Some ideas and questions

[mari.harutunian]

1. Do you guys think a drop off tank could be a frag tank on the top level and a seahorse tank in the front? Separated with egg crate? Or would that be weird/ugly?

 

2. Anyone recommend any tanks/setups/layouts for frags & seahorse display?

 

3. Should I plumb a frag tank into the spare closet? Is this difficult/expensive?

 

4. Best way to get my mom to not kill me because of this new setup? (She doesn't like algae...or spending money)

 

 

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[PupChow]

That's actually a very interesting idea, I can see it working. Black egg crate may look the best and there is a sand trap / lid on the top portion of the dropoff that could help anchor the egg crate in.  The egg crate could double as anchoring spots for corals frags for either the frag tank side or sea horse side.  Added benefit is you could feed your frags up stream and anything the coral miss would flow into the sea horse side as food. 

 

Looking at my own 17g dropoff (Artfully Acrylic), the flow at the top is pretty strong and the bottom portion has very low flow, I think even without the egg crate your sea horses may just prefer to stay at the bottom portion most of the time, especially if most of the hitching posts are at the bottom. Pure speculation on my part though.

 

Good luck with mom!

[Jon Lazar]

1. Do you guys think a drop off tank could be a frag tank on the top level and a seahorse tank in the front? Separated with egg crate? Or would that be weird/ugly?

 

Personally, I think a dedicated seahorse drop off tank could be stunning.  But not if you convert the top into a frag tank.  

 

I like my aquariums to look nice, and to showcase the natural beauty of the reef and it's critters.  I'll accept things that detract from the natural beauty where I have to, like return nozzles and powerheads.  Or loose frags while I'm acclimating them on the sandbed, before moving them higher.  But I won't choose to do things that detract from the natural beauty of the tank environment and it's inhabitants if I don't have to.

 

That's just my approach.  I'm sure you _could_ find a way to do a combination seahorse/frag tank.  But I think you'll have suboptimal results for both parts.  Pick one or the other.  Or do one of each.  But I wouldn't combine the two.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2017 by Jon Lazar

[mari.harutunian]

Personally, I think a dedicated seahorse drop off tank could be stunning. But not if you convert the top into a frag tank.

 

I like my aquariums to look nice, and to showcase the natural beauty of the reef and it's critters. I'll accept things that detract from the natural beauty where I have to, like return nozzles and powerheads. Or loose frags while I'm acclimating them on the sandbed, before moving them higher. But I won't choose to do things that detract from the natural beauty of the tank environment and it's inhabitants if I don't have to.

 

That's just my approach. I'm sure you _could_ find a way to do a combination seahorse/frag tank. But I think you'll have suboptimal results for both parts. Pick one or the other. Or do one of each. But I wouldn't combine the two.

 

 

 

Yeah I just really want a frag tank and my family wants me to have 0 tanks lol. But drop off is definitely the way I'd want to go for my seahorses. They're currently in my reef with all the stinging corals sequestered and ready to be traded.

 

 

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[Jon Lazar]

Well, lots of people have areas of their sump set up for growing frags.  That might be an option to explore.

[Jon Lazar]

4. Best way to get my mom to not kill me because of this new setup? (She doesn't like algae...or spending money)

 

Pick a hobby or activity you know will horrify her and muse out loud, "Well, maybe I should stop with all these aquariums.  Then I would have plenty of time to..."

 

That might help her realize that reef tanks are a great way for a young person to develop their basic science and engineering skills, critical thought, artistic design, sense of responsibility, and imagination.

[mari.harutunian]

Well, lots of people have areas of their sump set up for growing frags. That might be an option to explore.

I have no sumps! I bought an AIO because I thought it actually meant "all in one" but it really means "waste of money rip off" and "you're going to have to pay way more for this on top of all the equipment you're going to have to buy too".

 

 

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[mari.harutunian]

Pick a hobby or activity you know will horrify her and muse out loud, "Well, maybe I should stop with all these aquariums. Then I would have plenty of time to..."

 

That might help her realize that reef tanks are a great way for a young person to develop their basic science and engineering skills, critical thought, artistic design, sense of responsibility, and imagination.

I'm not a good enough actor lol and this tank will be my third tank and second salt tank. The freshwater tank looks like a total wreck too. Just finished a 60% water change as well as switching out all filters, hand removing algae, and testing all water parameters. Idk whats wrong! Thing grows algae like crazy and it has zero ammonia, nitrite, and Nitrate, lots of plants, and the fish keep dying. Have lost 3 rosy barbs, 1 cardinal tetra, and a Cory... The only reason this new tank is happening is because she loves seahorses :-)

Should've took a before shot...

 

 

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