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Brackish tank and GSPs
03/15/2008
Hi all, I've been reading your site for a long time now for help with
setting up a proper home for the green spotted puffers that my wife had to have.
I recently set up a new 29 gallon tank for the little fish, one is less than 2
inches and the other is about one inch, juveniles I think.
<These are indeed juveniles. Adults get much larger, a chunky 12-15 cm/5-6"
depending on the species.>
When I set up the tank I cycled it with freshwater BioSpira because I already
had the GSPs in a freshwater 15 gallon tank awaiting their new home, so waiting
for it to cycle naturally wasn't going to work. The tank cycled fine and I added
the GSPs with the intention of raising the SG slowly, the recommended .002
amount.
<Very good.>
I wasn't sure on the math so I thought I had guessed low at a half a cup of
marine salt mixed into five gallons of R/O with an old Seio powerhead and a
heater during a ten gallon water change.
<Guessing isn't really viable here. I have a little freeware Mac/Windows
application called Brack Calc that will help. It converts specific gravity into
salinity and weight of salt per unit volume of water, factoring in temperature
as well.
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/aquaria/brackcalc.html
For an aquarium at SG 1.005 for example, you need about 9 grammes of salt per
litre (about 1.2 oz per US gal). That's a fine salinity for the first year.
After this year is up, you'll likely want to raise the salinity to about SG
1.010, and that translates as 15.5 g/l (about 2 oz per US gal). Weighing the
salt will give you a much more accurate salinity than eyeballing, but you'll
still need to use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity. Even a basic $5
glass hydrometer is adequate, though more expensive plastic swing-arm ones are
easier to use, and even more expensive refractometers are arguably more accurate
(and definitely more fun!).>
When I checked the SG it didn't even register, so the next week I added a cup of
marine salt the same way during another ten gallon water change. I didn't check
the SG until a few days later thinking I should let it cycle through the filter
a few times, and I found out that the SG had jumped up to something like 1.008.
<Well within the tolerances of the fish, but likely stressing the filter
bacteria and certainly killing the plants.>
Now I have an insane algae bloom that is taking over the whole tank and is
covering the plants and rocks and even the Fluorite substrate. I am thinking
that I crashed the tank possibly by killing a lot of the freshwater bacteria in
the tank and the BioWheel of the Emperor 280 filter that I am using. Would this
jump in SG be enough to crash the tank in this way?
<Yes; I'd quickly go down to SG 1.003-1.005 and hope for the best!>
I only have two test kits currently, for phosphate and nitrate, and both tests
showed fine results, phosphate at .25 and nitrate at 20 ppm.
<Neither of these test kits is critical, so they're odd choices. The two
ESSENTIAL test kits are nitrite and pH. Nitrite tells you if the filter is
working (if there's nitrite present, it's not); and pH tells you if the water
chemistry is stable (if it is rapidly dropping, then it's not). Both are early
warning indicators of bigger problems.>
I changed out five gallons of the tank water and replaced it with five gallons
of freshwater, but of course the damage has been done, and the SG is close to
1.004. Originally I thought I could do this tank as a planted mid range brackish
with plants that can survive in brackish water, so I have Java Fern, Java Moss,
Babies Breath, and two other types of plants that I am spacing on the name of.
<Okay, the Gypsophila should be taken out STAT! It's not an aquatic plant, and
its death and decay will promote algae and kill water quality. Both the fern and
the moss can tolerate significant salinity, Java fern in particular occurring
naturally in brackish water. Still, I'd tend to keep plants only while the SG
was below 1.005; above that, you're better off with rocks and plastic plants.
Trust me on this.>
I used Fluorite substrate and I have some bowl rock for caves and a few pieces
of driftwood. Now that I have been reading more and more on brackish tanks and
GSPs in general I am thinking that this tank is in no way going to work for the
fish in the long term. The driftwood I know is a problem now, and eventually I
will have to scrap the plants anyway to get the SG up enough.
<Indeed. Bogwood lowers pH as it decays, so should be used carefully. If you
have a high carbonate hardness (that's the "KH" scale test kit) the effect will
be trivial. But many aquarists simply don't use bogwood, and instead opt for
ceramic/plastic wood instead.>
I am thinking about abandoning it and starting over with crushed coral as a
substrate (which I was talked out of doing in the first place by my LFS, which
is why I went to Fluorite and plants...) and a lot of rocks and fake mangrove
root decorations.
<In a brackish water aquarium, there's simply no point spending money on plants
or plant-friendly substrates UNLESS you intend to keep the specific gravity very
low, SG 1.003-1.005. This is a fine salinity for many brackish water species
including gobies, glassfish, figure-8 puffers, livebearers and more. But if
you're keeping mid- to high-end brackish water fish, you need to think more
along MARINE lines than freshwater. Use granite, slate and other rocks to create
a nice complex "reef". Decorate with shells and barnacle clumps. I like using
silicone and oyster shells to create oyster reefs just like the ones you see in
harbours. Ceramic/plastic tree roots can be used to create mangrove forests, and
plastic plants (especially the big 3' long ones) are really good for this too.
But skip the live plants.>
I know eventually I will need to upgrade to at least a 55 gallon tank to keep
both fish in, so I wonder if I could wait awhile, raising the SG in the tank to
low end brackish (1.004 - 1.008) so I can keep the planted tank the way it is
for awhile?
<This is fine.>
At what point (size, age) do GSPs need to be in high end brackish/marine?
<Tetraodon fluviatilis and Tetraodon nigroviridis NEVER "need" marine
conditions. They certainly do well in marine conditions, but don't imagine it is
essential. Provided you keep the carbonate hardness high (using crushed coral,
oyster sand, etc.) and the nitrates low (lots of water changes, and perhaps a
protein skimmer once SG reaches 1.010) you can maintain them indefinitely at mid
brackish conditions.>
I am wondering how long I can keep the planted tank until I by the new tank to
switch to something that can go to full marine eventually.
<I'd recommend moving the GSPs to mid- to high-salinity conditions once they get
about 8-10 cm in length.>
I am also worried about the GSPs being bored in the tank, even with all the
plants and rocks and driftwood they seem to be a bit bored already.
<Puffers do benefit from interaction. Try feeding them with "difficult" foods
like unshelled prawns, so they have to work for their dinner. Train them to
become hand tame; use forceps (they bite!) to feed them. Offer small amounts
through the day, so they get to interact with you regularly. Add lots of plastic
plants and rocks that go up the tank, not just along the bottom. If you watch
puffers in the wild, they swim up and down objects very systematically, looking
for prey. They don't need much open swimming space, but they do need lots of
"stuff" to swim around, so really fill the tank with all kinds of stuff!>
I originally thought that there was no way I would want to have my GSPs in full
marine, but I am starting to think that it would be so much easier to maintain,
as I already have a large reef tank and the know how to take care of a marine
system. A skimmer and live rock eventually would be much easier for me to take
care of, and the plants I have will eventually die if I do raise the SG to
something that the GSPs will appreciate.
<Skimmers work from SG 1.010, but as you say, live rock needs marine. And this
is indeed the big advantage to keeping this species in marine conditions. On the
other hand, balance the costs, particularly all the extra salt, carefully:
brackish water fish are much more fussed about water quality than water
chemistry.>
What would you suggest as far as scrapping the planted tank, and what
suggestions do you have for a new tank as far as decorations and things so my
fish don't get bored? Thanks a lot, the site is great.
<Do read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm
That's about as good a summary on these fish as you'll find anywhere on the Web!
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Brackish tank and GSPs
Thanks for the quick response, all the info you gave me was very helpful in
making my decision as to what to do with my puffers. I changed five more gallons
of water today (I only had 5 gallons of R/O at the house) and tomorrow I will do
a massive water change, 50-80% possibly.
<Why do you need to use RO water? Plain vanilla tap water with a decent
dechlorinator should be fine.>
I was hoping to get the water close to fresh again and use freshwater BioSpira
again to jump start the bacteria, would you advise this?
<Depends what you want to do. If you want plants, then yes, lower the SG to
around 1.002 or 1.003. The BioSpira will work fine.>
Also, I wanted to mention that the common name I used before, 'Baby's Breath',
was completely wrong, I must have been thinking of something else. What I was
referring to was actually Moneywort (Bacopa monnieri), so no need to worry.
<Ah yes, this plant is brackish tolerant. But it isn't easy to grow: needs huge
amounts of light otherwise it looks really unhappy (long stems, small leaves)
and then dies. Nothing less than 3 watts of light per gallon.>
I researched brackish adaptable plants for a month before I purchased anything.
