Not what I expected. New to GSP. Need to move to brackish water

[Esnodgrass]

Up the sand hasn’t arrived yet. It should be here this week. Question. Should I setup the 40gal as freshwater use the water still in 8gal he currently has and add onto of that to make up the 40gal.

Or should I keep him in the smaller tank and move him to brackish in that then have larger tank already brackish to move him to? My theory is less water to have to remove to move slowly to brackish but open to suggestions.

When I get sand I know from your note to clean clean clean!

[Pufferpunk]

Bigger is ALWAYS better! Move the fish, water & all the decor & filter material to the 40g. Condition with Prime & you should be good to go.

[Esnodgrass]

The sand hasn’t arrived but when it does I will wash wash wash it. Question is it better to have GSP transition to brackish in the smaller tank (less water to remove overall from 8gal) than to create a freshwater 40gal. Get him in smaller tank to brackish then move to 40 which would be brackish already? How long can I keep him in freshwater before I need to start to move him over slowly?

[Pufferpunk]

I would move him to the 40g ASAP & be sure the parameters are stable for a few weeks before transitioning to BW.

[Esnodgrass]

Quick question. my order for the sand is still in route from FedEx. Is there a difference or preference between CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand and Aragonite Aragamax Oolite Aquarium Substrate? I ordered the CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand but the order from FedEx was due yesterday but now says pending. I found a bag of the Aragonite Aragamax Oolite Aquarium Substrate at a Petsmart

[Pufferpunk]

As long as it is aragonite sand, you're good.

[Esnodgrass]

I really appreciate your help. I can’t say that enough. Did ammonia and nitrate test. Ammonia was 1.0 and nitrate 0
Did a 80% water change.

I’m at the point I’m just going to move him to the larger tank and add sand later unless you think keep checking ammonia and give FedEx a few more days!

[Esnodgrass]

Hello! I finally got the Argonite sand delivered, cleaned it and setup the larger tank. The water is still a bit overcast (for lack of a better word) but you can see the back of the tank. I tested the Ammonia and it read 0.25 I did use the prime and safestart. I know this is new tank syndrome. Should I do a water change till I get 0 for ammonia? or can I put fish in new tank taking some of the water out but using the existing water from his smaller tank and keep changing ammonia and doing water changes? I can keep him in the smaller tank that isnt the problem and let this larger tank run a bit longer on its own. I know a new tank will fluctuate Ammonia while it cycles. Want to know best option for my GSP

[Pufferpunk]

What is the ammonia of your tap? I don't see how could be any in a newly set-up tank. Did you move everything over, including the fish?

[Esnodgrass]

No I didn’t move anything over. Larger tank is the Argonite, some larger rocks and fake plants. Fish is still in smaller tank. Smaller tank had gravel so didn’t move that over. I didn’t want to move fish over till I confirmed with you having 0.25 ammonia surprised me also. I would think 0 but it wasn’t. I used water from inside house not outside hose. Treated water as I mentioned. I should also mention our tap water has culligan so it’s soft water. Not sure that makes a difference.

I can test tap water and retest the tank in AM. Just don’t want to move fish unless you think it’s okay.

[Pufferpunk]

Anything is better than living in that smaller tank. Just move the filter media over & all other decor. Add Safestart to the filter when you add the fish & you should be good to go.

[Esnodgrass]

I moved him to larger tank. Before I did a 25% water change given I has .025 ammonia the other day. Just checked ammonia again after water change in new larger tank and it’s still 0.25. Checked tap water and it was 0.

All that is in tank is plastic plants, argonite, plastic pots to hide in. I added decorations and added the 8gal tanks small filter cartridge to be behind current new filter cartridge in 40 gal larger tank.

He seemed okay then started to only use one fin. He is black on bottom and laying in the sand. I took him out into a bowl to check him and both fins are working so put him back. He is hunkered down on sand gills seem to be working a bit harder than normal and his bottom is black. I turned light out and decided to leave him be hoping it’s stress. Just to be safe added more prime and Aqua to filter in back now that I have two filter cartridges in. This morning he is back to his normal self. At what point do I start to move to brackish? I'm guessing once my numbers are 0 for a consistent amount of time. At which point I'll need some advice on how to move him slowly over. Thank you again. Any pointers?

[Esnodgrass]

Having issue again. OMG. His gills are open wide, his sides are grey, he sometimes does this twitch and goes sideways or upside down like he ran into something or is tangled but nothing is there. And sometimes one side flipper not moving other times it is. It isnt all the time. He ate this morning fine. Sometimes he looks perfectly normal. Sometimes in argonite on bottom sitting there still or in a pot hiding. What is going on? This morning water check Ammonia still 0.25

[Pufferpunk]

What are the rest of your parameters? What about your tap water?

[Esnodgrass]

Tap water is 0. I only did Ammonia this afternoon to see if it rose from 0.25 yesterday and it was the same. I just did 50% water change and he is acting more normal and pooped. Can i do water check now or should I wait? I can do all readings if you think now or if I should wait. Also did add Prime and the AquaSafe to filter. Also added aquarium salt (which I know isnt for brackish) but thought it would help with stress since while I changed water he was black and hunkering.