A newbie question

[jsescher25]

Hi everyone i am new to the hobbie... but i am starting out with a 10g brackish set up. I got about 5 g of water from my friends tank along with some of his rocks and am just waiting to let the water cycle hopefuly i will be able to add a couple of fish this weekend. any ideas of what i should start with? i kinda want to get a green spotted puffer. Thanks in advance.

 

[totalbolshevik]

I've never had a puffer but I've heard that they can be mean little buggers... I probably wouldn't recommend one to a beginner. Other than that I know very little about brackish aquariums.

 

[Bomag]

like they have said would not really expect a learner to have a brackish setup or go for puffers but by all means have a go at doing it right.

but if you do a puffer tank you will only be able to have puffers really as they can be a bit nasty on the fin nipping side of things
good luck hope things go well in the future

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I not not entirely sure how you think adding some old water and rocks will cycle a tank.

Some filter media would have been better, gravel can help but any bacteria gained will be lost due to there being no fish in the tank to create waste for the bacteria to feed off.

I also do not know anything about brackish water, but I just wanted to mention those things.

to the forum and good luck.

Dana.

 

[CFC]

A brackish tank is a big step for a begginer, not only do you have all the problems associated with freshwater keeping but you also have the problem of keeping the specific gravity (salt content) stable.

A 10g is not big enough for the long term keeping of a green spotted puffer, when adult this fish will require a minimum of a 20g to be kept alone and a 40g if you want any hope of being able to keep tankmates with it, even then bigger would be better.

The others are correct in saying that transfering water will not help, water only contains bad bacteria and parasites (if they are present) and will not help in cycling the tank, the rocks may have contained some bacteria but they will have died within a few hours of being in the tank without a food source being supplied either by fish waste or ammonia being added.