Seahorse & Pipefish Haven

[Domboski]

What a cool tank.

Thanks Josh. It would be better if I could eliminate the cyano on the sand bed. :lol: Its getting better though.

 

[russianmd]

Dom, you are probably the only one who would notice the cyano... Everybody else would be too busy staring at the coolest tank on the board and its inhabitants.

 

[smcooler]

way cool tank,



s

 

[Domboski]

Dom, you are probably the only one who would notice the cyano... Everybody else would be too busy staring at the coolest tank on the board and its inhabitants.

Wow! Thank you.

 

[Domboski]

way cool tank,



s

Thank you. I need to get a good camera so I can take better pictures. Some fish move too fast to get them with my Nikon.

 

[JLAudio]

The tank is fed 2-3 times a day for the fish and 2-3 times a week for the non-photosynthetic gorgs at night. I also have to feed my basket star 2-3 times a week at night.

FISH

I feed a variety of foods through out the week. I am constantly adapting how I feed based on my schedule and what I have available. A typical week I try to feed mysis 2 times a day for the fish. Once a day I feed formula II flakes and sometimes pellets. Once a week I feed selcon soaked mysis. I also add live grass shrimp at least once a week at most twice. I also try and add live feeder fish once a week. I usually catch bait fish on LI. On occasion, I feed feeder minnows from a bait shop or an LFS. Every once in a while I feed some of the fish fresh squid.

Gorgs and Basket Star

I feed my gorgs cyclopeeze 2-3 times a week at night. I also add phyto (culture my own) and BBS on occasion. I feed the basket star Mysis shrimp at least once a week usually twice.

I sometimes use live mysis, gut loaded grass shrimp, Amphipods and fresh mussels. Live crabs are in the mix too but not often since the fish I currently have don't seem interested. I've always tried to provide the most diverse diet I can.

Great information! Last Question Dom, Do you have trouble keeping nitrtates and phos down with the feeding that these types of fish require (multiple time daily). How do you counteract this.

Thanks in advance

 

[Domboski]

Do you have trouble keeping nitrtates and phos down with the feeding that these types of fish require (multiple time daily).

Not so much trouble (anymore) but more like a challenge to keep the levels in check.

How do you counteract this.

Here is a list of the main things I had to do to get the water params in check (still not perfect).

1- Upgraded skimmer. I went from a Reef Devil to a ASM G3 that is gravity fed and recirculating. This made a HUGE difference.

2- Eliminated the fuge. Because of the Phosphates it was creating more problems than doing any good. This also made a huge difference.

3- 30% water changes weekly.

4- Added more sand for Bio filtration.

5- Increased flow to keep food from settling in crevices and on the sand bed. I also buried the botton of my rocks in the sand so food and debris could not build up under the rocks.

6- Added Phosphate reactors. Also a huge help.

7- Super charged clean up crew. I have everything you can think of except Macro Algae. I am going to try macro algae again soon thanks to Reef Cleaners.

8- Rinsing all foods with RO water. This also helps a lot.

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately but not in depth yet is training the fish to eat mysis from some kind of contraption that I can control the amount of food they eat and where the extra food ends up. Something with a bowl that I lower into the water.

Obviously I haven't put a lot of thought into it yet.

 

[Jasonny5895]

Not so much trouble (anymore) but more like a challenge to keep the levels in check.



Here is a list of the main things I had to do to get the water params in check (still not perfect).

1- Upgraded skimmer. I went from a Reef Devil to a ASM G3 that is gravity fed and recirculating. This made a HUGE difference.

2- Eliminated the fuge. Because of the Phosphates it was creating more problems than doing any good. This also made a huge difference.

3- 30% water changes weekly.

4- Added more sand for Bio filtration.

5- Increased flow to keep food from settling in crevices and on the sand bed. I also buried the botton of my rocks in the sand so food and debris could not build up under the rocks.

6- Added Phosphate reactors. Also a huge help.

7- Super charged clean up crew. I have everything you can think of except Macro Algae. I am going to try macro algae again soon thanks to Reef Cleaners.

8- Rinsing all foods with RO water. This also helps a lot.

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately but not in depth yet is training the fish to eat mysis from some kind of contraption that I can control the amount of food they eat and where the extra food ends up. Something with a bowl that I lower into the water.

Obviously I haven't put a lot of thought into it yet.

Dom, thanks alot for all this great information and some info on what it takes to run a beutiful tank like that. I am definitly going to apply some of those points to my tank to reduce phosphates.

Best of luck

 

[michael stern]

Dom,
All I can say is
WOOOOOOOW!!!!

This may be the nicest aquarium I have ever seen.
Period.
You should be very proud....and nice rhino.

 

[Domboski]

Thanks Michael! That false stonefish was one of the first fish I got from you.

 

[LeslieS]

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately but not in depth yet is training the fish to eat mysis from some kind of contraption that I can control the amount of food they eat and where the extra food ends up. Something with a bowl that I lower into the water.

I remember seeing something like this on Seahorse.org

 

[tunicata]

wow...I need to see your tank in person...seriously.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The stonefish does not ambush other inhabitants?

 

[Domboski]

The stonefish does not ambush other inhabitants?

Not any of the current residents. He ate a couple of yellow headed gobies that I bought from WWOF. Thats the only fish I can think of. He lived with cleaner shrimp for a very long time too without bothering them. He is fat and happy on other foods so he is not aggressive towards any of the other fish in the tank. Having said that, if any of the other fish could fit in his mouth, I'm sure he would eat them. I'm careful not to put fish in the tank that he may be able to eat.

 

[Domboski]

 

[Domboski]

 

[Domboski]

 

[Domboski]

 

[beireefer]

congrats, these gorgonians come out even prettier than hard coral especially the purple one, good like with the cyano

 

[Domboski]

congrats, these gorgonians come out even prettier than hard coral especially the purple one, good like with the cyano

Thanks. I haven't had cyano in the last few days. Hopefully it is gone.