GSP puffer questions

[madasafish]

Depends on how you're moving the puffer. If you're moving it from one tank to the new one, gradually increase the amount of salt in the first tank until it's up to BW levels, or just try the drip method I mentioned to you (I think) a few weeks ago. That'll work, too. As these fish move between salt wedges and fresh, fluvial water (over isohaline/thermal boundaries) I doubt they'll be shocked to change quickly from one to the other. But, the drip is a safe bet. Also, if you have the capability, when you get him in the net, don't take him out of the water. I hear that the air they breath in when they get stressed and puff up is unhealthy. Tey should be inhaling water instead... I have not experienced any problems with this, but then again, I've just gotten puffers. If you can, catch him in the net, and with the net ease him into a smaller, submerged container. Use this to transfer him to the second tank.

Sorry--stream of consciousness writing. Not much order to it.

 

[cdawson]

thanks madas, I was wondering if I needed that much... I think I definately want to go for the silica sand and crushed coral mix, I think I have enough filtration running... still not sure if I need a power head or not though... I do have a 45 G tall, so not sure if the downward blast of the XP3, and the P150 tetra tec filter will be enough... heck I better ask this while I remember but will a GSP like any of this movement-wise??

Those tetratec filters are garbage, you waste $$$ on filter cartridges because they require 4 cartridges(yes that's right). They're also extremely hard to clean, the intake shoot is inaccessable and you can't clean it because the extension shoot doesn't come off. Get yourself an aquaclear.

 

[cdawson]

You'll need to stir it fairly often to avoid anoxic pockets--lethal.

Lethal substrate? I've never used sand or coral, but I had no idea... There is no oxygen in the sand because it's so tightly packed and then? How does this work exactly?

Not with silica sand, only with tighters sands. Like playsand and some marine sands. As long as you pinch the hose on your gravel vacuum you can vacuum the sand.

 

[cdawson]

Cdawson:

Romaine lettuce waste shouldn't be this big a problem. If you're feeding fish a veggie like this, you should be using a "veggie clip" in the tank. This secures the lettuce and makes sure that parts of it aren't sucked into the filter. Of course, there are bound to be some small bits that do...

It's not the initial bits that clog it up, it's AFTER they digest it and pass it that makes the mess. Trust me, if you had scats you'd know, they NEVER miss a bit of food that's in their tank. They even eat their own scat (hence the name).

 

[Electrobes]

cdawson, I do not use the cartiridges of tetra tec, I put in two bags (more like nets) one of them containing zeolite, and the other ceramics. I would never use carbon (its a waste of space in my opinion), but the bags I ahve in there do a good job, and besides I mainly use that filter for some water moement, the filtering is just a plus. I still believe you may have gotten a bad XP3 or something of the sort because mine is working beautifully, the water is crystal clear and the water parameters are perfect. I only put ceramics, biostars, and filter foam in there though, no carbon or zeolite.

 

[loganj]

When I started switching my GSP to SW, I did frequent small water changes using SW to replace what I took out of the tank. The puffer never showed any signs of stress at all. It took a couple of weeks to get the salinity where I wanted it, but my thinking was better to be extra careful and not risk stressing the fish.
I wonder how well a skimmer would function, if at all, in brackish water?

 

[Sati]

What are biostars? And what purpose do biostars and ceramics serve?

 

[Electrobes]

bio stars are supposed to somewhat compare to what bio balls do in a sump. They house bacteria to eat away the filth in a tank. Ceramics do the same thing... they are just a heck of a lot more pourous and in my opinion better than bio stars and/or bio balls in the sense of submerging anything in full water, unlike bio balls where water falls in it and has to travel all the way down where water is collected. Bio balls are better when this happens.. it forces the water to tarvel all around the surface where the bacteria is. With ceramics there is just more places (surface area) for bacteria to be at, which helps out when completely under water... because when completely underwater the filth can sometimes bypass any medium trying to filter it. If this is a bit confusing then I will repost mkaing more sense... my mind's a mess sometimes

 

[Sati]

No, I think I follow you, thanks! :] I have never used either so that sounds like something I ought to look into more.

 

[Electrobes]

Yeah it depends.. like typical uses for ceramics (IMO) are things like power filters and canister filters (which is where they are usually used for). Bio balls are usually used for sumps.. and not really used for canister filters from what I have seen.

 

[Electrobes]

OKay here's another question for you puffer people out there. On another tank I made a light set up (DIY) that uses the lights of america fluorescent bulbs (mogul base fluorescent bulbs). They are pretty power, and I had to take it apart after getting my 45 gallon and leaving my 30 gallon at home waiting for it to be used by another friend. he isn;t going to use it for a planted tank and I thought it a waste. But anyway I took it apart and though hey... since I now have four of these bulbs.. and one unit apparently won't light... I was thinking of attaching one of the unites centrally in the middle of my soon DIY canopy that will be for the 45 gallon (the puffer's future home). The actual unit I would make stick out some in the back of the tank so if needed be it could be air cooled and semi away from water vapor, and have the bulb (pointed end) facing towards and on looker in the fron of the tank.. so the tank would be evenly lighted. This would prob help out the future ferns some... better than the 20 watt fluorescent bulb I have now. But I am worried that the puffer will hold up a sign in protest about it even with caves and shaded area provided by the ferns and driftwood ... what do you guys think? Thanks!

 

[Sati]

I know nothing about lighting but I'm curious what kind of DIY canopy you built. Did you use plans found on a website?

 

[Electrobes]

You can.. its not that hard to build... then again it depends what you want from it.. I am just going for three sides.. front, left side, right side, and a top. The only thing is that I am going to make it sit a bit taller on the tank so the bulb isn't just 2 inches away from the water.. going for about 3.5 inches (it will have a cover on it, just not sure how or what to cover it)

 

[Electrobes]

Oh yeah the last post brings in another question relating to the last one I posted... If the above lighting is a go (which I am not sure if puffers don't mind bright lights) how far should the bulb be from the water?... my bulb is about 9 inches long and about 2.5-3 inches in diameter... the ballast part of it (a mini ballast) will hang off the back away from the water. This would really benefit the java ferns. Thanks all

here is the link of my light that i want to use:

http://www.lightsofamerica.com/floods.htm

 

[Sati]

Why do you want to sit the bulb so high? If you're worried about condensation you could put pieces of glass or acrylic over the top of the tank.

 

[Electrobes]

I was thinking of encasing it.. maybe I'll just do that

 

[cdawson]

Use a glass top, you'll be fine. I've got two 48" shoplights hanging above my planted at about a height of 4" (which is a little high). I've had them much closer at about 2 1/2". I just raised them so the back one wouldn't be sitting on the filter. BTW if you're going to grow plants or use a constant flourescent light scrap the tetratec because if any light hits it algae will grow like crazy inside of it. If you can't avoid it, find some way to black out any light getting into the filter.

 

[Sati]

If you can't avoid it, find some way to black out any light getting into the filter.

Good point. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks :]

 

[cdawson]

It's b*tch to clean it out, I had a really bad case of black slime algae grow in my tetratec pf300.

 

[JurassicRIP]

Just wondering how often you feed you puffers? i've got a figure 8, a GSP and a south american, all in 1.005sg salinity water. Some places have said feed them daily, while others say feed them to satiation 3 times a week. They have bloodworm, ghost shrimp ( the figure 8's a shrimp serial killer!), winkles(with shell) and i'm trying to get hold of whole cockles. i'm feeding in a rota style so that theres no boredom factor. What to you guys do? :?