HELP!! NEWBIE :)Oceanic BioCube Protein Skimmer???

Dear Lyndsay:

Excellent, Lyndsay – I finally received your contact e-mail off list, and, as you know, you have already been enrolled in free Ocean Rider Seahorse Training Program!

I understand that you have recently purchased a 28-gallon Aqueon Bowfront Aquarium set, filtered with an Aqueon QuietFlow 30 Power Filter, and that’s the setup that can certainly make a good seahorse habitat, Lyndsay. (In fact, I am pleased that you went with that particular aquarium system rather than a biocube of comparable size, since the biocubes are designed primarily with reef keepers in mind and are therefore normally equipped with the type of high intensity lighting system and powerful water pumps that produce the vigorous water flow needed for stony corals to thrive. Such tanks often require substantial modifications to make them suitable for seahorses, so you are getting started off on the right foot with the 28-gallon Aqueon Bowfront tank instead of a biocube.)

The Aqueon QuietFlow 30 Power Filter is actually a pretty good hang-on-the-back filter for your new bowfront aquarium, Lyndsay. They provide efficient biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration, including a stationary wet/dry filter and they are rated for tanks up to 30 gallons.

I prefer for the aquarium filter and/or water pump(s) to turn over the entire volume of a seahorse tank around 5-7 times per hour in order to provide good water circulation without producing currents that are too overpowering for the swimming ability of seahorses. A turnover rate of less than five times per hour means the tank is undercirculated, whereas a turnover rate approaches 10 times per hour or more is going to result in too much water flow for the limited swimming ability of the ponies, unless you make modifications to diffuse and moderate the output of the filter.

In your case, Lyndsay, the Aqueon QuietFlow 30 Power Filter puts out 200 gph, which means it will turn over the entire volume of the 28-gallon Aqueon Bowfront Aquarium a little over seven times per hour (200 gph/28g = 7.14 per hour). That’s just about ideal for a seahorse setup, Lyndsay, so you probably won’t need to provide a supplemental water pump or small powerhead to increase the water flow unless there are unexpected dead spots in the aquarium once you have finished the aquascaping.

I don’t know about the protein skimmer from a biocube and whether it would fit in your new bowfront tank nicely or not, Lyndsay, since I don’t use the biocube myself for the reasons I outlined above.

Best of luck with all the lessons, Lyndsay! Be sure you get back to me whenever you have any questions or concerns about any of the material in the training course.

Happy Trails!
Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Training Program Advisor