The test kits I used were the only ones I had at the time, and they were
purchased for my reef tank originally, I know they didn't really have anything
to do with my question but I thought I'd throw out all the info I had. I will
buy some more test kits tomorrow. Another quick question on this topic, I
noticed that the smaller puffer has become quite aggressive to the other bigger
puffer ever since I crashed the tank, chasing the nipping at his fins.
<Unfortunately quite common with this species.>
I was reading another question here that was being handled by Pufferpunk that
was in the same vein as mine. Someone had an uncycled tank with two GSPs in it
and the smaller one was being aggressive to the bigger one, and she mentioned
that nitrite stress from having no bacteria might be contributing to the fishes
sudden aggressiveness, would you agree with this as the case?
<I would humbly disagree with PP on this. Aggressiveness in fish isn't likely to
be caused by physiological stress. I suspect that there's a little
anthropomorphisation going on here!>
I have had both fish for at least four or five months together and they have
always gotten along fine, almost always glue to the gill exploring everywhere
together.
<This simply isn't a social species. Males likely guard nests, so as the fish
mature, they become more intolerant of other members of the species. This
contrasts with sociable puffers such as South American Puffers that don't guard
their eggs and consequently don't mind (actually, want) tankmates of their own
species.>
Tomorrow I was planning on moving the filters and the water into a 15 gallon
tank, and add the fish for holding. Then I was going to remove all the Fluorite
substrate, and all the plants and bog wood. Then I was going to add crushed
coral for a substrate, add more bowl rock in an upward direction, find new
plastic decorations, and add the puffers and BioSpira again to cycle the tank.
Is there anything I am missing in my plan?
<Wouldn't bother. At a low salinity, if you want plants, you need a standard
substrate. Plants won't grow in coral sand or river sand; they need nutrient
rich substrates of some type. Rely on the marine salt mix to maintain the pH and
KH where you want it, plus possibly the addition of calcareous media to the
filter. Once you decide to "upgrade" to a medium salinity system a year down the
line, then you may as well move the puffers to a bigger aquarium, and use this
(by now full of happy plants!) aquarium for guppies or whatever.>
Thanks again for the quick and great advice.
<Cheers, Neale.>
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Fishless Cycling 02/29/2008
Greetings -
<<Hello, Andrew this evening>>
I've been doing a ton of researching regarding "fishless" cycling. I wish to
set-up a brackish tank for a Green Spotted Puffer (I've done my fair share
of research for these guys, too!).
<<Sounds great>>
I've just a few questions to clear up my understanding of doing this right:
1 - In my readings, I understand what "cycling a tank" means (establishing
bacterial colonies that converts Ammonia to Nitrites to Nitrates). I do
understand at the very start of new tank Ammonia levels will skyrocket, then
suddenly plummet as the Nitrites take hold. Does that mean once the Ammonia and
Nitrite levels are at 0, and Nitrates are up, the cycle is complete?
<<Near enough yes. Once the ammonia and nitrite have gone back to zero, the
nitrates will drop to around about 10ppm. When it stays at this level, with
constant readings, then your cycle is complete>>
2 - I don't like the idea of using pure Ammonia, since I've read many things
going wrong with others' tanks due to overdoing the Ammonia, resulting in a
delay of the cycling process even further. However, I've read quite a few
articles regarding the "shrimp" method. Taking a piece of shrimp and tying it in
a pantyhose stocking, dropping it in the tank and letting it rot (as the source
of Ammonia). Does it seem valid to you? Or dropping a few flakes a day seem more
reasonable?
<<Yes, i always recommend this route to cycle an aquarium. Remove the carcass
when the ammonia reaches 4 - 5ppm >>
3 - Also, in terms of cycling a "brackish" tank - should I be adding the marine
salt at the very start, or when the cycle has completed? What are the
pros and cons of doing so?
<<Yes, you need to set the specific gravity right from the start>>
4 - Last, but not least. In regards to a cycle WITH fish, I understand the
importance of doing water changes to keep the Ammonia / Nitrite levels down as
to not harm the fish. However, in a cycle WITHOUT fish, should one just let the
bacteria colonize and NOT do water changes? Or should water changes be a routine
in cycling the tank?
<<When running a fishless cycle, there is no need to carry out a water change
until the cycle has completed. As i mentioned in point 1, above, when you
reading are at Ammonia, nitrate zero and nitrate about 10ppm and like this for a
week, cycle id complete, and now its time to carry out a good 50% water change
to replenish the tank. Then your all set to "slowly" start to stock the tank>>
I appreciate your time in reading / responding to my questions.
Happy fish keeping, Emily
<<Hope the above helps Emily, any more questions, just ask away. Thanks for the
questions. A Nixon>>
Freshwater to Brackish Water
11/11/07
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I'm thinking about converting one of my freshwater tanks to brackish water to
house a green spotted puffer or two. What would be the best way to add the salt
to my tank with out having to shut it down and cycle it again.
<You should add enough pre-mixed marine salt to raise the specific gravity no
more than .002/weekly water change. A little math is involved though.>
The tank has been established for at least six months. Also, How would the green
spotted puffer do in standard freshwater with no salt?
<Forcing a brackish fish into freshwater for it's lifetime will compromise it's
immune system, causing stunted growth, poor color, ill-health & shortened
lifespan.>
What kind of livestock can you put in with them?
<Here is all you need to know:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm
Also check www.thepufferforum.com ~PP>
Thank you for your help.
Re: Water problem is overwhelming...(converting to
brackish) 7/15/07
Hi Tom -
<<Hi, Kim.>>
One more question. Now that Betta is gone and so is one of the molly's I'm going
to turn that ten gallon into the brackish system you were talking about before.
It will hold 2 marble mollies and 1 of the regular black mollies.
<<I like the move, Kim. The Mollies will, too.>>
This should be about 9 inches of fish - what should I put in there to eat the
debris on the bottom? Are shrimps, crabs, something else better than some kind
of Cory like fish that likes salt?
<<Think in “adult” sizes, Kim. The Black Molly will stay put at about 3 inches
but the Marble (Sailfin) Mollies will grow to between 5-6 inches depending on
gender. Overcrowded? Yes, but this is somewhat subjective, frankly. (I’m
admittedly “hedging” because I think this is a smart move!) I believe that
converting even a small system to brackish conditions for the Mollies outweighs,
in this case, the “benefits” of leaving them in a larger, pure FW environment.
Besides, you might see your way clear to upgrade down the line to a larger tank
that will afford the addition of other brackish species. An interesting prospect
in my view. As to potential new additions for clean-up purposes, there are none
that I would advise based on your stocking levels, if nothing else. Everyone
loves the look of a “pristine” tank but, all too often, we overlook the quality
of the water in favor of the “appearance” of the aquarium. Every “critter” you
add will also add to the bio-load on the tank and filter. Don’t want to push our
luck too far here.>>
OK - I lied - 2 questions...
When the tank is ready for mollies, do I just stick them in there? Will going
from FW to brackish be too much of a shock all at one time?
<<Slowly acclimating the Mollies to brackish conditions is the way you want to
approach this, Kim. You’re quite right that going from FW straight to brackish
will, indeed, shock your fish. As I, hopefully, suggested previously, you’ll
need a hydrometer and marine salt – same as for SW tanks – to accomplish the
transition. Better to undershoot the specific gravity levels in the beginning
than to overshoot. Once the Mollies have been transferred over to the 10-gallon
tank, condition a couple of gallons of water (~20% of the tank capacity) and add
1-1.5 tablespoons of marine salt. Let it stand overnight and test the SG
(specific gravity). This should read about 1.005-1.008 but this will depend on
the manufacturer of the salt. (Remember that there are “buffers” in marine salt
that need to go “into solution” along with the salt itself.) You can add some
warm tap water to adjust for temperature before actually making the water
change. Once you’ve changed your water, test the tank for its new SG. It will,
of course, test lower for SG in the beginning than the new, conditioned water
did. (Make some notes to yourself here. Might seem unnecessary but, on the other
hand…) Now you have a baseline, of sorts, to work from. Obviously, in order to
continue to increase the SG in the tank, your newly prepared water must be
higher in SG than it currently is in the tank. I would aim at trying to increase
the SG by no more than .002-.003 with each successive (weekly?) change. No need
to rush this. Once the tank has reached an SG of about 1.011-1.015 (not quite as
critical as it would be in a SW tank), simply prepare all new water to the same
levels and you’re “golden”. The fortunate thing here is that your Mollies can be
acclimated to full marine conditions – with care – so going a little high,
should it happen, won’t be a big problem. The main thing is to take your time
with the process. Probably could be done in as little as two-three weeks but
figure on a month or so.>>
Thanks Tom!
