 |
Use of Marine Buffer in
Tropical Brackish Tank for Green Spotted Puffer 7/26/09
Hi Guys,
<Hello,>
I am setting up a 46 Bow Front aquarium for a pufferfish (green
spotted). I live in an area (St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada) where the
water supply comes from fresh water rivers that drain into a peat
bog/pond, so is soft (about 6.5-6.9 pH). I intend to use synthetic
marine salt mix and measure it with a hydrometer to get it too 1.005
specific gravity. Here is my issue:
even with marine salt mix added to make the water brackish the pH and
hardness seem too low to me. When I measure the pH with my test kit
(Hagen Master Test Kit, or the Hagen mini masters test kit) I cannot get
it to go over 7 to 7.3. I want it to be at 8.
<For juvenile Puffers at SG 1.005, this pH isn't all that bad, and if
you add some carbonate hardness to the system, e.g., crushed coral in
one of the canister filters, you should find the pH rises a bit anyway.>
If I add some SeaChem Marine Buffer will this work?
<Yes, though a half-dose might be all you need. Personally, I'd simply
use
an Rift Cichlid salt mix, as here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
A half or full dose should be ample.>
The label advises that it will raise the pH to 8.3 and buffer it too.
The water has low carbonate hardness as well. Also, when I set this
aquarium up should I just add the salt, the marine buffer (if okay to
use), set temperature and equipment, and then wait? I tried to set up a
brackish water aquarium prior but couldn't get the Ammonia to go down to
zero after about 2 months and just gave up knowing if I could raise the
pH with the ammonia present everything would likely just die.
<Ammonia won't ever reach zero if you do any of the following: [a]
Overstock the tank. [b] Provide inadequate filtration, or use
inappropriate media for biological filtration. [c] Overfeed the fish
dramatically.
Pufferfish need generous tanks, and while your tank should be adequate
for an adult specimen, possibly two, this does depend upon well filtered
the system is. At minimum, you want a filter rated at 6 times the volume
of the tank, in this case 276 gallons per hour (i.e., 4 x 46).
Personally, I'd up that a bit, and keep my puffers in systems 8-10 times
the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Filters should be
predominantly biological in nature, with good quality sponges and
ceramic media. These media should be cleaned every 4-6 weeks by rinsing
them in a bucket of aquarium water.
Crushed coral in a media bag could be added to one compartment in a
canister filter. There's little/no use for other media: carbon, nitrate
remover, Zeolite, etc., and in fact using these "wastes" useful capacity
of a filter, potentially allowing ammonia levels to stay high even when
turnover levels are adequate. (Though admittedly, after a couple of
weeks, carbon becomes a good medium for biological filtration bacteria,
though at the same time stops doing any of the things carbon is assumed
to perform.>
I am sure that I read that adding the synthetic marine salt mix would
take care of the pH and the KH.
<It will at adequate levels; at SG 1.010 at 25 C, you should find pH and
KH very stable and at ideal values. You certainly can keep juvenile GSPs
at that level, though it's more normal to keep adults, upwards of 8 cm/3
inches, at such levels.>
Is this true, or do I have to do something else as well to "fix" the
water so it is right for a green spotted pufferfish. I will do anything
I can do or buy anything I can purchase to make the tank correct.
Thanks
<Cheers, Neale.>
High nitrate levels in tap
water - Brackish aquarium, should I use RO water? 7/12/09
Hello, I am Penny.
I have a 21 US Gallon cycled tank containing one 2 inch green spotted
puffer Tetraodon nigroviridis (brackish). Temp 26 C, pH 8.0, aragonite
sand substrate, TetraTec ex 600 canister filter. SG 1.005. I have
artificial plants.
<Sounds good for now; but do understand Tetraodon nigroviridis gets
fairly big, 2-3 times the size it is now, and you'll want a tank some
2-3 times bigger than your 21 gallon system.>
The problem is my tap water has nitrate levels of 40mg/l (ppm). I put a
JBL Clearmec nitrate/nitrate/phosphate reducing pouch containing clay
beads/resins in the canister filter a few days ago but it isn't doing
much for the nitrate levels. Am I just being impatient?
<No; these pouches have little/no impact on high nitrate levels; they're
really for marine tanks where nitrate levels are lower. Total waste of
money in your aquarium. Regular water changes would be far better.>
Puffina seems to be thriving so far but I believe that she would be
happier with lower nitrate levels.
