New brackish tank just bought!

[_fish_a_holic_]

Planning on keeping 5 monos, 3 scats, ? black tipped shark catfish. Any comments?

What type of substrate? Is beach sand OK? (buffering capacity?)

I'm concerned that the tank is so SHALLOW and narrow, what do you think? I do have a 6x2x2ft that's currently a tropical setup that I could later move them to when they grow a bit..

what do you guys think? I want to do this right..........

Irene
the scats, always have since I saw them living with Simon the croc at the Perth Zoo

 

[CFC]

The height and width of the tank is a worry and would not be suitable for your chosen species for more than a few months, scats and shark cats grow fast and need a tank with at least a 18" width and height.

Beach sand should be fine as a substrate though whether or not you need it for its buffering capability depends on what the parameters of your water are.

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

Thanks CFC. I'm lucky to live near the beach so I think I'll get me some beach sand. My tap water is neutral.

The scats and monos and shark (still ?? on that one) that I get WILL be juveniles, about 1.5" is what I've sourced so far. Perfect. And as I said, they'll have a bigger home to go to when needed.

It's amazing how little the guys at the LFS know about brackish water setups, and the fish that go in them. Glad I can get some unbiased info somewhere!

Another question re. cycling. One of the FAQ's I've read says to mature the tank WITHOUT fish, and some others say with a couple of fish. What do you guys think?

And, yet another Q!!! The fish I'm planning on getting have been kept in freshwater (I suppose, as juvies, that's proper). Should I start off fresh (and as close to the fish store water as possible), and slowly increase the salinity with each water change?

 

[andywg]

I prefer not to fishless cycle as the high levels of ammonia and nitrite will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on the fish.

A good way is to purchase some pure ammonia (no additives) and use that, or else just put some food in there and let it break down. One wa7y I saw suggested on the marine section is to get a couple of prawns form your freezer and leave them in there...

Saying that, if you already have a FW setup, you may want to clone it, just run the new tank's filter on that tank for a couple of weeks and then put it on your new tank once the water is in and place a small amount of the substrate from the old tank and you can add fish straight away.

If you are going to buy all the fish as freshwater then you may find it easier to start the tank as freshwater and gradually bring the SG up over time so as not to shock the fish. I believe that if you raise at around 0.001SG per week then you should find that any die-off of helpful FW bacteria is countered by the introduction of Brackish bacteria.

I'm not too sure how you would go about acclimitising a FW juve into a tank that is already brackish, short of an extended drip method as detailed in the Marine section.

HIH

Andy

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

Yup, that did help. Thanks. I think I'll start off FW and slowly and gradually raise the SG to brackish. Patience, grasshopper...

Saying that, if you already have a FW setup, you may want to clone it, just run the new tank's filter on that tank for a couple of weeks and then put it on your new tank once the water is in and place a small amount of the substrate from the old tank and you can add fish straight away.

That's a great idea! I think I will do the fishless cycling technique (who woulda thought that Public Enemy Number One --ammonia-- would prove to be useful in it's pure form (cleaning ammonia)), and use the matured new filter and substrate etc. Or am I wrong to do BOTH? OOps that's a dumb comment how on earth am I gonna cycle my new tank if my new filter is in my old tank? Doh! :stupid: Think I'll go with your idea above... Thanks mate!

Cheers,
Irene

 

[Erised]

Taking sand from your freshwater tank will not do much at all. Brackish setups need different bacteria that you will not find in a fully cycled freshwater tank. (At least, so I've heard). Cycling however, will be done the same as when cycling freshwater, cept that there will have to be enough salt in the water to keep the sg up

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

I'm gonna start off FW then gradually increase to brackish. So the FW bacteria will die off and the brackish bacteria will gradually take over if I do it slowly enough (increase of 0.001 per water change once a week)? Is that how it works?

 

[GSD]

kool i wish i could do brakish!

 

[andywg]

I'm gonna start off FW then gradually increase to brackish. So the FW bacteria will die off and the brackish bacteria will gradually take over if I do it slowly enough (increase of 0.001 per water change once a week)? Is that how it works?

That should be fine. If you're really worried, fo it at about 0.001 every fortnight.

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

ARRRRGH!!!

I went into a new LFS (well talked-up by some other Perth people, not sure I should mention the name) this arvo, and started talking to someone I assumed was the owner... so I start asking about monos and scats and brackish environments in general. I ask what conditions they keep theirs in (when they order some in). He said they come to them freshwater then when they get there they just "dump a handful or two of salt in the water"... and scolded me for being so perdantic and concerned about GRADUALLY raising the SG, etc...

Why oh whhhhy do I even try anymore...

 

[andywg]

Unfortunately Brackish water is well devoid of any expertise in most shops. People seem to either go into FW, or Marine and few people bother about the middle (If it's mild brackish they lump it in FW, if strong they throw it in Marine).

Still, look at this way. At least you found us first before you did take the advice given.

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

Yeah I'm pretty darned grateful... gotta take everything you hear with a pinch of salt I s'pose