Been a while, lots to update. I have added both of the organisms the tank was originally designed for... Halophila seagrass and seahorses. The seagrass has been in the tank for over a month and is growing well. The seahorses have been in for a bit over a week. Both are eating. I'm happy I was patient and found true tank bred seahorses.

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps16376244.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psd7ac74b2.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps3eb27613.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps2aa2f494.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psc0ded1ad.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps1297dab7.jpg

New seagrass buds around the originally planted leaves.
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse6d684e9.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps2af525d4.jpg

Looks very nice Jake

Great tank and pics!

Thanks guys :)

That is a sweet little tank. Very nice.

Time for another update.

Unfortunately the feather duster died as the sea horses kept using it as a tail anchor, and broke many of its feathers. It died about a week after I purchased it.

The fox coral isn't doing well for some reason (bottom right of tank picture). I think my tank is too bright for it. I am actually giving it to a local reefer tonight so hopefully it can be saved.

Other than that, I'm really happy with how things have gone!

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps9f91f5d7.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4316b619.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps8bae6752.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps1142d4f1.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psbc48a05b.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps89a02f77.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb1bd866b.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps9cfc548a.jpg

That's the most colourful and beautifully done seahorse tank I've ever seen. In my mind seahorse tanks are always weedy jungles of brown and green, you've firmly changed my opinion on what they can be.

Thanks so much!

Monthly update! Sold the sun coral as it was just too much work to keep healthy. Not sure what to replace it with. I added more gorgonians in the last month. JL recently got a great shipment in from Florida and I picked up another corky finger from a fellow reefer.

Top down shots with my underwater camera.

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psf0444baf.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps5b829928.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps29eef795.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps01c40630.jpg

Regulars:

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps45ea61e1.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psc58d0611.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6433f732.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psfcec4c3f.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6009a483.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps64438099.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7f131284.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps8d8222c2.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psbc48a05b.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...pseb3bdd9e.jpg

I love that tank! Might have to try something similar with my cube once I get everything moved over to my big tank....

Well done!

OMG how come it is so nice and clean.

I skimmed through your journal, great set up!

Hi Jake

The tanks look fantastic.

It looks like the Corky Finger worked out well.

Tom R

Thanks Tom! Coming from you that means a lot. The seahorses love the corky finger.

Thanks! I think we may have met last year at my old place in Kits?

I work pretty hard to keep it clean. I do a 10 gallon water change and clean the back wall weekly. A sand sifting sea star keeps the sand bed white.

Thanks! I have really enjoyed this tank and would recommend a softy/seagrass tank to anyone.

Beautiful tank and great pics.
Good job and very well done.

It has been a long time since I updated this thread. Since the last update, I have moved, so the tank changed a lot.

Before the move:
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6ec05c07.jpg

A few months after the move:
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps158d6d2d.jpg

The "new" tank needs to grow in a bit before it gets to where my last one was. The only loss of the move was the Halymenia sp. macro algae... one day without light and it died. It may also have been due to nutrient shock (being placed suddenly in a nutrient poor, unestablished tank).

The seagrass has rebounded well, and all of the corals were pretty much unaffected by the move.

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps920c1e1c.jpg

New dragonette
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7fbe71d6.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6b3c0016.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps1c1e867f.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps053b8d40.jpg

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6f2e8b5f.jpg

Need to add a cover with the new fish (plus I have a cat...). I had this custom made, but unfortunately within days it started warping and is now pretty ugly. If anyone knows how to fix this sort of issue I'm all ears!
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps8a1e2670.jpg

This probably hasn't helped with the problem...
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps82c7c18d.jpg

My refugium
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7a93f829.jpg

Happy holidays!

Need to add a cover with the new fish (plus I have a cat...). I had this custom made, but unfortunately within days it started warping and is now pretty ugly. If anyone knows how to fix this sort of issue I'm all ears!
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps8a1e2670.jpg


Hahah just turn it up side down and let the cat do all the work to reshape it! haha

Is it made out of acrylic or lexan/plexi glass? I had one for a tank that i made from lexan and the heat from the lights warped it and they were about 2 feet off the tank

The tank looks awesome though! keep the pictures coming!

Jake,

Got some red Halimenia here for you.

Anthony

Ha Jake

Your tank is looking better every time I see it.

I love the seahorses

Tom R

Thanks Anthony, I will have to come by in the new year!

Thanks Tom! Hope everything is going well with your beautiful tanks.

Thanks! I am away for the holidays so unfortunately I don't have many other pictures, but I will take more when I return.

I think it is made of acrylic. Flipping it over crossed my mind, but I was hoping for a permanent solution. If I flip it over again, I think it would just warp out of shape again.

Your 13 gallon build thread is very cool by the way :)

I see you are selling your Kessil. Are you going with a different light, or are you (god forbid) shutting this down? Inquiring minds need to know!

Jake your setup is bountiful!!

Just making a lighting change! The gorgonians tend to shadow themselves they have so many branches, so I decided to get a light with a more even lighting distribution - a Mitras.

Thanks for the kind words Claudia!

Whew! When is the second cube going in? And what's going in it? I know you got rid of your sun corals you had early on, but now that you have happy horses, I'm sure you want a challenge... Perhaps a complete NPS tank? :)

fantastic setup all around. Beautifully laid out.

I am actually in the process of (slowly) building a 60g cube focusing on gorgonians (non-photo) and may put a few seahorses/pipefishes in there.

OMG I am a fan of this tank. I LOVE IT! Reminds me of my tank before the horrible calpura took over and killed everything :(

+1000! Beautiful setup!

Noy - Thank you! I would recommend this style of tank to anyone. It is fairly low maintenance and gorgonian's are beautiful. The only issue with sea horses is feeding them while you are away on vacation!

Skabooya - Thanks for the compliment and the cautionary tale! I was considering adding Caulerpa and will avoid it now!

Coralgurl - Thanks! Your set up is very well done too. I have some size envy!


The 2nd cube isn't going to happen unfortunately! I just can't expend the resources that would be needed to set up the second tank. I would love to try a NPS tank one day. I find the automated feeding systems some hobbyists have come up really interesting.

Beautiful tank!