new brackish 10 gallon

[Jarred Darque]

ok, so, I have like 5 empty tanks sitting around, but not alot of room, so I set my 10 gallon back up.

I moved over some dead live rock (it was live rock once upon a time) put in an inch of sand, bumped the salinity up to about 1.010, (I need a better hydrometer, will pick one up tomorrow, one that reads from 1.000-1.030, my current only goes from 1.015-1.030). I have a small powerhead and a small 75gph filter I think on the tank, and two screw in compact fluorescants, maybe a combined 26 watts of 10k lighting, no actinics atm.

I am wanting to go with a small GSP for now (1-1.5 inch purchase size at the most, smaller the better)

I am moving in 2.5 months, and I have a 29 and 55 gallon laying around to be set up once I move, hence getting a fish that will be too big for the tank in a few months, he will have a larger home.

My main concern right now is the starting salinity, is 1.010 alright, or is it too high? I can always bump it one way or the other by either adding salt, or by replacing some of the water with pure fresh.

At these salinities, should I go with a fresh water or salt water food shrimps? What aobut snails, would just dropping in pond snails and ramshorns be fine even though the water has some salt, or should I go with some form of salt water snail?

are there any potential tank mates for him, either now, or in a larger tank?

thanks

 

[mommytron]

not that i'm an expert or anything, but wouldn't it make more sense to wait until you move to set up any tank at all? i realize you want to do a 10 gallon so it's not as much to move, and you will want to move your fish to a bigger tank anyway, but if you think about it, you will spend at least a month cycling, if not more, and the fish will hardly be settled in when you up and move him again. seems like a lot of stress on the fish, where you could just wait a couple months, then set up your bigger tanks like you want, and start from there. just seems easier and less stressful for you and the fish, IMO.