Request for Panmanmatt: lets see your pony tank(s)!

[kathywithbirds]

Hi Matt!

I'm reading... thanks for lending me that book, there's SO many types of horses and pipefish... and I'm navigating seahorse.org.

I need some visual aids, especially with the issue of flow and ponies being sucked into things. I suspect my as-yet-unsold-will-be-using-as-a-QT-for-now 37 cube might be a really good seahorse tank. (I LOVED that biocube setup in ILC that time, but isn't that a little small for those guys?)

[Terri]

I'll give this a try.

[panmanmatt]

Glad you are enjoying the book and the website. Did you register or just browsing as a guest?

That 37 would make a great seahorse tank, once you're through Qt'ing the others.

As for my set ups, I run empty canister filters on them for the water movement and let the LR, LS and skimmer do my filtration.

My 37 gallon is running a Fluval 304 and a BakPak skimmer with a MJ1200 pump. This tank is currently horseless. But houses numerous corals a red firefish and as of today, a barred dartfish and a pink pencil wrasse.

My 30 cube runs an Odysea 4 filter and soon to be a Fission skimmer. This system has my 2 male northern Hippocampus erectus and a citron clown goby along with a few corals.

Here the most recent pics I have for now.
37 gallon:


30 cube:

[panmanmatt]

Great looking tank Terri.

[Terri]

This pic is after the fake bright stuff was add. suppose to help the color of the sh. i guess she did turn bright yellow after i did this. I removed one of them. The leather has attached to the other-one so im stuck with it . but i like to change things about every two months i just got the plants in, now in QT. so its coming. let's see others

[Dentoid]

Originally Posted by Terri

I'll give this a try.

It's the lost ruins of Pompei!

[Terri]

should i take the bio stuff out of my canister filter. and run just the foam i have a refugium w/ skimmer. but not much LR.

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by Terri

should i take the bio stuff out of my canister filter. and run just the foam i have a refugium w/ skimmer. but not much LR.

That is up to you. I hate cleaning filters so mine tended to go a long time in between cleanings, sometimes a month or more. This leads to a build up of nitrates which contributes to algae growth.

[PEMfish]

Originally Posted by panmanmatt

My 30 cube runs an Odysea 4 filter and soon to be a Fission skimmer. This system has my 2 male northern Hippocampus erectus and a citron clown goby along with a few corals.

Current USA Fisson Protein skimmer? DO NOT BUY THAT PIECE OF CRAP!!!
Tanks look nice everyone.

[kathywithbirds]

Cool!!!

Terri, does the fake stuff gather any buildup of gunk or algae? And are those outlets at the top the only source of flow in that tank? I like that Pompeii look!!

Nice, Matt! What kind of ponies are going in the 37? I assume the firefish, dartfish and wrasse are horse-friendly?

And for all you guys: what precautions do you take about intake and outlets? Any coverings, or maybe the flow is too weak to pull/push the horses? Or am I thinking about this too much like they're anemones?

[kathywithbirds]

Originally Posted by PEMfish

Current USA Fisson Protein skimmer? DO NOT BUY THAT PIECE OF CRAP!!!
Tanks look nice everyone.

He's getting two from us, for zoos. Yeah, I wouldn't use them exclusively, but they do add a little filtration. I would hesitate to take more than a few bucks for them, if we're talking cash.

[Terri]

Thanks everyone. i have low flow from canister that you can't see. and flow from refugium the two you see in the pic is a 200gal that i have on a timer. i like the kink hose it's easy to change flow direction when i need to. and i have all intakes covered in foam.. Yes the fake stuff gets covered in algae but i can clean it or let my new seahair Sherk clean it for me.

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

He's getting two from us, for zoos. Yeah, I wouldn't use them exclusively, but they do add a little filtration. I would hesitate to take more than a few bucks for them, if we're talking cash.

More like zoas and rubble for the fuge. Can do cash too if need be.

I am not expecting miracles from it, the tank has been running for 3 years without a skimmer so I'm not overly concerned.

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

Cool!!!
Nice, Matt! What kind of ponies are going in the 37? I assume the firefish, dartfish and wrasse are horse-friendly?

And for all you guys: what precautions do you take about intake and outlets? Any coverings, or maybe the flow is too weak to pull/push the horses? Or am I thinking about this too much like they're anemones?

The fire fish,and goby are definitely fine. Wrasses are usually considered a no-no because of their rapid movements, but I think he will be fine. I just got him today so he's hiding in the rocks more than anything. I have been watching him at the LFS for a few weeks now and he seems pretty docile.


None on my intakes are covered except for the little basket thingies that come with the filters. The 30 has a spray bar return to break up the flow and a MicroJet powerhead for added circulation. The horses love to ride the currents from the powerhead.

The 37 has the single return from the filter and the return from the skimmer, both face the center of the tank. There are plenty of areas with lower flow for them to relax and hitch.

[lcstorc]

How did I miss this one? I must have been sleeping.
Terri I love the bright cheerful look of that tank. It really catches the eye. I'm sure your ponies will love it.
I'll post pics of mine once it has some ponies in it. Not very long now. Well they will have to be in qt, but less than a month till they come home anyway.