vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Ok......I have had my tank for 3 weeks....am very disapointed in the shop I got my seahores from..they didn't tell me to cycle the tank for several weeks before adding the seahorses. Now I have very high ammonia levels and heaps of brownish algae. Have now learnt lots via reading forums etc. As quick as I clean the tank the algae is there again before my eyes. I have turned the lights off...done a partial water change. Not sure what to do next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 as in new tank u mean the rocks are new to havent been cured ??? vodka 1ml per 100 litres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 only 34L for 2 seahorses...vodka.......can I just add that to the tank..it has 2 seahorses in it...don't want them drunk..lol. I'm very new to marine stuff and thought I had asked ALL the questions before setting up, but now am starting to wonder how much the people knew themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 hmm can you take the seahorses back to the shop to look after while your tank cycles as they will die with high levels of ammonia who set you up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 That tank is way to small for sea horses. What part of NZ are you in? It wouldn't happen to be an AR380 tank would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Your local pet shop doesnt sound very informed. Salt water tanks are pretty complicated. What filtration do you have? Do you have a sand bed? Basically cycling will be very stressful for them (if they actually survive). I dont really know how tough sea horses are though. I think lots of water changes are all that you can really do. Unfortunate that the shop let you down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I'm from Central Otago. Got the tank and horses from Invercargill.3 hrs drive. Was told the tank was fine for 2 potbellies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 so they sold you the tank and the seahorses all at once you got home added salt and put the horses in ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 has a built in filter system. Yes I have the white gravely sand (well it brownish at the mo) I'm getting rather worried for the wee dudes. The boy also arrived full of eggs, that I didn't know about until he missed carried them and the girl lost eggs too. I'm rather pissed off about it all. Especially when I thought I did all my homework first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 4 days later.thats all they said it needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 oh boy sorry to say take the seahorses back before they die, then just let the tank go through its cycle water changes will help but its gonna be alot of mucking around mixing salt and changes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Take them back and get a full refund. tank needs to be cured and you will need a chiller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorsemad Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi vickih The type of seahorses you have require 50 litres per pair so you need a bigger tank to be able to keep them. They also need to be kept in temperatures between 18-22 degrees which is hard at this time of the year (hence the reason someone has suggested a chiller). They need lots of things (plastic Plants normally) to hang on to and good quality food Your horses are going to need alot of water changes and you are going to have to keep a very close eye on the temp as it would be very easy to cook your seahorses in your tank!!! There are some good books out there but my main suggestion would be to get in contact with the seahorse farm (theseahorsefarm.co.nz) in Napier. They may know someone in your area that could ponysit for you or alternatively give you some advice on what you should do. The guys here are right, the shop should have given you better advice than you received and you may need to spend alot more money to keep your seahorses happy in the long run. But if you need any help please dont hesitate to PM me and will see what i can do from this end of the country Cheers Seahorsemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hey sorry off topic but seahorsemad did you see the new species of seahorse they found up in the poor knights? Looks really impresive. Only 2cm long. vickih: It sounds like the shop is to far away to return them? I would definately make a fuss about it though. :lol: Poorly informed LFS's really annoy me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorsemad Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 How cute is that!!!! It almost looks like a sea dragon with the moss covering. I agree with the LFS comment. It would have taken less than 5 minutes to check with the seahorse farm and find out that the tank was not suitable for the seahorses needs. I makes you wonder how many have been sold like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Vicki, the rocks will take around 6 weeks to cycle. In the mean time it is very likely the seahorses will suffer & possible die. As you're 3 hours from the shop it may not be possible to return them, but if you have a source of seawater you could keep them in a different container & do a 100% water change each day, just ensure the container is well aerated. To test when the rocks are cycled, for the first 2 weeks or thereabouts you will have ammonia in the water, then ammonia will subside as it is changed into nitrite. It will take around another 4 weeks for nitrite to subside as it is converted to nitrate. Once the nitrite is gone it will be safe for your seahorses. You should then monitor nitrate periodically, I'm not sure how much seahorses can tolerate but just make sure it's at a safe level for them. The brown crud on your rocks - hate to tell you this but unless you get a protein skimmer it is likely you will always have algae etc growing. BTW vodka can be effective, but ONLY if you have a skimmer. No skimmer, no point dosing vodka. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahorsemad Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Vickih If you are aerating your tank, please make sure that you have big bubbles. The reason for this is that the smaller bubbles can get inside the male seahorses pouch and they are unable to expell the air them by themselves. It can eventually kill them if proper treatment is not taken. Good luck seahorsemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 The exact same tank for 2 sea horses. I checked there site and rang also the other day and they are closing the place, they were just there cleaning up. I got good book from the shop via the seahorse farm that has been veru usefull. And to sound completely usless.....how does a skimmer work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 How are you feeding your ponies?? Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 seahorse farm said I needed http://www.theseahorsefarm.co.nz/pet_supplies.phped.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 aletrnates days of brine shrimp and mysis shrimp (frozen)....I have got brine shrimp eggs ready to start hatching my own. I live right in the middle of the country, so no hope of getting natural sea water to put them while tank is cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Your link didn't work vickih. Unless you have taken appropriate action when feeding live food, you will also kill your S/H's. The livefood can not be allowed to be at the surface, the babies will ingest air which will cause their demise. When touring the SH Farm at Napier, this was pointed out and they blacked out the top part of their tank to force the phototropic animals to stay away from the unlit surface area. On touring a tropical SH breeders establishment the other day in Tauranga, I was informed that his are "taught" to eat dead food and he solves his problem that way. He breeds four colour varieties of the Hippocampus kuda, for the overseas market which he states is "Doing very well just quietly Alan". For him it was a huge step that he laid out everything and has come up smelling of a bed of roses. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickih Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Try this .. http://www.theseahorsefarm.co.nz/pet_supplies.php The horses aren't eating today...I'm getting rather upset about the whole thing..the wee guys aren't very happy. I did everything I was told to do from the beginning now its all turning to S**t. I hate seeing animals unhappy. The only thing I can do now is frequent water changes and hope for the best. and RING THE SHOP AND GIVE THEM AN EAR FULL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 .....how does a skimmer work? Well, basically a skimmer is a filter that removes organic 'gunk' from the system. It's pretty much a tower that fills with tiny bubbles, and the gunk sticks to the bubbles and condenses into foam that can be removed. Like this pic from jetskisteve..... Skimmers get to ridiculous prices, however those ones are generally for reef keeping where good skimming is essential. There are some budget skimmers around that would be just fine. I dont know if there are any of these left..... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 863289.htm You could send petplanet a pm (here on the forum), and ask if there are any left. Other cheap skimmers are the "queen turbo skimmers", jebao (AND jebo - different companies) skimmers. As your tank doesnt have a sump you will need a hang on skimmer. I would ask in the private trade exchange part of the forum for a cheap skimmer, you should be looking at around $30, or more depending on what you want. If you have questions feel free to ask everyone here, the good thing about you being thrown in the deep end is that at least you'll get some good advice here. :lol: On the chiller thing, chillers cost around $600 new, and I dont think its required (unless your absolutely loaded) . You just have to make sure the tank doesnt get too hot, and with a 34 L tank I would imagine ice bottles could work quite well on really hot days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I was very disappointed to find (today) that the seahorse farm is no longer trading, I had hoped to set up a marine tank once we had moved to Rotorua, if anyone at all can advise me as to where I will be able to purchase the necessary requirements, I will be very grateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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