<This is true, but it isn't a "killer" provided other factors are good.>
Is it worth me using RO water in future?
<Depends on the cost; a 50/50 mix of tap water and RO water (or
rainwater) would certainly provide the 20 mg/l level that is considered
ideal for these fish. That said, if cost becomes a factor, it'd be much
better to
save your money for a bigger aquarium, bigger filter, and just do more
water changes.>
My concern with using RO water is that the amount of marine salt I add
to it will not be sufficient to replace all the necessary minerals
required.
<Won't make any difference; you'd add the same 9 grammes of marine salt
mix per litre of water at 25 degrees C to make the SG 1.005 water
required for juvenile Tetraodon nigroviridis.>
I have looked at denitrators but opinions on them seem to be very mixed.
<Waste of money.>
Thank you in advance for your help.
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: High nitrate levels in
tap water - Brackish aquarium, should I use RO water? 7/12/09
Thanks for the speedy reply. I am aware that puffy will need a larger
tank. I am currently plotting and campaigning, soon my husband will
think it was all his brilliant idea :)
<Indeed!>
I shall get some RO water and do half RO/half tap water, the local shop
sells it at about £2 for 25 litres. Well worth it I think.
<Certainly won't do any harm. But in practise, regular water changes,
avoidance of underfeeding, removal of uneaten food, the use of a protein
skimmer (at SG 1.010 upwards), and an aquarium of adequate size should
all provide good conditions for brackish water puffers without the need
for the expense of RO water. It's worth noting the toxicity of nitrate
decreases as salinity increases, and much discussion of the affect
nitrate has on puffers refers largely to freshwater, not brackish water,
species. Cheers, Neale.>
Measuring salinity for mollies
7/29/08
Dear WetWebMedia crew,
I'm preparing to set up an aquaria hub in my living room for
breeding mollies. I want to try and keep the salinity around 20-25%,
but I want to know how I can be sure of this during a water change.
<25% seawater corresponds to about SG 1.005, or 7.5 grammes of salt
per litre of water. If you download my Brack Calc program (Mac/Win)
you can see how these three measurements are related to one another
and to temperature.
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Programs/brackcalc.html
Estimating the salinity this way is not very accurate though,
because an opened box of salt absorbs moisture, and that in turn
makes each gramme of salt mix actually rather less in terms of salt
because some of that weight is water. So in practise you need a
hydrometer or refractometer. A basic floating glass hydrometer costs
about $5 and is accurate enough for this type of work *if used
correctly*.>
If I measure the water I am removing, and replace it with the same
amount
pre-treated with the appropriate amount of salt; the salinity will
be roughly the same, right?
<Correct. The important thing is to remember to REPLACE water taken
out with brackish water, but TOP UP EVAPORATION with freshwater,
because the water that evaporates doesn't take salt with it.>
Thanks,
Nick
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Measuring salinity for mollies
7/29/08
Thanks for the tip! But one last thing-
>>Correct. The important thing is to remember
>>to REPLACE water taken out with brackish water,
>>but TOP UP EVAPORATION with freshwater, because
>>the water that evaporates doesn't take salt with
>>it.
Right so if I understand right, when I'm doing a water change, I want to replace
with prepared brackish water, but if I'm just replacing evaporated water, I
should use dechlorinated tap water.
<Correct. This is exactly the same for marine fishkeeping, by the way.>
Also, what's the safest way to take fish from the home to the LFS for trading
purposes?
<I use 3 to 5 gallon buckets with lids. But you can also re-use any plastic bags
left over from when you bought some fish. Big (multi-litre) food containers can
be used too. It doesn't really matter what you use, so long as the fish has
enough oxygen and isn't exposed to huge temperature changes.>
Cheers,
Nick
<Cheers, Neale>
Re: Measuring salinity for mollies
7/29/08
I noticed you all get this Q allot, but I noticed some inconsistency. For
mollies, if I want to keep them in brackish water, will using API Aquarium salt
raise the salinity or should I be using a marine salt mix, like Instant Ocean
(the only one that I've seen at various LFS) instead?
Cheers,
Nick
<For brackish water fish generally, you want to use standard marine salt mix
(Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals, etc.) rather than tonic salt in the aquarium.
