Hi I'm new and intend to setup tank

[reidylock]

Hi i'm new and would like to keep SH but not sure how.

Is there anyone out there willing to share?

What are the things i need for set-up?

Where can i get them?

I have visited some shops and they were telling me stuff but i dunno who to believe coz i scared they will cheat me.

Pls dun write in short-forms coz i dunnoo the terms..

Ur tips ll be greatly appreciated...

[Maxstar81]

1st, U need a tank.

How big must think hard.

Most pple will tell you to get the biggest U can

afford so no need change liao. Unless U like

nano then diff story.

Next U need think about filteration.

Internal, external, canister or sump?

Think about space & how much effort U

wanna put into cleaning.

Usually is bigger & more $ set up = less manual labour.

I have only i small filter & nothing else.

Must watch bio load & keep hardy fish.

Change water every wk.

After that U need to cycle tank.

Only thing about cycling tank is "wait long long".

Usually 1 mth with live rocks.

Dun finger itchy & short cut. (like me lah)

Water not ready fish will just up lorry.

If all the above is done, U will need to research on

the natural habitat of watever U wanna keep.

Do the tankscape then its ready for your new pet.

Hope it helps. I'm pretty new but have lots of

exp in tank crash!

[nakazoru]

Wah pianz;

Sea horse...

Okay seahorse are plankton eater, really slow guys you know.

Water is always the key to all LS irregalarless. Plan one good one for your budget.

When you buy, at least I pair, my choice, as they live in community. Feeding is tough during acclimation. Live plankton will help very much, once it fit in, then they bottle feed loh. Feeding I think best with actinic on only.

Last thing, they need some fan like stuff for them to hang...

[FuEl]

Buy captive bred ones. Already weaned to frozen foods. Seahorses appreciate water height just like angelfish. Chris Low has captive bred H. reidi and Reborn brings in captive bred H. kuda. You might like to consider kudas to start you off as they are less expensive.

[LoReNsIa]

lol.. bro.. state properly.. is sea fan.. i see le guai guai... btw.. sea fan is not advice to sea horse tank.. as it might kill the coral.. SH grap onto rock or things tt they can grab very tightly.. well.. it better tt u get a taller tank.. as in height.. it will be a great tank for them.. as SH need a high tank to breed.. but as for some bro here.. they don need a high tank for them to breed.. h. kuda is hardy from the one reborn selling.. btw nowadays.. SH are hard to find.. and don keep too much.. it will overpact ur tank.. like for a 2ft tank.. i think it better to go for only 2 pair.. ya.. and if u wan to choose wad kind of flitration? go dor a tank wher a sump is.. it will lighten ur management in ur tank.. go for a over flow tt bro in SRC have design in the DIY forumn.. and place a sump at the bottom of the tank.. and the lighting , any kind will do.. a T8 should be fine.. or if u wan ur tank to look better.. u can choose T5.. they shown out nice coloration of ur SH.. back ground of ur tank actually can change ur SH color.. even the lighting do affect it.. when u wan to rear SH, those tt don eat frozen mysis, use fresh water shrimp to feed them first.. slowly add in frozen mysis together with the live fresh water shrimps, and soon they will feed on it.. i take 2 mnth be4 mine eat.. ya.. please read more about SH be4 u all wan to rear.. don harm them.. ya..

[Maxstar81]

reidylock,

In reply to your PM.

Show U my tank photo.

See the filter ? (green top right)

Its an internal filter but i raise it and use another layer

for double efficiency since i don't have skimmer.

I have to top up water every other day and change water

every wkend. Cheap is no prob but manual more loh.

[LoReNsIa]

sorry to state tt max.. the way u filter i think it not good.. plus if u r lazy , ur whole tank is gonna go with algae.. and dirt.. ya.. trust mi.. i rather u go for a jebo filter.. cheap and efficient.. haha..

