Green Spotted Puffer Tank Journal

[AdAndrews]

I Have freshwater cycled this tank, which will house 1x Tetraodon Nigroviridis for most of its life.
The tank will be turned through brackish into full marine conditions as the pufferfish matures.
When in full marine conditions I hope to add a few other fish, namely an adult common clown pair, and maybe Damsels. Aswell as adding a protein skimmer, using macro algae, and possibly RO water, if I decide to turn it into a bit of a reef.
I am going to be using “Instant Ocean” marine salt mix to raise the specific gravity by approx 1.002 every couple of weeks.
Id like to thank people who have given me crackin information the last months, you know who you are
Specs:

Tank-125litre Fluval Roma Titanium Cabinet- 33 USgallons
80cmX35cmX45cm(tall)

Lighting- 2xT8 20w Tubes and an LED moonlight light strip.

Filtration-TetratecEX1200 with Hydor Koralia 1 Powerhead.

Heating-300w Hydor ETH In Line 25C

Decor-Natureform Artificial live rock.
Real Barnacles, and a blue film background.

Substrate-Coral sand
Pics to follow.
Thanks
Adam

 

[AdAndrews]

Here are some pics:

I added 2 cherry shrimp into the tank about 6 weeks ago, they have now become 6, so will offer a little bit of a food supply for the puffer, plus, i am going to be using the apple snails to feed him, aswell as this list of foods:

Bloodworm
Pond snails
MTS
ramshorns snails
peas
cockles
crab
mussles
earthworms

Best to give him a bit of choice.

Feel free to leave comments/crittique

Thanks
Adam

 

[ZoddyZod]

I guess this is the same one/idea you posted a while back? If so I'm glad to see it appear again, was very interested in reading about the progress.

 

[AdAndrews]

I guess this is the same one/idea you posted a while back? If so I'm glad to see it appear again, was very interested in reading about the progress.

yea

thanks, so am i

ive had problems with cycling, i started fishless but for some reason it wasnt working, so i switched to good old fish in, with the help of Neale Monks, and threw away my terrible test kits

I hopefully should be getting the puffer within 10 days(fingers crossed)

Adam

 

[seffieuk]

Oh excellent, I am really looking forward to watching this one

Good Luck Adam, not that i'm, sure you will need it, you have done so much research and asked all the right questions.

Woo hoo --- let the journey begin

Seffie x


ps add prawns in their shells to the list lol that is after he has eaten the live ones in the tank

 

[AdAndrews]

Oh excellent, I am really looking forward to watching this one

Good Luck Adam, not that i'm, sure you will need it, you have done so much research and asked all the right questions.

Woo hoo --- let the journey begin

Seffie x


ps add prawns in their shells to the list lol that is after he has eaten the live ones in the tank

yea, its basically anything with a shell that i can get my hands on, ive even got a little pond snail breeder going on in a little pico tank


cant wait

 

[TheHolding]

Oh excellent, I am really looking forward to watching this one

Good Luck Adam, not that i'm, sure you will need it, you have done so much research and asked all the right questions.

Woo hoo --- let the journey begin

Seffie x


ps add prawns in their shells to the list lol that is after he has eaten the live ones in the tank

yea, its basically anything with a shell that i can get my hands on, ive even got a little pond snail breeder going on in a little pico tank


cant wait

Hi Adam,

Im liking the tank setup, i have just myself ordered a Fluval Roma 125 like yours and intend to add a Green Spotted Puffer too!

I should be picking up my baby puffer at the weekend and will be keeping him in a 10 gallon tank till the Roma has cycled.

Just out of interest why did you cycle freshwater instead of going for a low brackish setup of 1.005?

What substrate have you used?

Thanks

Jordan

 

[AdAndrews]

Oh excellent, I am really looking forward to watching this one

Good Luck Adam, not that i'm, sure you will need it, you have done so much research and asked all the right questions.

Woo hoo --- let the journey begin

Seffie x


ps add prawns in their shells to the list lol that is after he has eaten the live ones in the tank

yea, its basically anything with a shell that i can get my hands on, ive even got a little pond snail breeder going on in a little pico tank


cant wait

Hi Adam,

Im liking the tank setup, i have just myself ordered a Fluval Roma 125 like yours and intend to add a Green Spotted Puffer too!

