Kenny's 29gH Brackish Tank Journal

kENNY · Post by **kENNY** » Sun May 16, 2010 8:50 pm

Recently, I've been caught up with my 55's problems and the 29's problems, so I've decided to break down and just buy another new tank. This one will be alittle different because it'll have rocks, mainly, instead of driftwood...

It's substrate will be either play sand and will be heavily planted with crypts, java ferns, mosses, anubias, and a few others I think...

Inhabitants will definitely be 1x Figure-8 Puffer & 3x Bumble Bee Gobies...

The funny thing is I have a stand for this tank, yet I hate it...lol, it's one of those metal stands and I really want a nicer, *WOOD* one.

Wish me luck!

Iliveinazoo · Post by **Iliveinazoo** » Mon May 17, 2010 8:43 am

Good Luck, it will be nice to see how you get on.

Ohyouknow · Post by **Ohyouknow** » Mon May 17, 2010 10:37 am

You could always build a stand!

Could be a nice weekend project.

kENNY · Post by **kENNY** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:22 pm

Iliveinazoo wrote:Good Luck, it will be nice to see how you get on.

It should be pretty easy once the tank is actually here! lol Hopefully it'll look really nice.

My mom is alittle mad I want a 20gH and her's broke...

I think she doesn't want the same thing happening again.

Ohyouknow wrote:You could always build a stand! Could be a nice weekend project.

It could if I didn't suck at carpentry[and spelling...]! lol

J-P · Post by **J-P** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:30 pm

These guys are great at helping along. At time it may seem a little harsh but it is all for the best.

I also did a complete walk-through and had tonnes of questions. A lot of what I thought I knew or read turned out, in fact, to be wrong. Lots of struggles and being open minded and patient is the key. A planted BW tank is tricky at best, but doable.

Keep us posted

kENNY · Post by **kENNY** » Tue May 18, 2010 12:58 am

Yeah, hopefully it'll be as easy as I'm planning and there will be no harshness cuz none will be deserved.

I've been in FW for so long now, I only want to have a few of those as they are no challenge any more! In fact, I'm 50% through tearing down the 29gal...Stopped for the night because I'm breaking a fever and generally feel weak. Blah.

mrgreen · Post by **mrgreen** » Tue May 18, 2010 1:41 am

You are putting an F8 in a "high" tank? They like to swim back and forth not up and down. A 20L would be perfect for one F8. My 2 F8s are constantly zipping along their 30L. They rarely swim up and down- except when pacing.

I hope you feel better. Sleep when you feel that way can be some of the best quality sleep, though!

SammyDee · Post by **SammyDee** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:38 am

mrgreen wrote:You are putting an F8 in a "high" tank? They like to swim back and forth not up and down. A 20L would be perfect for one F8. My 2 F8s are constantly zipping along their 30L. They rarely swim up and down- except when pacing.

I hope you feel better. Sleep when you feel that way can be some of the best quality sleep, though!

+1

Flutter · Post by **Flutter** » Tue May 18, 2010 8:21 am

kENNY · Post by **kENNY** » Tue May 18, 2010 3:06 pm

mrgreen wrote:You are putting an F8 in a "high" tank? They like to swim back and forth not up and down. A 20L would be perfect for one F8. My 2 F8s are constantly zipping along their 30L. They rarely swim up and down- except when pacing.

I hope you feel better. Sleep when you feel that way can be some of the best quality sleep, though!

I don't have room for a 20gL in my room which is where I'm gonna keep all my tanks [AKA, my fishroom since the other room will *NEVER* get done] and I'm even go so far as to downsize my 75gal plan to a 40gallon breeder simply because I can have it in my room...so yes, a 20gH. Most people seem to have puffers in them and they do OK...

Thanks, BTW. I woke up and tried to get outta bed and my leg cramped, so I was asleep until 1:50 this afternoon...I'm feeling good enough to finish the 29 tear down and mowing the yard though so I'm going to get started on those in a few minutes.

mrgreen · Post by **mrgreen** » Tue May 18, 2010 5:43 pm

I still believe a long tank is best for a figure 8s needs. Why not find something that uses the whole water column of a high? My F8s rarely go above the 50% line of their "long" but it DOES happen. Theyre just hapiest going the length of tje tank. When they go up and down the are usually pacing or glass "surfing" - a sign of boredome.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Tue May 18, 2010 6:02 pm

The 20H has the same footprint of the 15g, which is the minimum recommendation for a single F8. I believe a single F8 & some BBG tank mates, are perfect in a 20H (if he doesn't eat the gobies...).

kENNY · Post by **kENNY** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:46 pm

Thanks, PP!

BBGs are going in first to hopefully avoid them being lunch for the puffer.

As a guide to suitable plants for BW, J-P gave me, I'm posting this here so it doesn't get lost:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubW ... plants.htm

mrgreen wrote:I still believe a long tank is best for a figure 8s needs. Why not find something that uses the whole water column of a high? My F8s rarely go above the 50% line of their "long" but it DOES happen. They're just happiest going the length of the tank. When they go up and down the are usually pacing or glass "surfing" - a sign of boredom.

A 20gH is 6" less in length then a 20gL so, not much is lost, I think...also a 20gH is only 16" high, too, so that's not too bad either...a 20gL is 12" high...so it just makes up for the diff. in height...

And BTW, don't they swim to the top like other fish, to beg and try to get the food first???

Ajepalmer · Post by **Ajepalmer** » Tue May 18, 2010 11:52 pm

kENNY wrote:
And BTW, don't they swim to the top like other fish, to beg and try to get the food first???

I dont have very much experience so be forewarned. My dog faced puffer though will only go up to the top on the rare occasion that his food is taking to long to sink. He prefers to hover over the sand or spend time in his cave. He may still be getting used to the new tank, so only time will tell.

Here he is just playing in the sand.

Iliveinazoo · Post by **Iliveinazoo** » Wed May 19, 2010 4:51 am

Here's another couple of lists

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4792

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/to ... h-aquaria/

If you structure your aquarium so that you have cover at all levels then I can't see any reason why they won't use all levels. I have floating plants Ceratopteris thalictroide and hornwort with taller plants towards the back and sides like Vallis and Aponogeton Crispus. The mid-level is taken up with Java fern, rock and coconut shell with java moss. The lower levels have crypts and saggitaria subulatta.

Here's a picture of my tank as it stood last year.

A rubbish picture of a figure 8 using the top of the tank

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