Kim
<<You’re welcome, Kim. Best of luck with your venture. I know your Mollies will
appreciate your efforts! Tom>>
It's Alright To Tell Me I'm Nuts! Brackish set-up - 04/02/06
Hi guys and/or gals.
<<Hello Eric>>
All right, first I must say that this site has almost overloaded to my
senses. It is a great resource indeed.
<<Agreed and thank you.>>
I have been reading and reading but I guess that I have not found the exact
answers so..........pretty please...with sugar on top...could I ask a
few????????
<<Ask away>>
I started a 55-gallon saltwater FO tank a little over year ago. It has
standard florescent hoods, 6" air strip and a 200W heater.
<<Mmm, don't you find the air strip to cause a lot of salt creep?>>
It has ~2-2.5" of aragonite sand, not the fine sugar grain but the next
larger grain size (maybe 1.5-2 mm) on the bottom.
<<Ok>>
I have two pieces of base rock(~20 lbs) that have been in from day one.
<<Could likely benefit from a few more pounds of live rock.>>
Filtration is a simple dual panel Wal-Mart back-filter
and a Fluval 204 canister filter (w/ carbon, bio ring, and a Algone pillow)
that gets changed out about once a week).
<<Kudos on the weekly maintenance.>>
Water conditions stay pretty stable at: ammonia=0ppm; nitrite=0ppm;
nitrate=40ppm, PH=8.0, SG~1.021.
<<Need to get those nitrates below 20pmm, and the specific gravity is lower
than I care for...even for a FO/FOWLR tank.>>
I do a 30% water change and sand vacuum every 2-3 weeks. I know the
nitrates are a little high, however I just can't seem to get them to fall.
<<More live rock.>>
A little too much food or either too much or too little a sand bed is my
guess.
<<Since you bring it up, your sand bed is in that "zone" where it's not
quite deep enough to function efficiently as a DSB, yet a bit too deep for
easy care/cleaning. Two inches either way (add or remove) would be about
right, in my opinion.>>
The current residents: 4) Monodactylus argenteus (~3.5"), one green spotted
puffer (~2.5"), one figure-8 puffer (~2"), and our pride and joy we added
two weeks ago, a Naso (lipstick) tang (~5").
<<Couple things to bring up here...I believe the puffers you have are more
brackish water animals than saltwater...and I feel your tank is too small
for the Naso for the long term.>>
The Monos have been in there pretty much from day one. We did have a yellow
tang to get the Monos to school a little, however they didn't and he did not
make it.
<<Mmm, wonder why...?>>
The puffers were added for the same reason no schooling and they may be on
their way back to the store soon as they are just not my "cup-o-tea". I
love Monos, however I think I have given up on the idea to keep them in a
tight school.
<<Indeed my friend. Many folks discover that fish behavior in the wild does
not always transfer to the unnatural confines of an aquarium. Another
consideration...if you were to observe the Monos as the are now, but in a
natural environment consisting of millions of gallons of water as opposed to
the 55 gallons they are in now, would they not appear to be schooling?>>
They get fed a light breakfast of simple flakes in the morning. At night I
will usually feed a 2"-3" strip of Nori followed by 2 or 3 cubes of frozen
food (Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, or blood worms). All the food gets eaten
but it seems like a lot of food now that I say (..eee..aaa..type!) it out
loud.
<<Maybe so, but I'm a strong advocate for feeding fish well. I started out
in this hobby more than 30 years ago when it was common to feed fish as
little as once or twice a week as a means for reducing "pollution". I can
tell you, the difference between those fish/systems and the fish I keep
today which are WELL fed, is the difference between night and day. And for
those of us with reef systems...one of the best foods for your corals is
what is "processed" by your fish. I'm sure this is in part due to the
advances in fish foods/husbandry practices since then, but the most
nutritious food in the world does no good if you aren't presenting it to the
fish. But enough of my diatribe...>>
The Monos really are glutens. They just steal the show in the eating
department. If it is not nailed down then they are all over it. Our Naso
is a great eater and will eat all the above sans the blood worms and flakes.
<<Give some frozen glass worms (mosquito larvae) a try. And do try giving
the flake foods a soak in Selcon just before feeding. You can continue with
the brine shrimp if you wish (little nutritional value), just be care not to
feed exclusively/in the majority.>>
Now that I have read so much on this website I now see a few things that I
could have done differently (either more or less sand, more rock, and maybe
a little more filtration????)
<<Yes>>
My wife and I have purchased a used 135 gallon (72"L x 24"H x 18"D) glass
tank with a beautiful slide around cabinet system
for $250 (yes it holds water) and want to start out right.
<<Wow! A bargain indeed!>>
So here are some of my ideas and questions.
<<Okey Dokey>>
We want to use a DSB.
<<Yea! I am a big fan/user of this methodology.>>
I figure about 5" bed.
<<Ok>>
I won't lie....I am a "cheap skate" (I know...I know...I found the wrong
hobby <<hee!>>) and look to keep cost down wherever possible. I was going
to use the Southdown playground sand (or
equivalent aragonite sand if I can find it) that has been discussed several
times on this site. I am figuring about 300lbs. should do it.
<<Is what I used/have...about 950 pounds of it in a 500 gallon system (375g
display).>>
Should I use the existing sand from my 55 gallon tank with the playground
sand?
<<You can>>
Maybe use a little as a seed since it will take several weeks for the new
tank to cycle?
<<Yes>>
What are your thoughts on using the uncooked shrimp method of starting the
cycle?
<<Much, MUCH!, more preferable to using live fish...and I find just a few
"shrimp pellets" tossed in every couple days does a fine job on its own.>>
The 55 will not be used after the fish are transplanted into the
larger tank so I will not need the sand or rock for it.
<<A sump/refugium for the 135 perhaps?>>
How about live rock?
<<What about it?>>
I know it will speed up the process, but is it necessary?
<<Quite beneficial/recommended.>>
I will be adding pieces of base rock as decor, so should I break down and
buy some live rock as well?
<<I would>>
We will have plenty of time to prep and cycle the new tank before the fish
are placed in it.
<<Good to hear.>>
Should I start from scratch with all virgin materials?
<<Not necessary>>
Will I need some type of sifting creatures to help "turn" the sand once it
is all started?
<<Be careful of these...You'll find differing opinions even among us at WWM,
but is my opinion that many of the "sand-sifting" critters can/will quickly
decimate the biota in a sand bed. A healthy/robust population of worms and
micro crustaceans will help to keep the sand bed "disturbed". But if you
want a "sifter", one of the better choices I feel is the brown-barred or
convict goby Amblygobius phalaena (is what I have). This sand-sifter
doesn't seem to dig as "deeply" as the other sifting gobies, and is
definitely less destructive to the biota than a sand-sifting
starfish...again, my opinion. A. phalaena also includes algae as a large
part of its diet...always a plus.>>
Let's talk heaters. I have the 200W unit from the 55 and a brand new 250W
unit that was given with the new tank. Both are submersible. It seems that
these two used together is just on the edge of enough wattage.
<<Some environmental factors to consider I reckon. I have two 300 watt
heaters that have proven to be more than enough for my 500 gallon
system...but my system includes multiple submersed pumps, and is built in to
a wall...and I live in SC so my winter temps are not extreme.>>
We are in the San Jose, California area and the temperature inside the house
rarely gets too cold (60deg F). Should I just keep and eye on it and see if
the temp in the tank stays stable?
<<Sounds like a good plan.>>
Filters. I do not want to use the back filter (clearance issues and the
"cheesiness" factor). I will keep it for a quarantine tank or hospital
tank.
<<Do have a look through our FAQs re.>>
I was hoping to use the existing Fluval 204 with another unit.....maybe a
404 or 405. That would seem to be the limit of this combination. The new
FX5 unit would seem to be able to do the job on its own. Any thoughts on
this?
<<Indeed... For this system I would like to recommend a fluidized-bed
filter. This combined with the sand bed/live rock will be sufficient
bio-filtration. Relegate the existing canister filter to chemical
filtration duty (carbon/Poly-Filter).>>
I also have a few power heads that came with the new tank. Should I use
them for current flow?
