Seahorse hitching posts

[BrooklynReef]

Hi. I'm interested in slowly, deliberately, patiently setting up a sea horse tank. I haven't gotten the sea horses yet, I'm still weeks away from being ready. I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for hitching posts other than mangrove plants. I was thinking some Purple Plume Gorgonia, but was curious if anyone had any success. I read the compatibility charts on multiple sites (which were helpful beyond belief). But I'm curious if anyone out there has sea horses. What about some algae like Halimida Algae for hitching posts?
Also I'm assuming dried branch corals would scratch their tail right? Ideally that would be perfect, but I wouldn't want to hurt them. I also heard driftwood was too hard.

Any help from anyone with personal experience would be much appreciated. I want them to have multiple hitching posts on multiple different current flows.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[NYreefNoob]

sh's

dead sps works well, most gorg will work, i have a few tonga branch's in mine and alot of macro algea's, Halimida requires high light and eats up alot of calcium, what size tank and equiptment do you have now ? how do you plan to keep temp down in the tank ? rule for corals, nothing with tenicles. here is a pic of my current tank. lmk if ya have other questions

 

[NYC Joe]

i have a few purple whip gorgs.
my horses love them.
they use them as their main base. up in front of the tank.
check my tank thread as I cant find pix.

 

[NYC Joe]

oh yea,,,

also tonga branch rock works really well too.

I have some mounted strait up on an eggcrate base.
use epoxy and let it dry.

 

[BrooklynReef]

Thanks Noob! Your tank looks great, they look happy! What kind of algae do you have in there. I was really curious about the dead sps corals (finger/elk) and weather they were to hard for the horses, and if they would scratch them. I have some, and thought they would make excellent hitching posts, if their skin could tolerate them.

I have a 55g hex tank that is 25"h x 25''w. I have a Fluval 305 (70g), and I'm looking to get a power head magnetic submersible for help with the corals. (Should I cover up the intake with a stocking/pantyhose?) I'm going to try and position the live rocks so there are various currents for the horses to hang out in.

I was going to buy some purple gorgonia, or some yellow sea whip gorgonia. I had heard they are ideal, but the yellow finger was dangerous. (http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/seafans.shtml)

I am going to need a chiller, I guess, my tank is running warmer than I thought. Any suggestions. I'm trying to keep it under 74 degrees. Although I plan to switch out the t8 florescent with led reef lighting as soon as I can get the scratch. I'd like to add some zoanthids and mushrooms.


Thanks Joe! You sold me on the Purple Gorgs. They're gonna love it! (When I do get them of course).

Any suggestions on good aquarium & fish stores in NYC? Also recommended live corals? (No stinging/eating tentacles I know about).

Thanks so much!!! It is greatly appreciated!

Chris

 

[NYC Joe]

if you have a controller ( reefkeeper lite)
you can put a fan up top and if you do a sump, fan on bottom.

evaporates faster, but a good cheap way to keep things in check.
I run my tank at 75 with no problems at all.

I vortech shouldnt add any heat to the tank, a little pricey yes
but i have a 60 cube with a mp40. You can get a foam thing around them.

not a fan of the canister filters- maybe look into a sump?

i have a few corals in the tank already.
zoas, shrooms, efflatounaria(sp?) and xenias, pulsing and sparklies, all pretty much non stinging, been getting into montis and acans for now.

fish stores- manhattan aquariums, cant beat em.

 

[BrooklynReef]

Thanks Joe. I've had a few bad experiences with manhattan aquarium.

 

[Paul B]

Also I'm assuming dried branch corals would scratch their tail right?

No that is perfect. Seahorses are not delicate, they have an outer skeleton like an insect.