Why? Marine salt mix contains not just sodium chloride but also a lot of
carbonate/bicarbonate salts that raise the alkalinity and stabilise the pH, two
things that Mollies and other brackish water fish really appreciate. Tonic salt
(e.g., API Aquarium salt) is almost entirely sodium chloride, and while useful
as a therapy (e.g., for treating Whitespot or doing "saltwater dips") it isn't a
worthwhile long-term additive to the aquarium. To be fair, if you already have
hard to very hard water with a high alkalinity (or carbonate hardness), then
livebearers including Mollies won't be all that fussed, and you can probably get
away with tonic salt. But I wouldn't recommended it, and I doubt it would be
cost effective in the long term either. Marine salt mix, when bought in bulk, is
inexpensive. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Measuring salinity for
mollies 7/29/08
Thanks for the advice (yet again), I'm glad to finally get a
concise answer on the problem! :D
<We aim to please! Cheers, Neale.>
|
Re: Specific Gravity 1.010
01/08/2008
Well I'll be going to someone else and getting some iodine sometime very
soon then.
<Very good.>
I had indeed read about snails and shrimp being brackish, though I had not read
much of anything on the Beadlet anemone. I'll for sure check
out more info on that.
<Actinia equina is a temperate zone, intertidal anemone the size and colour of a
strawberry that seems to have an astonishing ability to adapt successfully to
extremes. I've kept in in a tropical system with mantis shrimps, and these
anemones bred very rapidly, producing beautiful bright red babies all over the
place. Not sure what the minimum SG is; I'd expect something in the range 1.015
to 1.018. So well under normal marine salinities, but still much higher than
most people keep their brackish systems. Still, I've seen these anemones sold as
"brackish water anemones" by online dealers and auctioneers.>
What I had been wondering was if there was anything that would be suitable for
life that would hang around the middle to upper regions of the tank.
<Lots! But relatively little that's actually traded. Your best bet would be to
look at biological supply houses for brackish water gobies, livebearers, and
killifish. Many are traded in North America for use as lab animals, in part
because they can be kept in freshwater, brackish water, or marine aquaria as
required by the experiment. The killifish are especially fun to keep.>
A fish that would be suitable to live in high-end brackish in the five gallon,
or possibly even the fifteen gallon that I have which I'd be willing to set up
for that if it meant being able to fit a fish or two happily in there with the
other stuff.
<A five-gallon tank is very small, and basically only suitable for gobies. I'd
be considering things like Desert Gobies (Chlamydogobius eremius), Bumblebee
Gobies (Brachygobius spp.) if carefully adapted, and Rhinohorn Gobies
(Redigobius balteatus). These latter are very pretty, quite hardy, and will
accept anything between fresh and fully marine conditions. A single species of
the Vietnamese Zebra Blenny (Omobranchus zebra) might be another option. A
beautiful fish, but exceedingly aggressive, so only combine with things like
Nerites. It will eat live shrimps, so don't bother mixing them. Should be fine
with small anemones though. I've kept Beadlet anemones and blennies together
many times. Of course, your own mileage may vary!>
And even, if the things that make live rock alive would survive with their
salinity brought down that low?
<At least some of the beasties in live rock should be fine to SG 1.018, and
perhaps a trifle lower. But do remember that while shallow water crustaceans and
molluscs are often able to adapt to variations in salinity, things like
echinoderms and cnidarians typically can't. So try a small piece first and see
how you go.>
Thanks man,
Collin
<Cheers, Neale.>
Can I use non iodized sea
salt for a brackish tank? 11/6/07
<In a word, no. To make a brackish water aquarium you need to use marine
salt mix. Only marine salt mix has the combination of salt plus carbonate
hardness that creates an environment brackish water fish need. Sea salt is fine
in the short term, and is certainly better than nothing, but long term you'll
only get good results using proper marine salt mix. Cheers, Neale>
Brackish Water, Hardness, and Salinity -
10/07/2007
Hello Neale,
<Aileen,>
I have been reading many of your articles that focus on the species suitable for
hard water environments and oddballs. Thank-you very much. Clearly you have put
a lot of time and effort into these. You have been very prolific and perhaps you
should compile, expand your articles and write a comprehensive guide in the form
of a book! You cover species often not discussed elsewhere in any detail. Do you
already have a book?
<Yes. It's called 'Brackish Water Fishes' and published by TFH.>
I also get the idea that you are very experimental in your approach to fish
keeping, that is trying new things with various species (halfbeak fry raising
for instance) I have noted that many of the fish generally considered to thrive
in a tank with added salt are listed without the mention of salt.
