New Seahorse Tank Build

Hi all,

I thought I'd chronicle my new tank. I had seahorses about 4 years ago and that tank had been sitting idle so I decided to start it up again. After some research I realized that the old tank was too small.

Old Tank

I was very reluctant to change from this tank not because of cost, but because of size. It fit so well there and there really is no other place in my house for the tank to go and blend in. But I finally convinced myself to go a little larger and put it somewhere else. I decided on a Perfecto 37 gal column tank which I purchased from a LFS for $68. I didn't like the stands offered for that tank as none of them could house a sump so I decided to make one. For a person with a woodworking hobby one wouldn't think that to be a big deal but I could see myself making a $500 stand and I didnt want to do that.

So for the stand I decided on using some left over maple veneer plywood, The sheet cost me $29 a few years ago and had been awaiting a project.

So using some simple joinery techniques I put the stand together in about an hour, made a panel door out of some scrap maple, and then shot it with some clear lacquer which I tinted. Total time was about an hour and a half. Here's the pics of it.

I made the stand deeper than the tank. The tank is 20x18x24" and I made the stand 20x22x29" so that I could fit a sump. In retrospect I should have made it 26" deep which would have allowed a 24" sump but such is life.

Here's the finished stand. Not a great location but I can get into those cabinets although it is a PITA, but I had no other choice.

The sand is 60 lbs of Natures Ocean "Live" aragonite and about 20lbs of HD sand. I chose this combination because my 65 gal reef has it and is still a ver live DSB which will be 8 years old in June 2007.

Next was the purchase of the rest of the equipment.

Since I plan on some softies in this 24" deep tank I decided on a 150w 14K HQI Current USA Sunpod 20" fixture. I picked up a used LifeReef overflow and plumbed that into the plastic sump. On order still is a Euroreef RS-80 skimmer. I had planned on using my old Reef Devil 3 downdraft skimmer but since I needed a pump for that anyway, decided to go with the less maintenance Euroreef since I'm away a lot.

Being a gadget guy I also picked up an Aquacontroller Jr to controller the lights etc. Since heat caused the demise of my original seahorses I also ordered a Current USA 1/15hp chiller and I've got the tank kept at 73° right now.

The chiller is powered by a Quiet One 3000 which provides just enough flow to keep the overflow going. The spray bar comes down the right rear side of the tank, across the bottom back and then back towards the front for about 6". I've piled the rock against the left rear corner because the main viewing vantage point for the tank will be me sitting in front of my 'puter.

Here's a shot from my chair in front of my computer.

I purchased the rock from Premium Aquatics. It was my first ever mail order rock purchase and I wasn't thrilled with it. I emailed PA whom I've done most of my reef business with for 8 years and and gave them some friendly criticism. Their response was to offer to ship me a new order next week with Jeremy personally picking the rock. How can I complain about that. It's that kind of customer service along with some great pre/post sale support that has kept me going back to them over the years.

The new rocks are in but the tank is green so I'll wait till things settle a bit before taking new pics...here are the rocks though layed out on the floor.

You cant tell from the tank pics but the shapes of the original batch of rocks caused the structure to be a pretty solid mass of rock. These new rocks have allowed the structure to have better water flow through it and have significantly more coralline and life on them.

The sump setup pictured below has a Euro Reef RS80 skimmer, an 8w JBJ submersible UV. For top off I currently have an aqualifter pump connected to the switch lines of my Aquacontroller Jr via an Aquahub float switch and it is plumbed into the sump and feeds RO water. I have a solenoid isl connected to the output of my Nilsen reactor for my main reef. The limewater will be Tee'd into the Aqualifter output and the solenoid controlled by the Aquacontroller so that when the PH is below 8.4 and makeup water is called for, the lime water will be mixed in....once I can figure out that program

I had to add a noise filter to the HQI plug so the X10 would work so that why the weird looking module in the pic. Also, the blue Romex box houses a $9 X10 inductive dimmer which has my moon LED from the Current Sunpod plugged into it.

Today's pics (6/2/7)

I put the shroom rock in there this morning so they haven't quite acclimated to the new flow and colder temps. The rubble on the right front is just temporary while I'm attaching some loose shrooms.

7/14/7

In preparation for yellow head jawfish I had to remove some of the rock and insert some PVC foundations. I used four 4" tall 3" diameter PVC and three 1" diameter pieces.

Of course I could not get the rock back the way that it was originally and I ended up turning a lot of the coralline in and exposing the bare undersides Hopefully it will color up nicely.

I need to break that rubble into smaller pieces so that the jawfish can use it to build his burrow.

7/19/7

Yellowhead Jawfish

7/24/07

I had some time to kill this evening so here's a short movie clip of the jawfish building his burrow. Notice he lost his tail fin in shipping, I'm hoping it grows back. I know that damaged fins regenerate, not sure about a total loss though.

Jawfish Video

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