I should be picking up my baby puffer at the weekend and will be keeping him in a 10 gallon tank till the Roma has cycled.

Just out of interest why did you cycle freshwater instead of going for a low brackish setup of 1.005?

What substrate have you used?

Thanks

Jordan

thats great news mate! i'll try and get some pics up, but the he isnt easy to photograph.

I cycled freshwater(ended up doing it with fish-in) because 1) it was easier(i knew how to do it, so saved me asking the question, what differene would i need to do it at 1.005(although i dont think there is))

secondly its easier to do water changes, no salt mixing,
its cheaper(becuase of not using any salt)
and in the end i cycled with guppies and wcmm's, which are freshwater species.

i have used a mixture of different coral sands, a nice one is the one i have on the top layer, its from charterhouse aquatics.

anything you need just ask!

 

[AdAndrews]

Heres a few, like i say, its really hard to photograph him.

hes eaten all of the pond snails in the tank, about 10 id say.
hes eaten all of the cherry shrimp that were in there-6

and ive been feeding earthworm, more pond snails, a cherry shrimp and bloodworm.

He was quite timid to start off, but he's getting more and more used to me, he is awesome!

I am officially a brackish keeper too, after doing a 40l water change(with 1.003) i am at 1.001 in the tank

thanks
Adam

ps. my bit of advice is get a really good filtration system, ie. a big external, and a powerhead.

 

[AdAndrews]

Ive sorted out my plan for this tank, here it is:

7th Feb Week 1: 6.2g/l @ 1.003 = 41x6.2= 254g
Week 2: 1.003 = 254g
Week 3: 1.003 = 254g
Week 4: 8.9g/l @ 1.005 =8.9x41=365g----------------------------------------used, 1127g
Week 5: 1.005 = 365g
Week 6: 1.005 =365g
Need new salt-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 7: 1.005 =365g
Week 8:12.8g/l@1.008 =525g
4th April Week 9:1.008 =525g
Week 10:1.008=525g
Week 11:15.5g/l@1.010=636g
25th April Week 12:1.010=636g---------------------Can add Protein Skimmer---------------------------
Week 13:1.010=636g
Week 14:18.2g/l@1.012=746g
Week 15:1.012=746g
30th may Week 16:1.012=746g------------------------------------------used 6086g of salt
Week 20: 20.8g/l @1.014=853g
Week 21:1.014=853g
Week 22:1.014=853g
Week 23:24g/l@1.016=984g
4th July Week 24:1.016=984g---------------------Can add macro algae’s
Week 25:1.016=984g
Week 26:26g/l@1.018=1066g
Week 27:1.018=1066g
1st Aug Week 28:1.018=1066g
Week 29:1.018=1066g----------------------Can add marine fish---------------used 15.843kg of salt

Very excited!

edit: the reason i need to change salt, is becuase, to get me started i only brought a 2kg box of instant ocean, i will be getting a 23kg tub of d&d h2ocean before it runs out.

 

[iSnail]

So sweet!!!

Congrats and well done Adam

 

[jennybugs]

I am most impressed with the look of the faux live rock matey!

The tank looks good and I look forward to seeing more picsof your puff

 

[fishmad135]

that tank is very nice, looks fresh and real with the faux rock etc i want it !! =D

 

[ian]

Great project Adam!

 

[AdAndrews]

Great project Adam!

thanks guys, ive just done my water change today so the tank should now be at around 1.004 s.g.

im getting the bucket of salt next week, decided to bite the bullet and buy a big bucket, which will save me money in the long term...

im now thinking of adding corals when into marine, ive been told i can keep soft corals, i may add another light tube at some stage.

the rock is totally covered with diatoms now, doest look too bad mind, the rock will come in useful long term too, as i can use it as a base rock underneath my live rock, so i dont have a diddy scape.

these are the things i will be needing to buy over the next 6 months:

23kg bucket d&d h2ocean

v2 300 compact protein skimmer

macro algae

15kg live rock

tub of rowaphos(phosphate remover)

tub of activated carbon

filter floss

Salifert test kits: ammonia/nitrate/ph/phosphate

Marine fish

and then maybe some soft corals

Adam.