<<Vigorous random turbulent flow benefits most all marine systems...yes.>>
Also, I have not used any protein skimmer to this point.
<<Could help with the nitrates/overall system health.>>
I would guess that now, if needed, is the time to factor one.
<<Yes>>
Do I need one in a FO tank?
<<My opinion...absolutely.>>
Lighting. The lights that came with the new tank are a common housing with
two 20w florescent bulbs. Seems a little small to me...maybe not.
<<Mmm...me too.>>
I was thinking of building my own housings and using two 36w fixtures.
<<Ok>>
I was going to use the Coralife 50/50 bulb or similar.
<<A matter of personal taste/sense of aesthetics, but you may find the
daylight (6500K) bulbs will show off your fish better. Or maybe 10,000K
bulbs as a compromise?>>
Will a single bulb unit (for a total of two bulbs) be adequate or should I
get the dual bulb fixtures (for a total of 4 bulbs)?
<<The single bulb units would "suffice" though they may appear a bit dim for
this tank...I would get the dual units for more punch/flexibility.>>
It there a better suggestion on bulbs?
<<See my previous comments re.>>
We are getting rid of our large entertainment center for this 135 gallon
entertainment center so we would like to "set off" the fishes colors without
breaking the bank too bad.
<<Experiment with bulb choices.>>
As far as new inhabitants to the tank I was definitely going to add some
more Monos. Maybe 1 or 2 more argenteus and 2 to 3 Sebaes for a total of 8
Monos.
<<Have you read here? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/monos.htm
>>
Now I did read that Monos need to be schooled in odd numbers. Is this
"bunk" or is there a method to the madness?
<<Hmm...has been my experience that if a particular fish is going to
"school", the exact number of individuals play little if any part.>>
My wife would like to add another tang or two. I have read that tangs
sometimes do not play well together.
<<Much in agreement.>>
Any suggestions?
<<Perhaps a (as in ONE!) Zebrasoma (Yellow/Purple) 'OR' Ctenochaetus
(Tomini/Kole/Convict) specie.>>
Our goal is to have the Monos and the Naso tang but start to add a bit of
color other than silver and yellow.
<<Understood>>
So....am I way off base here?
<<I don't think so.>>
I am I even close?
<<yup>>
Like is said, I have read a great deal of information before
writing....however with all the information to digest....it gets a little
overwhelming.
<<Indeed>>
I thank you in advance with any suggestions or recommendations you may
offer. Even if it is to say....DUDE.......YOUR NUTS!!!!!!!
<<Hah! No worries mate.>>
Eric
<<Regards, EricR>>
Eyes Bigger than Tank? 2/14/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Hey there, me again. Thank you for all your previous advice. VERY bad news,
though. My tank is now broken (All fish are A-OK)! So that new tank might be
coming sooner than I thought... Anyways, my point is, next year I was
considering getting a ~100 gallon tank, and making it an archer fish tank. I
was thinking six common archers (not seven-spot) in the bottom 75 gallons, and a
cricket part on top.
<As archers grow to a foot, I would say you could maybe keep 2 in a 100g
tank. That's it.>
Would I be able to get ~4 scats that my LFS says will stay around 4 inches as
well?
<Scats grow as large as a dinner plate, not 4". Again, you could keep 2 in
there, that's it & no archers then.>
Or maybe some gobies too... do you have any compatible suggestions of
interesting fish for a brackish tank? It will be very well planted with tons of
driftwood to simulate mangrove roots and have lots of java fern.
<If you are using real wood, then it is not recommended in a BW tank. It will
release tannins & lower the pH. You want to keep the pH around a steady
8. Best done by using crushed coral or aragonite substrate & no
driftwood. Petsmart makes really nice fake mangrove roots for a tank like
that.>
Any fish/plant/decoration suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I cannot find
any suggestions on how much salt to use! What salinity level should the water be
at and how many tablespoons of Kent sea salt will I have to use per gallon?
<We are not talking teaspoons but more like cups. It takes "roughly" a cup of
salt/5g to raise your SG .005. Depending on what kind of fish you get, some
(like scats) need to have the SG raised over time, to eventual marine
conditions, as these fish mature. Always premix overnight & test with a
hydrometer.>
I was also looking at freshwater lionfish for the tank (toadfish). Good choice,
or not?
<If you're considering any gobies, the toadfish will eat them. BIG mouth! I
would suggest either 2 archers or 2 scats, or 1 of each. Then if you want, you
could keep a few knight gobies in with them. There are lots of smaller BW fish,
like figure 8 puffers, green or red Chromides, etc. Just remember, some prefer
high-end BW/SW as adults, others don't.>
If you have any suggestions, please tell me. Also, I was wondering if you could
recommend any filters for this tank. Remember, I am pretty much limited to
canisters
as other filters would not reach the low water level.
<I am only familiar with Eheim filters. Have been using them for >20 years &
still use the originals.>
Thank you, and take your time with this, as I am in no rush to begin this future
project. Thanks again. -Eddy
<Yes, take your time to research different species--water requirements, adult
sizes, etc. Sounds like a fun project! ~PP>
Brackish Means Using Marine Salt 1/12/06
Pufferpunk,
Thanks for the response. I am constantly learning in this hobby. I am
not sure about the specific gravity. I added 15 teaspoons of aquarium
(not marine) salt to the system before adding any fish.
<It takes roughly a cup of MARINE salt/5g to make a brackish specific
gravity of around 1.005 (suitable for F8 puffers & bumblebee
gobies). Aquarium salt in no way, may your water brackish. Read:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/salt.html>
My goal was to create a salt content between fresh and brackish. I
planned on adding a tablespoon of aquarium salt every third (25%) water
change to maintain current conditions.
<That's not enough salt & the totally wrong salt.>
I also realize that Siamese Algae Eaters are not made for brackish
water. However, I was told by the manager of Aquarium Adventures,
Columbus Ohio, that if I wanted an algae eater that would do an awesome
job with algae and was from the river systems I was
attempting to reproduce that the SAE was my fish.
<There are no algae eaters that are comfortable in BW. Rivers are not
BW. The estuaries between FW rivers & the ocean are BW. The ocean is
made from marine salt, not just plain NaCl.>
He explained that the SAE would not do well in brackish conditions but
would be fine in a slightly saltier than normal fresh water.
<But that's not salty enough for the fish you have.>
I also understand that BBG and F8 puffers will be fine in slightly
saltier than normal freshwater.
<By slightly saltier, yes they are kept in low-end BW (1.005-1.008), as
compared to mid range (1.009-1.014) or high-end BW (1.015-1.019).>
Therefore, I assumed I could create a SG that would work decently for
both.
<Can't be done. You can't mix BW & FW fish in the same tank.>
Doesn't the aquarium salt help prevent diseases anyway?
<That's bunk--read the article I linked you to above, on salt.>
As far as the overstocking, I am guilty as charged. I will be sure not
to add anything else to the tank. Why do people suggest BBG's as
tankmates for F8 puffers if they will get eaten? I have never understood
why people say (in the same articles) that BBG are great tankmates but
also warn they could get eaten by puffers.
<Sometimes they do & sometimes they don't get eaten. Depends on the
puffer & good hiding places for all the gobies.>
I had quite a hard time finding my BBGs (contacted 30+ pet stores). Only
one place had them and out of sure excitement I headed there right away
(over an hour drive) and bought all they had. The gobies were pretty
small and I feared that the F8 puffer would eat many of them and so
though I planned to buy 6 or 7 I bought them all. So far they have
gotten bigger (about 1 inch) and seem to be doing fine. I usually count
like 14 or 15 and assume 2 could be hiding.
They move so fast anyway. I attached a picture of my tank that is
supposed to represent where Southeast Asian rivers meet a mangrove
habitat. The roots, rocks and live java fern seem to give the gobies
hiding places. The puffer has his own huge cave and seems to enjoy it.
There are also little cracks and crevices around the cave where the
gobies hide. The SAEs seem content to swim around and eat algae and
leftovers.
<I would suggest a thicket of plants for more hiding. ~PP>
Thanks again. Matt Pace |
|
 |
Set Up and Stocking in One Day - 12/07/2005
I set up a brackish water tank and all day the tank was clear the fish were active and eating, nothing unusual. I had 2 Green Scats and a Green Puffer. When I went to feed them this morning the water was extremely cloudy and the fish were dead.
