Brackish tank.

[Robsue]

I'm looking at staring a brackish tank as a stepping stone towards marine. Anyone got any experience with this and advice would be appreciated

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I'm looking at staring a brackish tank as a stepping stone towards marine. Anyone got any experience with this and advice would be appreciated

I have some limited experience into the brackish side of the hobby. What do you plan on keeping?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Rob...

I keep tanks of "Livebearers" that don't necessarily require it, but are healthier in brackish water. Brackish simply means a bit more than half a gram to 30 grams of either aquarium salt, commercial canning salt or Kosher salt in roughly a quart of fresh water. What specifically are you look for?

B

 

[DragonFish71]

Actually, to keep a brackish tank correctly, reef salt or sea salt for SW aquariums is better. It has the nutrients that plain aquarium salt, kosher salt and canning salt lack.

I've been keeping a planted brackish for years. First you need to figure out your stock, the size of tank and if you want to go planted. After that, you need to research what SG (specific gravity/salinity) each fish does best at and come up the SG you'll keep your tank at.

I keep dragon gobies, knight gobies, sheepshead pupfish and ghost shrimp. My SG is low 1.005-1.008.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Moved to a more appropriate forum than AOT; hopefully you will get more traffic and more input here - although it looks like you've already got some very knowledgable people involved.

 

[Robsue]

Am totally unsure as to what I want to keep. I know that brackish require low salt levels and am hoping to use this as a stepping stone towards saltwater aquariums. So any or all input would be beneficial. I currently have a 3 foot, 100 litres (25 gallons) that I am going to use. I think if I'm honest I prefer unplanted if possible but aware that most brackish fish like the security that plants bring

 

[Rivers2k]

SW is no more difficult to keep than BW. It is actually cheaper to keep SW because live rock/sand means less water changes. If you want SW I would jump in to SW. No need for the BW stepping stone. Most people keep BW becasue the species they love requires it. I kept it because I keep Green Spotted Puffers and love GSP's.

 

[Wy Renegade]

SW is no more difficult to keep than BW. It is actually cheaper to keep SW because live rock/sand means less water changes. If you want SW I would jump in to SW. No need for the BW stepping stone. Most people keep BW becasue the species they love requires it. I kept it because I keep Green Spotted Puffers and love GSP's.

While I agree with you that it is no more difficult, it is significantly more expensive.

 

[flitabout]

Livebearer can live in brackish water but they are essentially freshwater fish that prefer harder water. Fish that you will find in LFS have been bred and raised in freshwater and will take very slow acclimation to be able to live in brackish or saltwater. So while you can get them there they are probably not the best for a brackish water tank.

 

[DragonFish71]

Livebearer can live in brackish water but they are essentially freshwater fish that prefer harder water. Fish that you will find in LFS have been bred and raised in freshwater and will take very slow acclimation to be able to live in brackish or saltwater. So while you can get them there they are probably not the best for a brackish water tank.

Actually, that is incorrect for some species.

Dragon gobies and knight gobies are wild caught in brackish waters then thrown into fresh water tanks. Whatever survives is then shipped to the stores. They are then bought by people who don't do the research and are kept in fresh water where their slime coat eventually melts off of them and they die from disease. They can be acclimated back to brackish in a manner of an hour of more.

As for live-bearers, they can be slowly acclimated into brackish very easily, just like the gobies I mentioned above. I have platies in with mine for their babies as live food for the knight gobies.

 

[flitabout]

I was only referring to the livebearers. I stand behind my first statement. While in the wild they can be found in brackish waters. Most generally they are found in fresh hard waters. The biggest problem is that swords, platies and mollies that are found in your LFS have been raised for generations in freshwater aquariums and will take longer to properly acclimate. Not that it can't be done.

 

[Robsue]

Thanks for advice, will probably end up as species only for puffer as gf likes em.

 

[Krissycakes]

SW is no more difficult to keep than BW. It is actually cheaper to keep SW because live rock/sand means less water changes. If you want SW I would jump in to SW. No need for the BW stepping stone. Most people keep BW becasue the species they love requires it. I kept it because I keep Green Spotted Puffers and love GSP's.

If I didn't already own a betta, I would definitely want a GSP! They are so cute, and active! One day...

 

[Robsue]

How many puffers could I keep in a 23 gal, had it cycling a week and have added 4 mollies to assist now. Was. Thinking assorted puffers, GSP and figure 8. Would like a cow as well if possible.

 

[Rivers2k]

You could only keep 1 GSP in a 23 gallon. They really need about 30 gallons. Or you could do 2 F8's. its not good to mix GSP and F8's. Tehy both have great personalities and just one will be plenty of entertainment.

By far my favorite fish.

 

[DragonFish71]

Agreed, not to mention puffers can be aggressive towards other of their own kind, so keep it down to one type. Now, to make that puff happy, MTS can thrive in brackish tanks, puffs love snails and it keeps their beaks trimmed. Also, ghost shrimp make excellent feeders because they can survive in brackish.