Going Brackish.

[kajones]

I recently bought a baby green spotted puffer which was being kept in salted freshwater 2g of salt per litre at the lfs. I have added 260g of marine salt to my mature 35g freshwater tank, that was 3 days ago and the puffer is doing fine and water tests fine. My question is, how long do i leave it before adding more salt and how much should i add? I bought a hydrometer but the scale starts at 1.010 so doesn't register yet.

 

[nmonks]

Greetings. A salinity of 2g per litre is less than 1.001, i.e., it is freshwater for all practical purposes. You could keep neon tetras in that for all the difference the salt is making. A minimum for young GSPs is around 1.005, which is around 8-9 g/l, and as adults you need to keep that at SG 1.010 upwards, around 15 g/l or more. They can be also be acclimated to full marine conditions, though they aren't marine fish in the wild.

Your GSP will be fine in freshwater for a long time, perhaps indefinitely, but on the average they are bigger, more colourful, hardier, and healthier when kept in brackish water.

Take back the hydrometer you have, if possible. I'm guessing you have a swing-arm model. The cheap floating glass ones are more useful for brackish water aquarists, typically covering the full range of salinities from freshwater to marine (1.000 to 1.025).

Hope this helps, Neale

I recently bought a baby green spotted puffer which was being kept in salted freshwater 2g of salt per litre at the lfs. I have added 260g of marine salt to my mature 35g freshwater tank, that was 3 days ago and the puffer is doing fine and water tests fine. My question is, how long do i leave it before adding more salt and how much should i add? I bought a hydrometer but the scale starts at 1.010 so doesn't register yet.

 

[kajones]

O.k, sounds like i've cocked up then.I would like him to be in brackish water so when should i start to add more salt and how much should i add? I don't want to destroy the filter bacteria.

 

[nmonks]

You need to raise the SG to 1.005 across the next month. That'll be so gentle the bacteria will be fine. Do this by simpling changing small amount of aquarium water (say, 10-20%) with 1.005 water at each water change. Afterwards, when you measure the SG in the aquarium you'll notice it will have gone up a little. Repeat every week, and before long you'll have converted to brackish without tears!

Cheers, Neale

 

[kajones]

You need to raise the SG to 1.005 across the next month. That'll be so gentle the bacteria will be fine. Do this by simpling changing small amount of aquarium water (say, 10-20%) with 1.005 water at each water change. Afterwards, when you measure the SG in the aquarium you'll notice it will have gone up a little. Repeat every week, and before long you'll have converted to brackish without tears!

Cheers, Neale

That's brilliant thanks. I normally do 20 litre water change each week so that would be 180 grams marine salt, is that right?

 

[nmonks]

Well, 8 grammes per litre, = 8-9 x 20 per 20 litre water change = 160-180 grammes, so yes.

Now, the thing to remember is weighing out salt isn't accurate enough. You need to measure the SG. Worse case scenario, you make 10 litres at SG 1.010 measuring with the hydrometer you have, and then dilute it with 10 litres of fresh water.

Cheers, Neale

 

[el_vulture619]

Just in case.... Mix your salt water before you add it to the tank. Never add salt into the main tank.

 

[kajones]

Well, 8 grammes per litre, = 8-9 x 20 per 20 litre water change = 160-180 grammes, so yes.

Now, the thing to remember is weighing out salt isn't accurate enough. You need to measure the SG. Worse case scenario, you make 10 litres at SG 1.010 measuring with the hydrometer you have, and then dilute it with 10 litres of fresh water.

Cheers, Neale

O.k thanks. I'm gonna try to return the hydrometer since it was £15 and next to useless!