<Surprise, surprise.>
Could this have been a filter problem.
<Well yes in a manner of speaking. Not physical however, but biological. This is what happens when fish are thrown into an uncycled tank.>
I had them on a Whisper filter overnight and was going to get a BioWheel but I didn't get a chance to. Any ideas?
<Study. - Josh>
Brackish Aquarium Desired 10/13/05
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I would very much appreciate some advice on how to make the transition from freshwater aquarium to a
brackish aquarium. I currently have a six gallon freshwater tank with two mollies and one puffer; I
believe a spotted puffer, originally sold from a freshwater tank. Eventually I do intend to get a
larger tank to accommodate the puffer.
<I suggest sooner than later. I feel even a juvenile GSP shouldn't be kept in a tank smaller than 10g. As
an adult they need a 30g minimum.>
A couple of days ago I changed my gravel to coral sand which so far has raised my PH from 7.3 to
approximately 7.6+.
<That's a good start.>
In the near future I would like to acclimate this freshwater setup to a brackish environment. I’ve read
an article that recommended adding marine salt and increasing the salinity by .002 per week. I’m
somewhat confused with this statement. If you start of with a freshwater tank than you’re starting off at
a 0 salinity level. If the desired level for brackish water is 1.005 and you divide this number by .002 and
get 502.5 weeks to make the total transition!
Obviously something is being overlooked.
<If you start with 1.000 (FW) & raise the SG by .002, then you have a SG of 1.002. For a juvie GSP, your
desired SG should be around 1.008-1.010. Since you should be doing weekly 50% water changes for your
puffer, it should not be too difficult to figure out. Remove 5 gal from a 10g tank. In the meantime you
have premixed 5 gal of water to a SG of 1.004. When added to your FW tank, you will then have a SG of 1.002.
Keep doing that weekly (you'll have to do the math to figure out for the salt you have removed) raising
the SG. .002/weekly water change. In a month, you will have a SG of 1.008. A little hint: It roughly takes
around a cup of marine salt to raise the SG by .005.>
If you could, please provide me the information necessary to make this transition.
Thank you, Mike
<Here's an article on your puffer: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm
~PP<
Green Spotted Puffers from Wal-Mart 8/8/05 (and brackish set-up
f')
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here to answer all your puffer questions.>
I’ve looked over you website, and will have to admit that I’m completely
illiterate to most of the terminology used here. I am a total novice fish
owner.
Here is my story, and my problem.
About 2 weeks ago I purchased (from Wal-Mart) two yellowish green, black polka
dotted, white bellied fish about 1 inch in length that the department store had
labeled puffer fish.
<That is the green spotted puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridis).>
I also purchased a brand new 5 gallon tank, with filter and blood worms.
<As juvenile fish, a 10g tank may suffice for a short while, but after they have
reached over 2", they will quickly grow to their adult 6" size & require 30g
each.>
I followed all directions given me by the tank, de-chlorinating the water,
allowing it to filter over night, before adding the fish. At this point there
was no decorations in the tank.
<This is a very common newbie move. You must cycle a tank before purchasing
fish, especially puffers. They are very sensitive to the toxins they produce.
In short:
1) Fish produce waste products.
2) Waste forms toxic ammonia.
3) Toxic ammonia burns fish's gills, eyes, fins, skin, etc.
4) Ammonia devouring bacteria that occur naturally all around us colonize in the
tank and begin feeding on the ammonia, and multiplying.
5) Ammonia eating bacteria also has to relieve themselves, and its waste is what
we call nitrItes. Nitrites are toxic to fish as well (it decreases oxygen
levels in the fish's blood, causing the fish to suffocate).
6) Other naturally occurring bacteria arrive and devour the nitrItes and
multiply.
7) NitrIte eating bacteria also has to relieve themselves, and its waste is what
we call nitrAtes.
8) Sometimes, live plants can be used remove parts of this final product of the
nitrogen cycle. Not enough to keep nitrAte levels at an acceptable level, so we
perform weekly water changes to get rid of the rest of the nitrAtes.
This entire process can take up to 8 weeks.
In the meantime, get a 20g tank & cycle it with Bio-Spira for an instant cycle.>
I let the fish swim around for about 2 days before purchasing some aquarium
gravel (light tannish in color) and a spongy looking rock (also light tan) with
a hole through it that local aquarium store had recommended. I removed my
fish, vacuumed out the tank, completely replenished it with fresh water
(de-chlorinated), added the gravel and rock, allowed it to filter for about 12
hours, then added the fish. I’ve been feeding my fish blood worms as was
recommended by the aquarium store as well. Since then, one of my little buddies
has gotten ill. He has a dark grey discoloration that looks like a bread mold
growing from his flanks down over his little belly, and now over his back. His
tank mate is starting to show some of the same symptoms now. They both have a
loss of appetite now, and are very lethargic. I’m a complete beginner in this
so I beg for patience if this is a subject already covered on your site. To be
honest with you, now that I’ve browsed your site and seen many of the pictures
of the puffers there, I’m not even
entirely sure that is what I have. Please help though, I can’t stand for the
little guy to suffer.
<Here is a good article on your puffers:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm & a great forum
about puffers: www.thepufferforum.net>
Thank you very much for your time and patience,
Morgan Kelsey
<Puffers are not for the novice aquarium keeper. Read all you can. ~PP>
Set Up and Stocking in One Day - 12/07/2005
I set up a brackish water tank and all day the tank was clear the fish were active and eating, nothing unusual. I had 2 Green Scats and a Green Puffer. When I went to feed them this morning the water was extremely cloudy and the fish were dead.
<Surprise, surprise.>
Could this have been a filter problem.
<Well yes in a manner of speaking. Not physical however, but biological. This is what happens when fish are thrown into an uncycled tank.>
I had them on a Whisper filter overnight and was going to get a BioWheel but I didn't get a chance to. Any ideas?
<Study. - Josh> Keeping BW & FW fish together 4/27/05
Hello:
<Hi, Pufferpunk again>
Thank you for all your help. My LFS has steered me VERY wrong,
leading me to believe my cichlids (electric yellow, jewel, blue
Johanna <I think>) are brackish water fish......
<As I mentioned before, cichlid salt is not the same as the marine salt, used to
make BW.>
OPPS, I also have 2 GSPs. My question is, although I know GSP's Like full SW as
adults will they survive in a light brackish tank i.e. 1.004-1.008?
<As juvies yes, but your other fish won't appreciate those conditions. Also, as
they get older, they will get meaner & bother your other fish (fin-nipping,
possibly killing). For GSPs to thrive (not just survive), they will need a much
higher SG. Not necessarily SW, but high-end BW. One of the he reasons for
getting it up to SW is, that a protein skimmer can then be utilized, which is a
great filter to use for fish.>
I would love to keep them and the cichlids together, I now have a 30G hex BUT
looking for a 55-75 G Tank.
<You'll need at least a 55, just for the puffers as 6" adults.>
MAN, I started out with guppies. LOL! The money adds up. VERY addictive.
<Boy, are you ever right! I now have 9 tanks & 15 puffers!. Please don't keep
FW & BW fish together. ~PP>
Thanks again for the help I am slowly learning and appreciate the advice. Mike
Brackish Aquarium Setup
Hello,
<Hi again>
I am setting up a 20 G. brackish aquarium for 2 figure 8 puffers. The question I
have is about cycling the tank. To do so should I buy mollies or use (from what I
read) "bacteria in a bottle." ? I also read that F8 puffers don't require as much salt as the GSP so would 2tbs salt/ 5 gallon be fine? Also would that salt ratio be fine for Bumblebee gobies? I look forward to your response!!!! THANKS! Ashley
<Remember that WWM link? Be reading there. Bob Fenner>
Re: Brackish Aquarium Setup - Follow-up
Here's the thing. I wouldn't of email any of you guys if I haven't been to
your site. I tried to read as much info as possible from top to bottom on
brackish aquarium/setup/ and species. Plus masc. searches on Google. All the
links are purple from me already being there - not blue. And here is the
problem, I do not understand half of what I am reading on your site. Everyone
needs to get all technical and not get right down to the facts. I know it my
problem but I just thought maybe I could get some straight answers.
<Ah, please do ask away then... in a straight-forward (limited) manner, and we
will try to supply useful information for you. There are unfortunately (as far
as I'm aware) no simple books on brackish water aquarium keeping... nor
websites... Cycling itself is identical to freshwater or marine... and if you
keep spg near 1.005 or so, the same microbes as freshwater will suffice if you
want to use a bacteria prep. (like BioSpira). Bob Fenner>
"Brackish" Tank? 11/25/04
Hello there.
