Tank set up for a mature GSP?

marfisa · Post by **marfisa** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:51 am

I have a GSP that's getting to be around 5 inches long and I'd like to start acclimating him to marine salinity this autumn when I move and get a bigger tank. He's in a 25 gallon or so tank right now, with a knight goby as a companion (which I know will have to remain in the brackish tank).

I'm very confused about what the tank should be like though. I keep reading about refugiums and sump pumps and protein skimmers associated with marine tanks. Will I need these? And what are they exactly? Or will it still be as easy as my current tank, just a plain tank with no extra equipment?

Also, I'd like to decorate the tank more like a GSP's natural habitat. Do they live in mangrove swamps as adults? Any recommendations where to get good decorations?

Come to think of it, how do you do a water change on a big tank like 50 gallons or even 100 gallons? Currently, I just mix the water in those large buckets from the hardware store, but I imagine I'd need an awful lot of those for a 25 gallon or 50 gallon water change.

Pamela · Post by **Pamela** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 1:49 pm

Most people are very fond of their Pythons - I think they're battery - powered syphons which can send water both ways - from the tank to the sink, and from the new water to the tank.
Not an expert, though, as I'm still using buckets.
Pami.

Rocker · Post by **Rocker** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:22 pm

Pythons just rely on water presssure.No batteries required! Set it to drain and it will empty your tank.Then switch to fill and Hey Presto water change complete!

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 3:47 pm

How would you use a python in a brackish/SW set-up? You'd be adding fresh water instead of the premixed stuff they need.

Eric

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 6:25 pm

Puff_archer - since you're looking into this thread. The recommendation for 30 gallons for a GSP - does that mean approximately 30 gallons of water or does that mean the space of a 30 gallon tank for swimming along with the water volume?

The reason I ask is that I have a 29 gallon tank (currently occupied with SA dwarf cichlids) that someday I'd like to switch over to a puffer tank and I wondered if a solo GSP would work in a 29 gallon tank by itself.

Additionally, on a 29 with only a GSP, could I simply use my Aquaclear filter as the only filtration even when the GSP is in full SW?

Thanks,

Eric

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:14 pm

I used an AC for a while on my SW tank, along w/an Eheim (it is a 55g). When I could afford a skimmer, I added a Backpak. Now that I see the gross stuff it pulls out of my tank, I'd never go w/o one on a SW set-up.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:40 pm

Skimmer? Backpak?

It's a whole new vocabulary I've yet to learn...

Genin · Post by **Genin** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:29 pm

skimmers pull out the biological waste in the water before it has the chance to actually break down. it keeps all your levels down by not allowing your biological cycle to get overloaded. ie., i won't allow the food to be broken down into ammonia, nitrites, nitrates (the nitrifying process). the less ammonia and nitrites the healthier the livestock and the less nitrates the less likely you are to have algae blooms which can get pretty darn nasty under the intense lighting marine tanks usually have.

cdawson · Post by **cdawson** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:35 am

My setup for my adult GSP is full of liverock and macroalgae. He leaves the algae alone and it keeps the water clean as a whistle.

this is the tank

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:58 am

I bet that's a happy puffer to be living in there!

Post by **RTR** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:13 am

Jayhawk - there is no magic in 30 gallons, it is a "practical" application that several of us have used successfully. It involves both footprint/swimming room and water volume.

The 29 is one of my favored smallish tanks, but I only use one of them. Like the 20-long and the 55, they really hedge on water volume. In my current use of that tank (deep substrate, FW, planted) the tank holds about 21 actual US gallons. If I were using it for BW or more especially for SW appication as for a GSP, I would use a sump/refugium to boost the water volume and hide some of the equipment. So long as the decor did not block good swimming and turning room for the mature puff, it would be fine.

HTH

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:29 am

Thanks RTR! I like the 29 for the extra water volume it provides over a 20 long (I tend to keep smaller fish these days). The more I think about skimmers, refugiums, and sumps, the more I think I'll keep it FW. Besides, the plants are so darn lush it would be a shame to see them go.

It's good to know a GSP could work in there if I ever tire of the plants, but I'll likely look for a SAP or Bronze puffer when the time comes to move to a puffer instead of Bolivian ram based tank.

Eric

marfisa · Post by **marfisa** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:43 pm

Thank you for all the suggestions everyone!

I've been taking a look at protein skimmers online and am confused by all the options so my next question is what kind of skimmer would be suitable for a 75 or so gallon aquarium, preferably something that hangs on the side of the tank like a filter?

Bred · Post by **Bred** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:47 pm

Check out the AquaC Remora Pro skimmer... It should last forever and is good for tanks up to 120 gallons.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:15 pm

If you can afford one, I like Seaclone better. Check out Ebay.

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Tank set up for a mature GSP?

Tank set up for a mature GSP?