep something in a little box, it will have everything it ever needs. What are you using? Anyone with experience of getting seahorse tank nitrates to something under 10 in a reef style tank? How? Am I missing a piece of equipment that could help out? Thank you!

12/22/2016, 11:14 AM	#2
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	I can't help with your query but just wanted to say that in your stock you list a brittle star. If it is a normal brittle star I'd be VERY wary as they often tend to capture fish (seahorses) and devour them. I had serpent stars which are considered less aggressive and STILL ended up with problems in my seahorse tanks and had to move them back to the reef tanks. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/22/2016, 03:19 PM	#3
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,409	My tank is a 56 gallon seahorse tank a 20 gallon sump. My skimmer is rated for 180 gallons. My nitrates have been staying around 5 ppm. I do not feed anything except the 3 seahorses and 1 fish however. And my tank is bare bottom so detritus and food that is not lifted in the water column is easily syphoned out. My coral and macro algae have to survive with nutrients in the water column. My sump has a 10" X 12" fuge with lots of macro algae and a DSB that is 5" deep for denitrification. Also my rockscape is made with large dense rock that is also probably giving me denitrification.

12/22/2016, 03:57 PM	#4
crocogator106 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Alabama Posts: 371	I just added a DIY algae turf scrubber. I'm hoping it helps with outbreaks of various algae due to high nutrient levels.

12/22/2016, 07:56 PM	#5
BlueCat1949 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 197	It just seems to me that you have too much going on with everything you have in your tank. To many feedings, roe, oyster feast etc. I would try and simplify your set up and make it a better place for your horses. Also what is your temperature? Seahorses do best in the low seventies. Constantly trying new things to correct a problem is less important than finding out what is causing the high nitrates. Also I agree with rayjay about the brittle star. Bruce