The System

The aquarium is a 110 gallon with a 1.5″ drain in each of the top corners as well as a 3/4″ return drilled through each corner.  The returns are each split into two 3/4″ lengths of locline.  A Sedra 9000 serves as the return pump, providing gentle flow enough to keep the gorgonians and sponges clean.

The sump is a custom acrylic build.  Both of the drains empty into a tray with filter floss, replaced weekly.  In the main part of the sump is an Elos skimmer run by two Sedra 5000 NW pumps.  There is another pump feeding a GEO GFO reactor stocked with about 500mL of ROWAphos, a chiller, and a GEO 618 calcium reactor because a 200g frag tank is tied in to this system.  Everything flows into a 50g refugium loaded with Chaetomorpha and Ulva before draining back down to the sump and returning to the seahorse display.  The total volume of the entire system is roughly 380 gallons.  In addition to the equipment, Phishy Business performs a ~75 gallon water weekly water change.  All of this together keeps water parameters pretty close to: 74 degrees, 0-5ppm nitrate, 0 phosphate, 9-10 dKH, 1.025 SG.

Feeding

---

The main seahorse diet consists of mysis shrimp soaked in astaxanthan powder, with occasional enriched live brine shrimp.  Feeding occurs four to five times daily.  Phishy Business says it took about five days for the first seahorse to start eating frozen, with the rest following suit within another week.

Sponges and gorgonians are fed oyster eggs and/or phytoplankton twice a day.

Breeding

---

Phishy Business’ goal is to breed the seahorses.  They tell Advanced Aquarist, “We are hoping to ultimately breed the horses.  In fact, a male dropped just this morning; the 4th to do so in the last month.  We plan to culture several types of food on which to raise the fry: brine nauplii, copepods, rotifers, and phytoplankton (to feed to pods and rotis).”

Advanced Aquarist wishes Phishy Business the best of luck with their breeding efforts and congratulates them on their new beautiful and unique display.

Photos and information courtesy of Phishy Business and The Western Ohio Reef Club forum.