Brackish Tank setup

[BfishLpond78]

Hi, i was wondering what is needed to start a "Brackish" set up? What mixes, any info i would appreciate it

 

[i3k]

Just salt like instant ocean. I use 4 tblsps per 5 gallons of water for my Columbian sharks.

What kind of fish are you planning to keep in this tank?

 

[DragonFish71]

Here's the guide I used to get mine started.

Starting a Brackish Aquarium, what you need and what you can keep.

You do want to use reef salt instead of the plain aquarium salt though. Reef salt has the nutrients your fish will need. You'll also need a hydrometer or refractometer. I just use the hydrometer.

If you plan to go planted, which is what I did, here's some BW adaptable plants. The plant geek one is already sorted to BW plants.

BracPlants

PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Here's the guide I used to get mine started.

Starting a Brackish Aquarium, what you need and what you can keep.

You do want to use reef salt instead of the plain aquarium salt though. Reef salt has the nutrients your fish will need. You'll also need a hydrometer or refractometer. I just use the hydrometer.

If you plan to go planted, which is what I did, here's some BW adaptable plants. The plant geek one is already sorted to BW plants.

BracPlants

PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

+1

That's exactly what I'm using for reference material on my GSP tank

 

[BfishLpond78]

I'm gonna start a new tank cause I want GSP, and some other brackish fish, but a GSP for sure. 55 gal tank.

 

[DragonFish71]

Well, that guide I linked for you will get you a good start.

Just remember that once your tank is cycled and ready for fish, you will need to take more time acclimating them. Even if the LFS you get them from keeps them in BW, they might keep a different SG than you do. And, if you're picking fish that have been kept in FW, they need to acclimate to the salt content.

Are you going with live plants?

 

[DragonFish71]

+1

That's exactly what I'm using for reference material on my GSP tank

That was the best guide I found when I was researching doing my BW set up. It will be 2 years this summer and I still have the link.

 

[BfishLpond78]

For now I'm going to keep it simple, what is a good method to acclimate them to BW? Will I be follwoing a different dosage than recommended, slowly building up?

 

[DragonFish71]

I do the drip method. Pour the fish into a bucket, and using a piece of airline tubing, start a siphon so the water will drip into the bucket. I let mine acclimate for at least an hour.


I'm not sure what you mean by dosage? You'll need to research the fish you want and find what SG (specific gravity/salinity) they can be kept at.

A good SG range is 1.005-1.015.

 

[BfishLpond78]

Oh ok, sorry about that, what i meant by dosage, was how much to use per gallons of water, as far as the instant ocean. Wasn't sure if anyone had a good method of doing it. As of right now i only have GSP in mind. I will look through the list on the link you guys gave me.

 

[BfishLpond78]

OK i apologize, was just able to read the link and it tells me how much to use per gallon, sorry if I was being redundant, was on my cell phone before and couldn't really read the links. Thanks again!!!

PS. Instant Ocean a good brand to use?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Oh ok, sorry about that, what i meant by dosage, was how much to use per gallons of water, as far as the instant ocean. Wasn't sure if anyone had a good method of doing it. As of right now i only have GSP in mind. I will look through the list on the link you guys gave me.

I cycled mine FW 75% of the way, now I'm adding 2 level tbsp of IO each day to raise the SG to 1.002 by the end of the cycle. Although the system seems to be absorbing the 1.001 to nothing in the frist 24hrs. So I'll wait till I have a steady 1.002 before I introduce the bunblebbe gobies, then a week or so later I'll be adding a pair of baby GSP. Once it's stable I'll add some blue legged hermit crabs. Already got shrimp and pond snails breeding for snacks. I have a number of plants that are acclimating to BW too.

 

[BfishLpond78]

How are you going about breeding the shrimp and pong snails? What kind of shrimp, brine like the hatchery's?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

How are you going about breeding the shrimp and pong snails? What kind of shrimp, brine like the hatchery's?

Ghosties, RCS, apple and pond snails. Just put a few together and they sem to do the rest.

 

[BfishLpond78]

What setup are you running to do all that?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

What setup are you running to do all that?

A few different ones. The shrimp are in a community tank right now, but I'm going to get a dedicated shrimp tank soon. The snails (forgot I've got MTS too) are in my DT, plant holding tank (frys leaving tonight) and the community tank. Gonna gear up for more feeder stock soon mainly ghosties and pond snails).

 

[siva]

I cycled mine FW 75% of the way, now I'm adding 2 level tbsp of IO each day to raise the SG to 1.002 by the end of the cycle. Although the system seems to be absorbing the 1.001 to nothing in the frist 24hrs. So I'll wait till I have a steady 1.002 before I introduce the bunblebbe gobies, then a week or so later I'll be adding a pair of baby GSP. Once it's stable I'll add some blue legged hermit crabs. Already got shrimp and pond snails breeding for snacks. I have a number of plants that are acclimating to BW too.

Really..you can keep them together? I just ordered some bumblebee gobies from my lfs. They told me I need to be able to come pick them up as soon as they come in because they cant put them in their BW tank or the gsp will kill them...

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Really..you can keep them together? I just ordered some bumblebee gobies from my lfs. They told me I need to be able to come pick them up as soon as they come in because they cant put them in their BW tank or the gsp will kill them...

In a tank with hiding spots, sure. In a 10g bare display case at a LFS, no. But if your shop hasn't got the facilities to house them, much less QT them before you pick them up, I'd have second thoughts about getting stock from them. I won't order any stock till my tank is fully cycled.

 

[Homer8]

Young gsp start as fresh to light brackish then brackish but when gull grown need full marine. Your better off with figure 8s

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Young gsp start as fresh to light brackish then brackish but when gull grown need full marine. Your better off with figure 8s

I've heard different takes on it. Most say near full SW up 1.020 and there was one person here that took their adult GSP full SW and ended up reverting it back to BW because it wasn't doing as well in SW. I had a LFS putz tell me I should just keep it FW .

My GF wants GSP and doesn't like the look of F8's. Who am I to argue with her lol.