reef-sea horse-refugium combo tank setup idea possibility

[tendar]

I am looking to put up a new tank early next year and want to add sea horses for the wife but since sea horses require a low flow system I came with this idea.
The system would be made up of 3 different tanks all on top of one stand and the tanks would all work together.
The stand would 48"24"
1. The reef tank would be 30x24x20 on the right side of the stand.
2. The sea horse tank would 18x12x24 on the left front of the stand.
3. The refugium would be 18x12x24 on the left back side directly behind the sea horse tank and on a 4-5" riser so it would be 4-5" higher than the sea horse tank.

I would have a overflow in the reeftank draining into a sump then returned to the refugium with like a mag3-5.
The water returned to the refugium from the sump would flow through a 1-2" bulkhead into the sea horse tank reason for the refugium being on a 4-5" riser for gravity feed to horse tank.
Then the water that is feed into sea horse tank would flow through to the other side where it would flow through another 1-2" bulkhead back into the reef display tank whichg would be gravity feed also since the sea horse tank is 4" taller than reef tank thus completing the cycle.

I would place a closed loop on the reef system with a sea swirl and probably one other return.

Does this sound pluasible or am I missing some thing that would not work or any better ideas or suggestion would be welcome. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/moron.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Chuck S]

Sounds very plausible in theory YES. You could do this. Sounds like a nice fish room project if you have one. I do not know how aesthetically pleasing this would look with 3 tanks together like that. Thinking of the wife thingy here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif The two tanks I can be a little more DIY on is the 120 in the basement and the 20 in the back basement. Everything else has to be furniture quality stands etc etc everywhere else in the house. The rest include of course the 55 in the living room and the 25 in the kitchen and the 29 in the downstairs bathroom. I envy the guys that have those fancy rooms set up just for their systems. There own mini fish rooms.

[tendar]

I am one of those lucky guys that the wife doesnt care what I do. I live in a apartment and the she gets the spare bedroom so I ge the rest of the place for me. I dont think it would look that bad other than a couple of bulkheads hanging out the sides of the refugium and sea horse tank and you would not see be the top 4" of the refugium since it would be behind the sea horse display.
I am just thinking of ways to do the my next tank havent really decide for sure on anything yet got till like april or may before really start ordering anything.

[Chuck S]

Thats my Family Room. I built the stand and hood down there and I can tell you I am no carpenter. It is functional but thats it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[IrishStout]

This guy has a system like you are describing, definately worth checking out. http://kensreef.tripod.com/reef2.htm

[oldron]

tendar, I have been keeping seahorses for several years and
I hope you are considering CB stock. it is the only way to go, WC horses are very frustrating and usually do not survive. any way if you put a horse tank into a closed system with your reef tank you are inviting a problem, CB horses eat as their main diet frozen freshwater nysis shrimp
very high in fats and po4 horse feces is very rich also as they have no stomach and the food passes thru fairly fast
especially if they are overfed, your reef could end up suffering badly. [ a fuge on a horse tank is ideal] stuff grows and reproduces like you would not believe.