<Indeed. Glassfish, spiny eels, halfbeaks, and bumblebee gobies are all
freshwater fish that may tolerate salt but don't need it.>
I do not know if this is deliberate or not addressed, as this is not the aim of
the article. This is particularly in reference to In praise of hard water How
hard, alkaline water can be a blessing in disguise
<Yes. Water chemistry stability, which comes with high mineral content, can be
very useful.>
So, here is the question.....Does the high mineral and naturally occurring salts
of hard water negate the need for added salt?
<No. Brackish water fish need both high hardness and high salinity. Hardness and
salinity are not interchangeable.>
Is this a matter for experimentation when trying different species with a your
particular water parameters?
<It has been played with quite a bit, but the bottom line is brackish water fish
need brackish water. When kept otherwise, the range of problems varies, but in
most cases the fish are nervous, more prone to diseases like fungus, and tend to
have shorter lifespans.>
Cheers
Aileen
<Cheers, Neale>
Salt for Brackish 8/16/07
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have two F8 puffers in a ten gallon tank and I'm getting a 30 gal really soon.
I have my puffers in fresh water now but I'm gonna set up the new tank as BW. I
went to the pet store and couldn't figure out what kind of salt to get. They had
something for freshwater and then they had marine salt. I asked the fish guru at
the store and he said that marine salt might kill my puffers.
<Hmmm... not much of a "guru" then!>
Is this true or do I have to use marine salt? If so, how much do I add and how
often? I would really appreciate any help you could give me.
<You have to use marine salt to make brackish water. You'll need to measure it
with a hydrometer. The salt should be premixed overnight with a airstone (or
better yet, a small powerhead). Do not raise the specific gravity (measurement
of salt density) more than .002/week. Your goal will be 1.005 for their
lifetime. Once you reach your goal SG (1.005), you will have to replace it with
water of the same density, when you do your weekly water changes on the tank. Be
sure to find a hydrometer that starts at 1.000. Instant Ocean & SeaTest make
them. ~PP>
Re: Converting water, BR, Figure 8 Puffers...
8/16/07
Thank you so much for your prompt response, I'm impressed. I have another
question, when I bought the puffer fish the tank they were in was a freshwater
tank. I think I should convert the water to Brackish. I don't know how I can do
that without stressing my puffers. Should I just start adding salt little by
little and monitoring the specific gravity or something? Thank you very much!
K.B.D.
<For figure-8 puffers there's no rush to change the salinity, so think more
about the filter bacteria rather than the fish. Start by doing water changes
that raise the salinity to SG 1.002, and let the thing settle at that level for
a few weeks. Check the ammonia/nitrate level(s) are safe. If they are, then
raise the salinity to SG 1.004. Figure-8 puffers aren't really fussy about the
salinity, any anything between 1.003 to 1.010 is tolerable, though 1.004-1.006
is probably the ideal. What matters more is that pH and hardness are nice and
high, and that the nitrate levels are very low. So choose a salinity level that
isn't a financial burden. There's no point choosing a high salinity if that only
means you "economise" on water changes. Your puffers would sooner have clean
water at SG 1.003 than dirty water at SG 1.008. Incidentally, there's no harm to
varying the salinity every couple of months; in fact, it's probably quite a good
idea. No brackish water fish naturally experiences a constant salinity, and the
species that breed in captivity (not puffers, sadly) mostly seem to do so when
there are salinity changes. Plants generally don't like brackish water
conditions, though a few do, so if you're using live plants, research this issue
first. Java ferns and Java moss are two of the most reliable species in this
regard. Finally, do not use "tonic salt" or "aquarium salt" -- what you want is
marine salt mix of the kind used in reef tanks. If you happen to have a marine
aquarium, "old" water from a reef tank can be diluted with freshwater and used
in a brackish water tank perfectly safely, provided the nitrate levels are nice
and low. Cheers, Neale>
Green Spotted Puffers, how to set up water? –
07/18/07
Hello,
<Hi Nicole , Pufferpunk here>
About a week ago I bought four green spotted puffers from Wal-Mart. Unaware that
they are brackish fish I put them in a FW tank, which is what they had been
living in at Wal-Mart.
<With 4 of those puffers, you're going to need quite a large tank. Did you cycle
the tank?>
I purchased the salt to put in their water but I am not sure how much to put in
and how to go about doing so. Do I just
start putting the salt in or do I gradually add it to the water?