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a brackish, cycled 10 gallon tank, temp 76F, with 4 female and 2 male
balloon mollies, and a Pleco. I recently added 2 new females (still have total
of 7).
<Hmmmm, none of those fish are brackish water fish. Especially the Pleco--they
don't appreciate salt at all. The livebearers like a little aquarium salt (1
tbsp/5-10 gal). BW is made by adding marine salt. Also, common Plecos grow to
18+", way to large for a 10g tank!>
Within a day, one of the new females started shimmying and rubbing up against
rocks. Then, BAM! as Emeril would say - I had about
19 fry that I removed to another tank (not sure if the newbies had them or
not).
<Yup, that's what livebearers do--have lots of babies!>
Two days later the 2nd new female started the same activity. I'm not sure if
the new ones are used to a higher saline level or what.
<How much salt is in there? What kind?>
I've raised the temp to 78F,
<That's better, tropical fish should be kept at 78-82 degrees. Any lower than
that will compromise their immune systems & cause diseases.>
did a 25% water change, added about 3 teaspoons of salt, and treated with
Coppersafe for suspected ich.
<You should never treat a tank for a disease you aren't sure your fish have.>
I'm worried what to do if this shimmy/rubbing problem spreads to the original 4,
who have never had the problem before. Is there
anything else I should/should not be doing? Thanks in advance for your time and
help.
<The salt is good at the dose of 1 tbsp/5gal. It wouldn't hurt to raise the
temp to 84 for right now. If you don't want to keep having lots & lots of
babies, you're going to have to separate the males from the females. Test the
tank for ammonia, nitrItes, nitrAtes & pH. Ammonia & nitrItes should be 0 at
all times. NitrAtes should be <20 & pH should be close to neutral. ~PP>
~Eva
Brackish Cycling Woes... 3/10/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I set up a 55g freshwater tank with the intentions of making it brackish a
couple weeks ago and seeded the filters with some bio-media from an existing
tank. I put three BB gobies in it and it was fine for a week with no signs of
ammonia or nitrite spikes so I got a small 1-1/2" GSP. As soon as I put in
the GSP I started to raise the salinity and got to about 1.002/1.003. I left it
here for a couple days and then noticed that the nitrites were reading at about
.50. I've been doing 50% water changes everyday now for a
almost a week and the nitrite levels go from .25 after the water change back to
.50 overnight. I added more media from my freshwater tank along with some Cycle.
Is this minor nitrite spike due to die off and regeneration of bacteria with
this small of a change in salinity? Can I expect the same type of spike when
raising the sg again from say 1.003 to 1.006?
<SW nitrifying bacteria is a different animal than FW bacteria. No one knows
for sure at what that SG the changeover occurs. This is why you must
raise the SG very slowly, so as the FW bacteria dies of, there is time for the
SW bacteria to develop. .002/week should be ok. Cycle is a
waste of $$$ & could add to your problems. I'm actually almost
sure it is a large cause of your problems, since you don't have much of a
bioload from your small amount of fish in that size tank. Although
Cycle claims to: "Contains beneficial bacteria, Nitrosomonas &
Nitrobacter, which work together to eliminate harmful toxins, rapidly matures
new aquarium water, accelerates biological waste breakdown and purifies
water". The only product that contains LIVE nitrifying bacteria
is Bio-Spira. I have seen many problems with nitrites in folks tanks
after adding Cycle. I would add some FW Bio-Spira to straighten
things out. Add it directly to you filter. Seeding your
filter w/fish poop, does not cycle a tank. Adding Cycle is just more
waste. Adding fish waste was a source for the ammonia to grow, the
first step in the nitrogen cycle, then the nitrites grow from the ammonia (you
must have been at this point when you added the GSP) and interrupted the cycle
of the tank. Adding the "cycle" made things worse and
Bio-Spira will instant cycle the tank putting all water params back on
track. ~PP>
Brackish Cycling Woes... 3/15/04
<Pufferpunk here again>
Thanks for the advice PP and I did purchase Bio-Spira but my LFS said I should
go with the SW version due to their reasoning that the FW bacteria will have a
larger die-off due to the salinity levels than the SW version will with a low
salinity level. I think is was just because the SW was $25.00 for a 55gal
packet.
<I think they were wrong. Your SG is closer to FW than SW & I
have has success w/Bio-Spira at a SG of 1.012.>
So I did a 50% water change and slowly raised the salinity from 1.002 to 1.008
over about a 24 hour period and added the bio-Spira. <I think raising the SG
.002/week & the FW B-S would have been better.>
After 3 days my nitrite levels are still lingering between .25
and .50 and ammonia remains at 0, and I'm not getting any readable nitrates.
<I think your tank is still cycling then. Sorry you wasted your
$$$ on the SW version B-S. Keep a close eye for a nitrite spike &
then a nitrate spike.>
I added another small GSP at the same time I added the Bio-Spira.
<As tempting as that is, it probably not a good idea.>
I have been feeding sparingly and they eat with much enthusiasm and the poop
looks normal from what I can tell. It's brown and solid, not stringy.
<That's good>
One of the puffers has developed a couple fuzzy fungus looking spots on him and
the other has always had a large belly but I noticed three small light blue oval
shaped rings on it. They are not perfectly symmetrical. Their color is always
bright green on top with nice white bellies. I don't know if they are getting
sick from the small amount of nitrite lingering in the tank or they have some
fungus infection.
<I don't think that much nitrite will be extremely harmful, but keep on with
the water changes, until you get it to 0. I would add Melafix and/or
Pimafix for the fungus. Again, good luck ~PP>>
Protect our Fish?
Hi,
November 15 we set up a 55 gallon tank with 12 feeder fish and added Hagen's
"Cycle" to help cycle, 2 weeks later we removed the feeder fish (told
to do
this by our Local pet store) and made it brackish (salinity is 1.008), and
introduced the following fish 4 Mono sebae's (2 inches), 3 knight gobies
(1-2 inches), 1 Dragon fish (6 inches), 2 green spotted puffers (1.5
inches). Now 2 weeks later (Dec. 17) we are experiencing readings of:
ammonia: 4.0; nitrate: 5.0; ph: 7.2; temp: 78°F.<wow...you have quite a bit
of ammonia
in your aquarium...you may loose some of your fish...I would do water changes
ASAP> We have been using
aquarium pharmaceuticals test kits. We have the Emperor filter system
with
the double bio-wheels, it has slots for filter cartridges plus slots
(w/plastic holders) for additional carbon (we have been using "ammo
carb" in
these sections). We haven't changed our filter since set up (only the
"ammo
carb" in the plastic holders)
Are we experiencing these bad water levels because the tank hasn't cycled
properly or due to changing the fish? <probably because the aquarium
hasn't cycled yet and you have too many fish> We lost one little puffer a
week ago.<as expected>
Can you advise us on how to stabilize the water without losing any more
fish.<get rid of all your fish...cycle your aquarium and then get fish
once your aquarium is cycled> We have been doing water changes (RO) in order
to save our fish, first
a 25% change (Dec. 12), and then a 4 gal.<you need to do like 25 gallon water
changes to
dilute the ammonia> change on Dec. 14. Ammonia has
not budged, nitrates have just risen to 5.0. Ph still 7.2
Our question is: How do we cycle our tank without affecting the fish?
Will our tank take longer to cycle, since we are trying to save the fish?
<save the fish by doing this...find them a good home...cycle your
aquarium...then
purchase new fish, Good luck, IanB>
We have the following chemicals:
"Prime"
"Cycle"
"Ammo Carb"
<I don't use any of those chemicals>
Will you post my answers on the site or email them directly to me?<both>
Thank you so much, you guys are MOST appreciated!!
<Good luck and happy holidays, IanB>
Glynis
Protect our Fish? - I forgot to mention
Hi,
I forgot to mention with the email I sent earlier (below):
We have an air bubble curtain underneath the gravel: the bubbles are along
the length of the backside of the tank, will this affect the bacteria from
forming? <I would get rid of the air bubbles...stir the gravel up a little
bit>
Also I am feeding twice, morning and evening, is this okay?
<Ya, that is ok>
Thank You for your time, I look forward to your response.
Glynis <good luck, IanB>
A new brackish aquarium (10/19/03)
Hello there...
