i want to set up a brackish water tank, i need the rules?!

[fishloverkate]

i am intereseted in setting up a brackish water tank and housing puffer fish. i do not know how to set it up and keep it maintained i would love some advice but only if you really know thank you so much!

 

[jamal-188]

Actually there is a brackish section on this site that may be able to assist you better. I have a 15g brackish, keep temp at 78 SG at 1.008 and haven't had a problem yet.

 

[TankGirl]

Here is an interesting website with info about brackish setups. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm

I have never done this myself, so I am sorry I can't help you with more personal info!

BTW, Welcome to Aquarium Advice!! (This here's the FW and Brackish forum, so you are in the right place )

Jamal-188, what fish do you keep? I have researched this but have never gotten around to doing it so far.

 

[cdawson]

Actually there is a brackish section on this site that may be able to assist you better.

This is the brackish section =)

Read the article on wetwebmedia provided above, with alot of brackish fish you have to plan on going SW in the future. Such as the green spotted puffer, monos, and scats. There are a few more, but none come to mind right now. Careful how you choose your brackish fish, most are not beginner fish by any means and require extra care. I was given the advice that brackish was easier than SW, this is not true. It gives you a little room for error, but in essentially the same with a lesser salinity. Most brackish fish will not tolerate dirty water.

 

[Terry]

The SG of a freshwater aquarium is 1.000, and i think a salt water marine aquarium is 1.020-1.025 i think. (someone will correct me if i am wrong)
So i would say anything in between would be classed as brackish.

When i used to keep brackish fish i used to keep it around 1.008-1.010 and i think that that is the norm. I am not sure of the measurements as your US sizes are differant to our UK sizes. But 1 teaspoon per gallon is a good place to start and get yourself a Hydrometer to test the density of salt in the water.

HTH

 

[jamal-188]

This is the brackish section =)

Was this thread moved or am I just that stupid

 

[cdawson]

well look at the name of the forum

 

[cdawson]

The SG of a freshwater aquarium is 1.000, and i think a salt water marine aquarium is 1.020-1.025 i think. (someone will correct me if i am wrong)
So i would say anything in between would be classed as brackish.

When i used to keep brackish fish i used to keep it around 1.008-1.010 and i think that that is the norm. I am not sure of the measurements as your US sizes are differant to our UK sizes. But 1 teaspoon per gallon is a good place to start and get yourself a Hydrometer to test the density of salt in the water.

HTH

You're wrong on 1.008-1.010 being the norm, each fish requires different levels of salinity.

molly. - 1.005-marine
BB goby - 1.008-1.010
Green spotted puffer 1.010- marine
Mono 1.007-marine
scats 1.008-marine
figure eight 1.015
columbian cat shark 1.015-marine
moray eel - 1.015 to marine
mudskipper - 1.015
archer fish 1.015
knight goby - 1.010-1.015

this is all that really comes to mind right now, but most will require marine conditions come adulthood.

 

[Pufferpunk]

actually, F8 puffers do quite well starting at 1.005+.

 

[cdawson]

I stand corrected then =)

 

[tbonem91]

so in terms of ph, what is the range of 1.005 - 1.010??

 

[TankGirl]

so in terms of ph, what is the range of 1.005 - 1.010??

This refers to specific gravity, a measure of salinity, which is important to know with a brackish tank.

 

[tbonem91]

I know that... but I guess I thought they were the same or related Guess I need to go get a hydrometer, huh?

Anybody know the ph range that fig8's live in?

 

[Terry]

cdawson,

Thankyou for the correction.

 

[cdawson]

The ph range for most brackish fish is the same as SW fish, around 8.0-8.5. Marine salt will usually set the ph to that level, you should have coral substrate though to buffer it.
It's also a good idea to use marine sand for a substrate in a brackish tank.

 

[tkos]

In case it wasn't mentioned, make sure to buy a marine salt mix. Just adding salt will not count as a brackish water setup. Regular aquarium salt is just NaCl and is used as a medication not a living environment.

 

[tbonem91]

alright well right now it is about 7.9 and I have yet to get a hydrometer...

I'm still a little unclear on something though. Don't you change the sg with adding salt (marine) to the water? (because it is a measure of salinity)

So there should be some kind of dependance between the sg and the ph. Or do all the other chemical aspects fit into that as well?


oh, sorry if I hijacked this thread... but I thought it silly to start a new one when they seemed pretty much related.