<You need marine salt & a hydrometer to measure the salinity. Find one that
starts at 1.000. You can raise the specific gravity as much as .002/week or
less. For a rough estimate, it will take about a cup of salt/5gallons of water
to raise the SG by .005. You'll have to do some math here.>
Also, while my puffers are eating well and appear to be healthy, they are
developing a case of ick.
<Are you sure it's ich? Are there spots on their fins or just their body. Many
folks think their tiny spines look like ich.>
I know that they are scaleless and the normal medication I would use to treat
ick says do not use on scaleless species, so would it be okay for me to use
Metranidazole?
<See: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/hospital/fwich/ >
The tank that they are kept in is 10 gallons and
they range from about 1 inch or less.
<I would only put 1 of those puffers into a 10g tank, so you'll need a 40g tank
for them now. Eventually, when they grow over 2" & into quite large-bodied 6"
fish, they will require 30g each. You might want to rethink this...>
I put some Melafix in the water and I am hoping that this will help, but I don't
think that Melafix is a cure for
ick.
<No, it's not but it will sooth their skin, where the parasites are attacking
them.>
If you could give me some advise on what to do with them, it would be greatly
appreciated.
<Start by reading: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm
More info can be found at www.thepufferforum.com .
Please, please, please do your research before your purchase! These are
wild-caught fish & their species is being depleted in the wild. ~PP>
Thanks, Nicole
Storing Water for BW use – 5/13/07
Hi there,
<Greetings.>
I was hoping you would be able to help me! I love the site and find it
incredibly useful, although have never asked any questions as I was not sure
whether I would receive an answer, but have decided to take the plunge (no
pun intended).
<Very good.>
I have a brackish system with 2 baby green spotted puffers, in a 10 gallon
tank. I know its small and I hope to upgrade within 6 months (student), but
they both seem incredibly happy!
<Yes, a bit small. Possibly viable while very young, but once at 4-5 cm in
length, totally inappropriate. Ultimately, these fish will need around 50
gallons for the two of them, because some specimens are somewhat aggressive
towards one another. Not always, but often enough for you to take the some
sort of precautions.>
I was just wondering you talk about storing water for changes. I was
curious, what sought of container do you store it in (stupid question) and
how long can it be stored for?
<Ideally, a plastic container with a lid (partly to stop evaporation, but
also to stop dust and gunk falling in). I use 5 gallon buckets with lids
purchased from a paint supply store. Cost very little, a few UK pounds each.
Some aquarists maintain you want *food grade* plastics to avoid possible
contamination of the water with the solvents used to form the plastic.>
Also please tell me i don't need a protein?
<Protein skimmers are very useful in brackish water aquaria. They aren't
essential in the same way they are in marine reef tanks, but certainly jolly
helpful.>
Ooooo also...where exactly is this good bacteria that break down the bad
stuff living, in the tank? the filter tubes? the filter itself? the pump?
<Mostly in the filter medium, which is the sponge, ceramic hoops or whatever
that goes inside the filter. Sounds like you would benefit from having a
read through this:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfiltration.htm . When you're
done there, skip over to the Brackish section, here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/BrackishSubWebIndex.htm >
Fanx for any info you can give, love ya site!
<Please understand that pufferfish are relatively intolerant of poor water
conditions, and can only be maintained in *mature* aquaria. The lifespan of
two green spotted puffers in an immature 10 gallon tank can probably be
measured in weeks, even days.>
Over and out!
Jack
<Good luck, Neale>
Specific Gravity and Mono question 3/29/07
Hello everyone,
<Hi Andy, Pufferpunk here>
First of all, thank you for the help you have previously provided to me (and
everyone else requiring assistance) on this site. You guys are a tremendous
asset!!
<Thank you & you're welcome!>
Ok, I tried to find the answer to this on your site but couldn't seem to find
it. I have a couple of questions.
First, the background: 55gal BW tank, 2 emperor 400 filters.
Occupants: 2 Columbian sharks (about 4 inches long each), 2 GSP's (about 2
inches long) and 1 Monodactylus argenteus (sp), that is 6 inches long and
tall. I have been told that the SG should be around 1.014 but have noticed
people on your site saying that BW is around 1.010. What is the best SG for
these fish?