[reidylock]

thks for the advice.. hmm yea i visited some shops and seldom c SH tat y..

i take note of the high tank.. but aint too sure abt the filtration and pump blah.. stil new at this.. u mention haf to change water evry week? manually done? hmm the water is salt or fresh?

pardon my ignorance.

stil have alot to catch up.

i did saw my fren tank got algae here and there.. i want to avoid tat too

[Maxstar81]

LoReNsIa,

Algae no prob. but my main concern is the dirt collecting at the bottom.

Will have to vacuum the sandbed soon.

reidylock,

we are in a marine forum. Of course we're talking salt water.

Unless you're topping up evaporated water then de-clorined

fresh water is ok. Pls dun use kitchen salt to make salt water for

tank ok. U must buy salt from local fish shop/marine shop.

Stupid me think all salt same. Mix kitchen salt for crab.

5 mins later all die.

Dun wan algae ah. Can can. Just keep your tank totally dark.

Use torch light when U wanna see your fish.

Joke ah. I dun think U can be totally algae free.

There are ways to minimise their growth though.

[reidylock]

ya ok thks max.. i knw use the red sea salt rite? hmm juz wonderin coz got the fresh water plant mah in some SH tanks.. tat y wonder wonder...

Anyway if anyone out thr who wants to do set up for SH, can do it wif me? then can go together.. rather alone..

im quite timid actually.. wakaka

now i knw y my fren tank got algae.. could be due to too much light and feeding excessively eh?

correct me if im wrng...

[jem]

yupp bingo!

..too much feeding may increase your phospate level and the rest of your nutrient level..which will result in the growth of algaes..

and with more photoperiod the algaes will grow double as fast..

[jem]

anyway..does SH needs cold temperament water?

i heard from a reefer that they require temperature below 27deg..

is it true?..haha..i know nuts bout them.

[LoReNsIa]

for temperature, it better to be at 27-29.. don get too hot for ur SH.. if i put u in sahara desert are u happy with it? haha. ya.. the other best way for reducing algae is not to place ur tank near to places with sunlight.. only for a kind of SH which need water temperature below 26 is pot belly.. as they need cold water to live.. correct mi if i'm wrong.. bro decentkids is also good in this.. bro chinmo is our lao jiao in SH.. haha.. trust mi.. he is good in animals..

[Maxstar81]

???

Must keep SH cool ah?

Sian lah, i no cooler.

My tank mostly 28-29.5.

Never hit 30 b4.

Can i still keep SH ???

[LoReNsIa]

ya.. can.. but it better tt u keep the water to be in 27 degree.. haha.. ya.. thankx..

[Dispar_Anthias]

If you are new to this hobby... Pls DUN keep seahorse... Try out marine fish keeping instead and leave these beautiful creatures in the wild

[reidylock]

ok thanks decentkidd.. im no bro..

tats for the feeding of SH how many times i shld feed the SH? wad if they dun wan eat? is it becoz they have moodswing?

As for a pump and filter, how do i go abt? i juz need a small one rite? wad size i shld get for the tank?

To keep the temp cool, i can juz use a small fan rite? dun need chiller.. as long the tank not in the sun rite?

i still need to cycle the tank rite?

Any shop i can go check out?

thanks again.. greatly appreciate.

[CKS]

hey sis

I think u need to read up on setting up FOWLR (fish only with Liverock) tank .. u can most probably find more info on cycling marine tank with various filters on article/forum discussing FOWLR...

i'll be starting a new thread soon.. documenting my process of converting my already established FOWLR tank to SH tank.. hoping that it will be helpful to other SH newbie too

[Dispar_Anthias]

ok thanks decentkidd.. im no bro..

tats for the feeding of SH how many times i shld feed the SH? wad if they dun wan eat? is it becoz they have moodswing?

As for a pump and filter, how do i go abt? i juz need a small one rite? wad size i shld get for the tank?

To keep the temp cool, i can juz use a small fan rite? dun need chiller.. as long the tank not in the sun rite?

i still need to cycle the tank rite?

Any shop i can go check out?

thanks again.. greatly appreciate.

Eh you still not sure abt cycling so i guess you still new to this hobby.. i suggest you keep other things instead of seahorse.. Once more comfortable den move on to seahorse