New brackish setup and 1st post!

[Eldonko]

Hi guys,

This is my first post here and I look forward to becoming a active member of these forums. Yesterday I set up a 33 gallon tank which will be used for a brackish community of fish. I really like the puffers so the main part of the tank will be a few of those and whatever can get along with the puffers. However, choosing the fish is the fun part and its not time for that yet, it's time for the work!

Last night I filled the tank about 3/4 and set up the pump to get some water flowing. This evening I will get plants and I plan on using sand and some nice rocks I have collected for the bottom. I am going to go to burnco (a place that sells various rock and sands) and choose my sand. I will likely get a blend of black sand and play sand. I will also put in some stuff for dens and such.

To start the cycling I was thinking of using bio spira or fritz; however, I never used the stuff before so I have a question or two. If I use the bio spira stuff, should I still throw in a shrimp or something or is that no longer necessary? I also have a 33 gallon fresh water tank which I could grab a handful of gravel from for the bacteria.

I don't have a light yet and am looking for a recommendation of which type of light and bulb will be best for puffers and brackish plants. I want to get my plants established asap but I have a feeling that decent brackish plants may be tough to find around here.

I will pick up a testing kit tonight to test my nitrates and PHs and post day 1 results later.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eldonko]

Added first cup of marine salt tonight. My plan is to add 1 cup every 2 days for a total of 6 cups. This should bring SG to 1.0055 I think. I also added some brine shrimp to help with ammonia to get the cycle going and an appropriate amount of "cycle" (bacteria accelerator) for the tank size.

That sound ok so far?

 

[virus]

"cycle" (bacteria accelerator) for the tank size <---- by this you mean Bio-spira?
Well i have heard that bio spira is the best to cycle, it does it within 3 days :gasp: and it adds NO2 NO3 i think and thats the benifical bacteria.... but ill leave it open to comments

 

[penpitt]

I'm also not familiar with cycle but when you are raising the SG you do not want to increase it more then .002/week. Anything greater and you risk killing off your beneficial bacteria.
What type of puffer(s) are you planning on keeping? Generally speaking puffers do best in a species only tank. You could keep 2 F8's in a 33 or 1 green spotted puffer. The GSP's tend to be more aggressive and larger then F8's so it would be best to keep it by itself.

 

[greenmaji]

Alot of puffers it is nessisary to keep just one per tank..

 

[Eldonko]

I was thinking of starting with 2 F8s and possibly adding a few more fish that they may get along with (if there are any) at a later time.

I started up a snail tank for feedin em tonight

"cycle" (bacteria accelerator) for the tank size <---- by this you mean Bio-spira?

Cycle is something similar to bio-spira I guess. It was the only stuff the LPS had it says its for accelerating bacteria growth fish need. I have a testing kit so I will see how it works over the next few days.

AFAIK 1 cup every 2 days will give me a SG of .00252 per 6 days. I suppose I could add 1 cup every 3 days for a total of 6 cups and .0055 SG. Are my calculations about right for this? Seems everyone says something different for adding salt, it's hard to know what is correct.

 

[Zagz]

You can purchase bio spira online, it isn't the same thing as Cycle. http://www.fishstoretn.com/
With bio spira you add the fish and the bio spira at the same time, fastest way to cycle a tank so I'm told. I used Cycle and it didn't do anything to speed up my cycle. HTH

 

[Eldonko]

I don't think I need bio spira actually. I have to wait 2-3 weeks to get the SG I need for my water anyway, I am hoping that cycle will speed things up enough so by the time I get 1.005-1.006 SG my cycle will be complete.

Thanks for the link though, I bookmarked it in case I decide to get some

This is the stuff I was talking about: http://www.lifeforceonline.co.uk/ph...php?product=448&group=45&start=&search=&n=&o=

 

[Zagz]

Yes that is the stuff I tried. Useless IMO. Welcome to AA by the way, you will love this forum. If you choose to do a fishless cycle, adding pure ammonia to the water will speed up the cycle. It is quite inexpensive and easy to use if you have a test kit to monitor the ammonia levels.

 

[Eldonko]

Thank you for the welcome

Ok I have been doing some research and I think I have decided what will live in my brackish tank.

