Starting Brackish Water Aquariums

[Kiseki]

I want to start what they call a brackish water aquarium. I was looking at some sites and decided to keep mudskippers. After I saw an article on palaudariums on the Aquarium Fish Magazine and it said they needed to live in palaudarium. I want to keep three mudskippers as well as bumble bee gobies, sailfin mollies, and maybe butterfly gobies and knight gobies. I am going to use a internal filter that has a GPH of 40. Will that be okay, or will I have to use a canister filter? Also I want to keep some live plants, it said in the article that mangroves are ideal, but I don't know where to get them. Also can you put pothos with the mangroves? And I also want to keep some live aquatic plants, will I need to add a CO2? And I also want to know which plants to get, I will be using a fine sand substrate and I don't know if the plants will be able to thrive in it. So, would plastic plants be a better choice?

 

[Guest]

That is so many questions I don't even know where to start. Do a LOT of reading on the boards and you will find your answers, but you might be better off with a simpler setup.

 

[Kiseki]

Simpler...on a first time with a moderate amount of help I was able to set up a successful and beautiful reef aquarium and saying I can't accomplish a brackish tank, I am insulted!

 

[Guest]

Don't be, I think you can do it, its just going to be a lot of work and a lot of time to maintain it. Personally, I like simpler setups, but when you get yours set up I want pictures because it sounds like its going to look amazing.

 

[whitetiger_CJ]

your fish choice may need to be revised a little. the mudskippers are fairly agressive, and may end up eating some of the smaller fish. It would help alot if you could tell us the size of the aquarium you are using.

 

[Kiseki]

Well I thought mybe a forty or fifty five gallon would do. The forty will be about 36 in. long and the 55, 48 in. long. I thought since I will be using a piece of glass or plastic, I would need a long lank instead of a regular, or tall tank.

 

[whitetiger_CJ]

filtration wise, a 40 gph flow rate is not enough. Brackish fish need alot of filtration. I would say that you will need about a three to four turn over per hour. since the tank will only be half full, or half empty, I would say that a pump with an 80gph would be better. a long tank is definately better than a tall tank.

 

[Kiseki]

So would a canister be better? I also am having second thoughts on the mudskippers. So I will not divide it, and it will be fully filled with water. I intend to use a SeaClear acrylic 40 gallon tall with an eclipse hood. Will that be enough gph, or will I have to add an powerhead?

 

[greenmaji]

filter..

the amont of GPH for a 40 gallon full would be a mimumum of 120gph the school of thought I was taught on was 5 cycles per hour.. that would be 200gph. you could use a HOB filter instead of a canister. there a little easier to maintain and there cheaper.. the aqualclear and emperior are good choices... I like the aquaclear for its filter basket personaly. You get to deside what media you want.

 

[Felf]

i would go for as many cycles/hour as possible or get a very good cannister like a filstar or eheim; i personally dont have either filter but i've heard nothing but good things about them.

 

[Kiseki]

Well I also hear that canisters are practically better that HOB filters. And as far the price...I can get anything I want. (not to be spoiled or anything)

 

[whitetiger_CJ]

I have always been partial to rena filstar canisters. I like the fact that my lights make more noise than the filter. I also like the way that it is set up. I just thought of a few other brackish fish. the scat and violet goby.

 

[Guest]

Well I also hear that canisters are practically better that HOB filters. And as far the price...I can get anything I want. (not to be spoiled or anything)

In that case get a canister, they are quieter, more versitile, and filter better. Just more expensive, but since thats not an issue...

 

[Kiseki]

So here is the tank plan: I will be using a 40 gallon tank,pea gravel aragonite sand pebbles for the substrate, java fern vallis hygrophila driftwood decor, 36" triple buld florescent lighting, Fluval 304 canister filter, Flourish Tabs Flourish Liquid, CO2 Fizz Factor, Selcon Garlic Extreme, Hikari Frozen Bloodworms Freeze Dried Bloodworms Freeze Dried Water Fleas Tetra Pro Tropical Crisps. If anyone could suggest any thing better than the items listed here, I am glad to take

 

[Kiseki]

would you use saltwater or freshwater test kits for BW?

 

[Pufferpunk]

I needed SW for ammonia, but the nitrIte & pH tests didn't seem to matter.