Help with brackish tank

[Dane]

Hi

I need a little help with my tank maybe a lot of help. I have had this tank setup for about four months and I'm not sure if I'm doing anything really the correct way. It's a 29 gallon brackish tank with two puffers, a green spotted and a figure eight, a standard pleco, a rainbow shark, an eclipse cat, a dragon goby, and three black fin tetras. I have a 30 gallon tetra filter with about an eight inch heater.i use aquarium salt and a pool sand substrate. I just put in the dragon goby (who digs non stop) and some plants but now my tank is green and it doesn't seem to be going away after I change the water. I looked up that it could be a algae bloom so my tank has been blacked out for three days but it's not getting better. I'm just now hearing about pH, nitrate, and nitrite levels. I'm also hearing now about cO2 setups but I would rather stay away from that big of a setup for now. I would just like to hear some advise and things I should fix or that I should keep doing.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Go to plant fish profiles, read figure 8 puffer care. Species only.
Find out how to keep green spot puffers properly. LARGE Species only.

I don't think any plecs are suitable for a brackish set up. There are none that I know of.

Those fish above have three different water requirements;

You need two more tanks. Depending on the plec, a BIG tank and another BIG tank.
Buy a book that outlines the tropical fish and the setup regarding water that is required for them.

Marine salt or tonic salt? What is tank S.G.?

Research all specimens BEFORE purchase!

Rainbow shark, black fins, plec sp, freshwater!

 

[bettaowner]

The eclipse catfish is freshwater too. The dragon goby is a filter feeder and will need a bigger tank

 

[Dane]

I'm looking for a 55g but my wife is not so keen on the idea. I just need to get my tank sorted out. I moved some of the fresh water fish into a 10g for now and redid my 30g. The fish seem happier. Thanks for the help.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Try to accurately ID the plec, post a decent pic I will help, try to include one of the mouth, it may need much more than 55g. (120g-200g minimum depending on species)

I understand the goby and green puffer can be kept together in a 55g. I haven't done it so I can't confirm goby safety, keep puffer fed for best bet. Others may help.

F8 may be ok in the 10 alone with a big filter and regular water changes. Ideally 15g.

(I have the one from your profile)

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Plec only.

The plec (based on the picture on your profile page) can be one of at least three possible species, all require 200-400 litre tanks. 52-105 US liquid Two require 400 litres plus. More space is better.

My guesses are:-
L 023 liposarcus pardalis 30cm 400 litre+
L 343 Pseudacanthicus sp. 35-40cm 400 litre+
LDA 28 Panaqolus sp. >15 cms 200-400 litre.

Tank sizes for adult fish.

Fish size and dentition may help determine exact species.

The more pictures available the easier it will be.

 

[DragonFish71]

The eclipse catfish is freshwater too. The dragon goby is a filter feeder and will need a bigger tank

The dragon goby is not a filter feeder. They eat pellets, flake, frozen, etc.

But yes, they do need a larger tank. I keep 2 in an 80 brackish set up. Though they are slow growers, they can get large.

 

[bribo12]

Adding aquarium salt doesn't make a tank brackish to my knowledge. But like said earlier I would get your stock in check before raising the sg with a marine salt. A sg higher than 1.000 will kill all your fw species.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Questions for dragon fish, how large, what are they like?

Goby sp. fascinate me. I assumed they were all sand sifters. I didn't comment on them because I know nothing about them.

Every time I see your sig I think "what have I done this time" being a Jamie.

Final note to you, clown loach rock! You can't beat them at feeding time! How long have you kept yours?

Bribo, adding marine salt will make your tank water brackish. You don't need the salt for coral tanks the fowlr stuff will do it. Tonic salt is no good.
I use marine grade salt for my F8, you just mix less grams per litre to achieve the various salinity bands.

6 grams will give 1.007 vs 36 for 1.024. Approx.
Tested with a hydrometer at 24'C

The correct stock will complete the brackish picture.

Something I recently learned increase/decrease SG gradually, that's not what the LFS suggested!
Prevents hypo/hyper salinity shock and allows filter bacteria time to adjust.

 

[bettaowner]

Dragon gobies can reach a foot or more in length. They are hard to keep due to their poor eyesight and filter feeding nature

 

[CodyPuffdaddy]

I'm looking for a 55g but my wife is not so keen on the idea. I just need to get my tank sorted out. I moved some of the fresh water fish into a 10g for now and redid my 30g. The fish seem happier. Thanks for the help.

Lol my girlfriend is trying to stop me from setting up more tanks aswell


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Reefstark]

Hi

I need a little help with my tank maybe a lot of help. I have had this tank setup for about four months and I'm not sure if I'm doing anything really the correct way. It's a 29 gallon brackish tank with two puffers, a green spotted and a figure eight, a standard pleco, a rainbow shark, an eclipse cat, a dragon goby, and three black fin tetras. I have a 30 gallon tetra filter with about an eight inch heater.i use aquarium salt and a pool sand substrate. I just put in the dragon goby (who digs non stop) and some plants but now my tank is green and it doesn't seem to be going away after I change the water. I looked up that it could be a algae bloom so my tank has been blacked out for three days but it's not getting better. I'm just now hearing about pH, nitrate, and nitrite levels. I'm also hearing now about cO2 setups but I would rather stay away from that big of a setup for now. I would just like to hear some advise and things I should fix or that I should keep doing.

I have a figure eight puffer as well in a species only tank 20 gallon I keep 4 bumble bee gobies as a clean up crew with him other than that he’s killed every tank mate he’s ever had I keep the specific gravity at 1.0012

 

[Reefstark]

Also use instant ocean instead of aquarium salt your heat needs too be at least 100 watts and u need a bigger filter Walmart Carry’s a top fin 30 60 filter great for your puffer

 

[Colin_T]

Not sure the original poster is still with us. They started this thread a few years ago