<Hi! Ananda here tonight...>
my name is Robert Baxter and I've got a few questions about the proper
maintenance of a brackish aquarium I just set up. I have two aquariums, one 55
gallon and a 10 gallon. Just recently a plague of Ich wiped out half the fish in
my 55 while all the fish of the 10 gallon survived. In the large one I
originally had two Oscars, two angels (very veteran angles, have lived with two
12" Oscars before, two 8" Pacus at a later time, and now with the two
baby 2.5" Oscars), a two Raphael catfishes, a fat fin catfish, three zebra Danios
(originally cycled the aquarium, Oscar chow), a large plecostomus, and two
convicts. Both Raphael's, the convicts, all the zebras, and the fat fin catfish
died before the Ich was suppressed with advice from a real expert.
<Let me see...leaving the 55 with the pleco, angels, and small Oscars?>
Having taken her advice as the resident brackish nerd in the city and probably
the entire area, I decided to move all my little fish from my 10 gallon aquarium
(two tiny Plecos, an albino Cory and 11 neon tetras to re-cycle the aquarium
after a total cleaning) into my 55 gallon and start up a brackish aquarium.
<Uh, neon tetras are definitely *not* what I'd use to cycle a tank... and
those neons may be destined to be Oscar lunch.>
Now my large aquarium is good with my Oscars happily fed many neons and a new
catfish to clean the floor (the two extra Plecos will be adopted by a store
where I'm good with), and I just got the 10 gallon set up. With black volcanic
sand and a few plants to help stabilize the water, I put in two bumblebee gobies
and a pufferfish of equal size. Now at the pet store I was told that the gobies
eat shrimp food pellets (or at least that's what they feed them at the store),
but after having read articles about gobies here on these Q&A pages, I am
worried that I don't have the right food.
<If you've got the gobies eating dry food, you're in luck. Most bumblebee
gobies will not eat dry food. You can add some fishy vitamin drops to them to
make them more nutritious.>
The pufferfish has delightfully been eating all my remaining frozen blood worms
from a deceased eel, but I don't know if he will continue to like that or not.
<Puffers can get bored of some foods. And they *need* hard-shelled foods,
including seafoods, snails, and the like. Check out the assorted "Puffer
Feeding FAQs" on the WetWebMedia site.>
Ok, here's enough beating around the bush. What is the optimal hardness,
temperature, and food for this tank to be set up for breeding?
<For breeding the bumblebee gobies?? It probably depends on the specific
species of bumblebee gobies -- there are several similar species. Your first
step would be to identify the exact species, and then check http://www.fishbase.org
for more info about that species.>
There are only about 4 pet stores in this city where I could look for frozen or
live foods, but I wouldn't expect to find anything exotic here. Professional
suggestions?
<The frozen seafood section at the grocery store is going to be a primary
source of foods for your gobies & puffer. For example, one of my puffers'
favorite foods is shrimp tails. I buy tail-on shrimp, chop off the end of the
shrimp for the big gobies, and the puffers get the tail sections, with the shell
still on. Just take care to freeze any fresh seafood for about a week to kill
off any nasties it might be carrying. --Ananda>
Robert Baxter
How do you set up a brackish water tank for my puffer? (06/25/03)
<Hi. Ananda here again...>
Ok I love little puffers, I just bought a green spot
he is very little right now, he is in his own ten gallon tank,
<Did you cycle the tank first? If not, please return the puffer to the fish
store -- as a scaleless fish, he is not at all likely to survive the cycle!>
he was in a brackish water tank at the pet store they told me there to gut 1 cup
of salt for every 5 gallons , and I was like wow that is a lot of salt...
<If that's how much salt they were using at the fish store where you got the
puffer, that's how much salt you should be using. Using more or less right now
will add more stress to what your puff is already going through.>
and I got on line and couldn't really find anything but the specific gravity,
<Double-check your spelling: it's "specific gravity", not
"specific gravity". There should be quite a bit about it on the
WetWebMedia site.>
and since I don't have a hydrometer that does me no good...
<You should have purchased a hydrometer before you purchased your puffer.>
so I decided about a tablespoon per gallon... and my little puffer doesn't look
very happy...
<Not nearly enough salt when he's used to more.>
I called the pet store where I got him and they said to take a nylon footie
thing and scoop up some gravel from my 55 that has been set up for a long time
to jump start the nitrates or something like that related to bacteria.
<Please read up on the nitrogen cycle!! Start here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/filtration/biological/biofiltr.htm
... this is for saltwater aquariums, but almost all of the material is
applicable to brackish tanks. The two differences are specific gravity and pH,
and those should be covered in the puffer pages.>
then I was reading on the puffer and some sites said he was freshwater others
brackish, and some said he was fresh when young moving as far as marine when
adult
<"The" puffer? There are many types of puffers... and further,
there are a couple of different species that have been called green-spotted
puffers.>
so how do I set up his tank?
<In my honest opinion... First, return him to the fish store for at least a
temporary basis. Second, read more about these fish (and tank-keeping in
general, since you are unfamiliar with the nitrogen cycle). Third, get the
equipment you need. A hydrometer is mandatory. Fourth, read some more while your
tank cycles. When your tank is done cycling, *then* get the puffer. ...Please,
do slow down in this endeavor. I see far too many letters from people with sick
puffers where the puffer's illness could have been prevented if the fishkeeper
had a bit more knowledge about puffers and their requirements *before* the
person bought the puffer. Please read up on the green-spotted puffers and other
puffs, on the WetWebMedia site and elsewhere. Your puffer has the potential to
live for almost fifteen years -- IF you know how to take care of him.
--Ananda>
How do you set up a brackish water tank? (06/23/03)
Hello,
<Hi! Ananda here tonight....>
I'm Leslie. I only have one main question. HOW DO YOU SET UP A BRACKISH WATER
AQUARIA?
<The short answer: pretty much the same way as you set up a freshwater
aquarium, but with a bit of salt.>
How much salt do you put in it?
<That depends on what kind of fish you want to keep.>
What kind of salt?
<Ordinary marine salt -- I use Instant Ocean for my brackish tank because
it's readily available and not that expensive.>
How long does it take to get everything balanced?
<It takes about a month to cycle a brackish tank.>
Is it very high maintenance?
<Nope. Only slightly higher than freshwater, and nowhere near what a
saltwater tank requires.>
Is there a fairly large variety of brackish fish?
<[grin] That depends on what you mean by "fairly large". Only a
small subset of the brackish fish that exist are suitable for keeping in
aquariums, but there are still a lot of fish that you can keep in a brackish
tank. When I started keeping fish, I picked a brackish tank because I was
overwhelmed by the sheer variety of freshwater fish. I've since learned that
there are a lot of fish typically sold as freshwater fish that will do fine in
brackish water.>
Are most of the fish friendly?
<If you mean non-aggressive, yes, generally.>
And what about puffers in brackish water?
<Yup! Some of the most commonly-available puffers are brackish fish. They
need their own tank, though -- they like to munch on other fishes' fins.>
How do you check salinity? with a hydrometer or something like that?
<Bingo. I use the SeaTest aquarium hydrometer, since it's an inexpensive
full-range hydrometer.>
OK that was more than one question, but there are so many sites for beginners
that are step by step to set up freshwater tanks, but the closest I've come for
brackish is the correct salinity.
Thanks a Lot,
~Leslie
<We've got a lot of brackish info on the WetWebMedia site. And the
WetWebMedia chat forums include an active brackish forum. I also suggest you do
a web search for the "Brackish FAQ" by Neale Monks. That's how I got
started, before I found this site. Have fun! --Ananda>
Re: specifically regarding sand for figure-8 puffer brackish tank
Specifically, I was wondering if silica sand from the aquarium store was
appropriate since it is supposed to be ph neutral? (or is it dangerous?)
Otherwise, would crushed coral or aragonite not raise the ph above 7.5 which I
understand is the required ph (N.B. I have a large piece of driftwood and I'm
only planning to put sand down on half of the bottom)?
<Silica sand should be ok. Aragonite and crushed coral will raise
the PH, it is hard to say how much. Check out the link below
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/livesand.htm>
Also, any suggestion for getting hornwort to stay on the surface?
<I have never tried myself, check out http://aquabotanic.com
They have all sorts of information on planted tanks. Best Regards,
Gage>
Thanks
Brackish Aquarium Substrates
The ph in my brackish tank is currently around 7.8. The fish
store is telling me that I should use silica sand so the ph doesn't go up. What
are my alternatives? For example, can I use aragonite plus driftwood
to bring ph back down?
