BB Question

[Brad M]

If a tank is cycled with fresh water and I do a 35% water change with salt water to create brackish water will the sudden increas in salinity effect of kill the BB?

I know a great deal about the biofilter just not every way you could possibly kill it. Lol

 

[Cactuspixie]

If a tank is cycled with fresh water and I do a 35% water change with salt water to create brackish water will the sudden increas in salinity effect of kill the BB?

I know a great deal about the biofilter just not every way you could possibly kill it. Lol

I don't know the correct answer, but my answer would be to increase salinity slowly. I work out how much salt I'm going to need to get the final desired salinity, and then dissolve that much salt in a couple of litres of treated water and add some once or twice a day until its all in. Check the salinity as well as other parameters and be guided by your test results.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Brad...

Brackish water is a relative term. Brackish water can mean a trace of salt in the water up to a larger amount that would constitute near salt water conditions. Most freshwater aquarium fish will do fine with a bit of salt, about a teaspoon or one-third of a tablespoon in every 5 gallons of pure, treated tap water. Livebearing Mollies like a bit more, since they're brackish water fish.

If you keep the salt dose to under a tablespoon for every 5 gallons of new water, your good bacteria will be fine. You will need to keep the dose lower if you keep aquatic plants.

B

 

[Wy Renegade]

The bacteria that are found in freshwater, brackish water and salt water are all different species. As BB pointed out, the freshwater species will tolerate lower levels of salinity, however if you push up into the mid levels, then you will need to give the bacteria in the filter time to transition.

 

[Brad M]

Hello Brad...

Brackish water is a relative term. Brackish water can mean a trace of salt in the water up to a larger amount that would constitute near salt water conditions. Most freshwater aquarium fish will do fine with a bit of salt, about a teaspoon or one-third of a tablespoon in every 5 gallons of pure, treated tap water. Livebearing Mollies like a bit more, since they're brackish water fish.

If you keep the salt dose to under a tablespoon for every 5 gallons of new water, your good bacteria will be fine. You will need to keep the dose lower if you keep aquatic plants.

B

Yea I am talking about .014 to .016 salinity in my brackish tank.

So If I go from fresh to this kind of brackish it will kill the bb and have to re cycle the tank?