2x F8
2x BBG
1x Knight Grobie
1x Dragon Grobie

I will get the 2 F8s when my tank has cycled and let them get used to the tank and the stuff in it. Then a week or 2 later I will get the other four.

I am going to keep my SG at 1.003 or so, that should be good for all of those fish right? Does the mix look ok?

 

[Toirtis]

Probably not too bad of a mix.....have you seen the smallish brackish tank at Riverfront Aquariums with the puffers, scats, mudskippers, etc?

...and welcome to the board...great to see another Calgarian drop in!

 

[greenmaji]

Im not so sure 2F8's is a good idea.. you might just have one left after they get done fighting with eachother.. I would PM pufferpunk and ask..

 

[Eldonko]

Thank you for the welcome

I am hoping that two F8s will be ok. They keep a bunch at Riverfront together and I saw a lot of posts of people having 2-3 in the same size tank as me. I was considering getting a GSP but I don't like the idea of having only 1 fish in my tank, even if it is a cool one. F8s are one of the least aggressive of the puffers and I think with enough stuff in the tank to swim around and go in they will be ok.

Yep I saw the mudskippers and stuff at Riverfront, it I think they have a few brackish tanks there. Those guys there are prolly sick of seeing me, I have been hanging out there so much lately lol. Hey do you know where I can get some good brackish plants like Java ferns in town?

 

[Eldonko]

What should the ammonia level be at the first few days of a tank cycle (fishless)?

EDIT: 1 more question - do F8 puffers like current? I was thinking of picking up a powerhead for current.

 

[Eldonko]

End of day 3.

Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrate: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH: 7.8

 

[Toirtis]

Hey do you know where I can get some good brackish plants like Java ferns in town?

The CAS auction in September would be your best bet for quality and price, but until then, I saw some nice ones at Pisces for a decent price recently.

 

[Toirtis]

What should the ammonia level be at the first few days of a tank cycle (fishless)?

EDIT: 1 more question - do F8 puffers like current? I was thinking of picking up a powerhead for current.

Ammonia levels will vary.

Puffers don't 'like' current typically, but will tolerate weak currents well.

 

[Eldonko]

Thank you everyone for the advice, I am relatively new to this and have lotsa questions

Found some nice java ferns at Big Al's last night. They were quite big so I could split them up and distribute around the tank easily. I also got some driftwood and slate.

Ooo, Pisces, I have never been there. Is it a decent store? Also is Gold aquariums a good store? I have been meaning to go check it out but have been too lazy to drive all the way to forest lawn.

Now I am trying to find some Red Mangroves. Checked a few places with no luck so far. I will give Pisces a call this weekend and ask what they have for brackish plants.

The sand in my tank has finally settled fairly well. I was getting worried that the water would not clear up for a while, but it looks decent now.

 

[Toirtis]

Ooo, Pisces, I have never been there. Is it a decent store? Also is Gold aquariums a good store? I have been meaning to go check it out but have been too lazy to drive all the way to forest lawn.[/quote

THE stores to shop in Calgary are Gold Aquariums, Riverfront Aquariums, Chum's Aquariums, Tanks A Lot, Franco's Aquariums, and Pisces Pets....I rarely buy much anywhere else. Pisces has probably the best plant department of the lot, whereas you cannot beat Gold's prices on anything.

Now I am trying to find some Red Mangroves. Checked a few places with no luck so far.

Don't bother, you won't find them. Try the plant departments in Safeway (believe it or not) as they brought in a few red mangroves about this time last year. Otherwise, buy them on eBay, or see if Rudy Kearns (with the Edmonton socirty) can get some in from Tropica for you.

I will give Pisces a call this weekend and ask what they have for brackish plants.

They should have a fair few plants that are brackish tolerant.....even if their staff is not aware that they do...you will probably have to arm yourself with a list of what you are looking for and go up there yourself.

 

[Eldonko]

Went to a bunch of the stores you suggested this weekend. Pisces is a good one, not the best fish selection but tons of plants and accessories.

The only place I could find mangroves was Wai's, and they were not cheap. Got one for now.

Here's a pic of my current set up. I will be adding more plants as I can.

I also got 2 candy stripe gobys to start off with. Had em for 2 days, they seem to be happy, they love burrowing in the sand.

Cat likes em too