<Interesting thoughts. I have always used aragonite in my brackish water
systems without trouble. Sure, driftwood may affect pH over time, but it's far
to difficult to use as a specific pH control mechanism (I mean- what size
driftwood piece do you use to drop the pH by .2, for example...Impossible to
judge. Frankly, I would not be overly concerned about lowering your pH in this
brackish tank. There seems to be a gradual downward pH drift in many systems
over time, anyways. I'd just go with the substrate that you like best, monitor
water parameters, and employ sensible husbandry practices (water changes, good
feeding habits, etc), and you'll be fine. Good luck! Scott F.>
Brackish Aquarium Substrates (Part II)
I have one more question regarding ph. My figure-8 is currently
in
another tank where the ph is 7.8. If the addition of aragonite to the new
tank brings the ph to somewhere above that, should I be concerned about moving
the figure-8, i.e. should I do something to make the switch more gradual? For
example, should I attempt to raise the ph gradually in the old tank or lower it
temporarily in the new tank? If so, how would I do this? Thanks.
<An excellent observation and an excellent question! Yes, any change in water
parameters can be stressful to a fish if it is sudden. You can either raise the
pH in the current aquarium, or (and this would be my choice) acclimate the fish
slowly to your new tank, just like you'd do if you just purchased the fish from
the store. Finally, I wouldn't get overly concerned about the potentially higher
pH that aragonite may yield in the new tank. I'm no expert on the dissolution
rates or interactions of substrates with water, but I have kept a number of
brackish systems with aragonite, and never had a problem. In fact, your letter
piqued my interest in one of my old tanks, so I pulled the log book for this
system (yep- I'm a FULL-ON "fish nerd!". Fish nerds keep log books!),
and noted that the pH was always around 8.2. I had a lot of success in this
tank, including a spawning of Orange Chromide cichlids, so I don't think that
you should be overly concerned about the pH. I'm not saying that you're
guaranteed to be successful because my tank worked, but if you do things slowly
(just like you're planning to do), you'll be okay, IMO. The most important thing
is to maintain stability of water parameters. Good luck! Scott F.>
Re: setting up brackish tank
In setting up a brackish tank, I was using goldfish to circulate the water. One
died yesterday and now I am concerned about the further preparation of my tank. Should
I remove all of these goldfish and do something to make sure there is no disease
in the water before added my prized brackish water fish?
Paul
<If tank is set up brackish and you added a goldfish, that is why he died. There
are other ways of getting your tank cycled without goldfish, please check out
the following link. Best Regards, Gage
http://wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracsetup.htm>
Brackish and plants
Hi Bob,
I just finished reading the CMA, I lost some sleep by not being able to put it down, but what an enjoyable read. Thanks for that!.
<Anthony Calfo here... and in agreement!>
I wrote to you awhile back about acclimatizing our brackish setup to full marine, and changing our cramped 36 gallon to a more roomy 72 gallon. We have done both of the
fore mentioned with much success.
<excellent my friend>
We currently have 2 silver scats, 2 monos, 2 orange Chromides, 4 green spotted puffers and 1 figure 8 puffer. Everyone looks much brighter and more active than they did with the brackish setup. They were acclimatized from 1.015 to 1.023 over the period of 7 weeks, we are gradually making our way up. I have searched your FAQ's and once again I have to ask. Our Figure 8 looks great, he's about 2.5 inches in length, when I wrote you before you mentioned that the Figure 8 could be brought to full marine if monitored closely,
<agreed>
you'd also mentioned to monitor the Chromides.
<indeed.... the least tolerant of the group here to full seawater>
So here is my question, Recently I was told by our LFS "experts" that figure 8's should always be kept in full marine setups,
<I disagree... as many or more are simply brackish... some rather freshwater... most all are very hardy :)>
I've read everything from the fish being freshwater only (in some of the WWM faq's) to the fish being brackish (also in some of the WWM faq's).. I'm confused. Any additional info would be great.
<it simply depends on the species my friend>
I hope you don't mind a second question...
<a pleasure>
We're having some challenges with Algae in the tank, our inhabitants don't seem interested in helping to clean up, and we did have ghost shrimp helping out for some time, however as you can imagine.. one day someone figured out that they were delicious and they quickly became lunch. What types of cleaners would you recommend for a tank with so many puffers?
<any/all fish will be a problem with nipping/nibbling puffers. Nut... perhaps some
large mollies (decorative if you like) would be a fine and inexpensive solution. They are great algae eaters so to speak>
Would something with shells be best or just an invitation for puffers to gnaw on?
<puffer food>
would hermit crabs or turbo snails be a good bet?
<above>
Or should we look at some sea stars or gobies?
<starfish are weak grazers, gobies not at all really. Urchins would actually be a great choice (anything but slate pencil- meaty tastes)>
Any suggestions would be great, I know we run the risk of losing some cleaners due to the stomachs with eyes called puffers and
scats.
<urchins get my vote>
Thanks again for all of your help, we still attribute the life of our littlest green spotted puffer to you, Amy & Jason
<best regards, Anthony>
Fresh to brackish/salt changeover
Hello Bob -
4+ yrs ago we started a 125 Discus tank, tank ran non-stop for 4 yrs, about 8
months ago we switched the tank over to brackish, we did not remove water or
any filters etc... we just slowly added salt and African cichlids bringing
the salinity to
1.006, about 6 weeks ago we slowly began raising the salinity level and the
Africans began to die off, our level is now at 1.016 with very healthy and
happy:
2 red scats, 2 green scats, 2 silver scats, 3 monos, 3 spotted puffers, 1
lion (Pterois volitans), 1 bat (Platax orbicularis), 1 algae blenny
(Blenniidae), and 1 Heniochus acuminatus, 1 Niger trigger, 3 three stripe
damsels, 1 blue devil damsel, 1 yellow damsel, 1 blue spotted damsel, 1
stonefish (he acclimated very well) and believe it or not 1 African.
<Wow, quite an assemblage>
We have a crushed coral bed (marine mix) and lace rock, no liverock and no
coral.
At present we are running 1 Fluval, 1 Eheim, 1 Emperor dual bio wheel, 1 U.V
light w/a 301 power head and 1 802 power head. We do not plan on increasing
the salinity above 1.018 as our pet shop raises his salt water fish in 1.014
water, my question is should we swap the Fluval for a wet dry (keeping the
Eheim and Emperor going) and
should we add a protein skimmer (if so which one would you recommend?)
<Mmm, you might try the wet-dry and the skimmer... I doubt if the latter will produce a skimmate in such a low density medium (the low specific gravity system water), but it and the sump type filter will do much to improve water quality otherwise... increasing dissolved oxygen, making the pH,
Redox... higher, more stable... Have you glanced over the brackish section (index) on
WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm? Please take a look... I am looking for input on prioritizing the next "wave" of articles here. Bob Fenner>
ann.
BRACKISH START UP/SALINITY levels
Hello Mr. Fenner;
<Hi there>
After 6yrs of keeping a 125gal discus tank I decided to switch over to
brackish water
after much experience with various local pet shops I learned not to take any
one persons word on anything,
<This is wise>
so here is my new dilemma; after completing my
change a dark green slimy algae began to grow it began creeping through the
entire tank, so I added a UV light, I restocked the tank including two
figure 8 puffers both of which had a feast on my spotted puffers - so the
figure 8's are back at the pet shop, I now have 2 green scats, 2silver
scats, 2red scats, and 4spotted puffers, 4 monos, two eels, and some other
fish my supplier said would be okay.
<Okay>
My spotted puffers will not come out of hiding, two of them sit on the bottom
of the tank very dark, and looking pretty bad,
<Not good signs>
I am wondering if my salinity
levels are not high enough (my local pet shop said I do not have to worry
about it) after reading your website I realized that this may be my problem,
I have a small 10gal salt water so I used the hydrometer (plastic box type)
to measure, I am reading at -1.000 should I be at 1.005-1.012,
<1.005 is ideal for what you list altogether>
now my tap
water is off the charts at 1.030+ so I am really confused as I have not had
this problem with my small salt water tank, and I am not sure if I should add
salt, how much salt will be too much for the brackish fish?
<Mmm, best to keep the density constant, about where stated: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm
Please do join our chatforum re brackish systems as well: http://talk.wetwebfotos.com/
Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
thank you
Ann | |
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