<BW is actually any SG between FW & SW. High-end BW, 1.014 is fine. Eventually
those fish will be best kept in SW. Then you can add live rock & a skimmer, for
better filtration.>
My other question is do I need to have more than one Mono? I know they are a
schooling fish but will this guy be alright by himself?
<Yes, schooling fish are definitely happier & live longer (less stress=stronger
immune system=longevity). A school of 5-6 foot-long fish though, will require a
300+g tank, just for them.>
And yes, I am aware that I will need to upgrade to a larger tank in the future
as all of these fish get quite large!
<Glad to hear you are aware of the adult sizes of these fish. ~PP>
Thanks Everyone!
Andy
Brackish Means Using Marine Salt 1/12/06
Pufferpunk,
Thanks for the response. I am constantly learning in this hobby. I am
not sure about the specific gravity. I added 15 teaspoons of aquarium
(not marine) salt to the system before adding any fish.
<It takes roughly a cup of MARINE salt/5g to make a brackish specific
gravity of around 1.005 (suitable for F8 puffers & bumblebee
gobies). Aquarium salt in no way, may your water brackish. Read:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/salt.html>
My goal was to create a salt content between fresh and brackish. I
planned on adding a tablespoon of aquarium salt every third (25%) water
change to maintain current conditions.
<That's not enough salt & the totally wrong salt.>
I also realize that Siamese Algae Eaters are not made for brackish
water. However, I was told by the manager of Aquarium Adventures,
Columbus Ohio, that if I wanted an algae eater that would do an awesome
job with algae and was from the river systems I was
attempting to reproduce that the SAE was my fish.
<There are no algae eaters that are comfortable in BW. Rivers are not
BW. The estuaries between FW rivers & the ocean are BW. The ocean is
made from marine salt, not just plain NaCl.>
He explained that the SAE would not do well in brackish conditions but
would be fine in a slightly saltier than normal fresh water.
<But that's not salty enough for the fish you have.>
I also understand that BBG and F8 puffers will be fine in slightly
saltier than normal freshwater.
<By slightly saltier, yes they are kept in low-end BW (1.005-1.008), as
compared to mid range (1.009-1.014) or high-end BW (1.015-1.019).>
Therefore, I assumed I could create a SG that would work decently for
both.
<Can't be done. You can't mix BW & FW fish in the same tank.>
Doesn't the aquarium salt help prevent diseases anyway?
<That's bunk--read the article I linked you to above, on salt.>
As far as the overstocking, I am guilty as charged. I will be sure not
to add anything else to the tank. Why do people suggest BBG's as
tankmates for F8 puffers if they will get eaten? I have never understood
why people say (in the same articles) that BBG are great tankmates but
also warn they could get eaten by puffers.
<Sometimes they do & sometimes they don't get eaten. Depends on the
puffer & good hiding places for all the gobies.>
I had quite a hard time finding my BBGs (contacted 30+ pet stores). Only
one place had them and out of sure excitement I headed there right away
(over an hour drive) and bought all they had. The gobies were pretty
small and I feared that the F8 puffer would eat many of them and so
though I planned to buy 6 or 7 I bought them all. So far they have
gotten bigger (about 1 inch) and seem to be doing fine. I usually count
like 14 or 15 and assume 2 could be hiding.
They move so fast anyway. I attached a picture of my tank that is
supposed to represent where Southeast Asian rivers meet a mangrove
habitat. The roots, rocks and live java fern seem to give the gobies
hiding places. The puffer has his own huge cave and seems to enjoy it.
There are also little cracks and crevices around the cave where the
gobies hide. The SAEs seem content to swim around and eat algae and
leftovers.
<I would suggest a thicket of plants for more hiding. ~PP>
Thanks again. Matt Pace |
|
 |
Making Brackish Water 1/26/06
Good Evening!!
<<Good Evening to you too.>>
Is it alright to use the same salt used in saltwater tanks, for brackish water
tanks?
<<Not only is it alright, but it's the only way to make brackish water. Lisa.>>
Specific gravity for a Brackish Tank 4/06/05
<Pufferpunk again>
That is an approx for a 20 Gallon tank - correct?? lol just making sure
<I use a rough estimate of a cup of marine salt/5gallons, to raise the SG .005.
You'll have to do some math & be sure to check with a hydrometer a couple of
hours after mixing into tank. Premix into a bucket 1st, to dissolve. ~PP>
|
|
