Kenny's 29gH Brackish Tank Journal

[mrgreen]

My figure 8 does go to the top. The point I'm making is that they love swimming in the bottom half and going the length and width. The just don't normally go up and down. Its not a long tank vs a regular tank; its a long tank vs a tall tank. That's much different. That said, a tall tank is great for plants.

[Pufferpunk]

Don't expect all those plants to live in your BW tank. I'll bet anything that's FW.

[Iliveinazoo]

SG1.003 at 25DegC which occassionally is taken up to SG1.005, the Nymphaea zenkeri, Cryptocoryne Wendtii and hornwort will begin to deteriate if kept at the higher salinity for over a month.

The Crinum Calimustratum died off after about 4 months but that could have been because the sand covered too much of the rhizome and the Nymphaea zenkeri is looking a bit sorry for itself at the moment but it has propogated itself and is now recovering. Everything else is growing nicely.

[kENNY]

Well, the SG is going to be alittle high for the plants then...but I imagine most hygros will do well as well as crinum will do OK in that salinity[but maybe not]. It's going to be...1.006

This is the crypt I want:
C. Ciliata

Don't expect all those plants to live in your BW tank. I'll bet anything that's FW.

I honestly don't have high hopes for anything but the crypt which is said to tolerate a wide range of conditions...

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

Your tank is *VERY* pretty!

My figure 8 does go to the top. The point I'm making is that they love swimming in the bottom half and going the length and width. The just don't normally go up and down. Its not a long tank vs a regular tank; its a long tank vs a tall tank. That's much different. That said, a tall tank is great for plants.

I guess I always kinda equated a 20gH to more of a normal tank then a "tall"...

[Iliveinazoo]

Thanks

That's the next plant I buy as it's a brackish water specialist but the problem is obtaining it, absolute nightmare. Don't worry if it dies off to begin with because all crypts do if they are moved from one condition to another, the majority, if not all of the leaves will melt away before new leaves begin to form however I would advise starting off at a low salinity for the plants to establish themselves and then rise slowly.

[kENNY]

I'm pretty sure "Hydrophyte" on TPT has some, so that's who I'm going to try first...He's actually the one who recommended that plant to me! I know crypt melt pretty well too....the little Wendtii 'Green" in the 55gal hates me when those hygros hit the top every week!

If it takes off and I have it before you do, I'll send some your way!

Oh, BTW:

I have 3x 24" 15w T8 lights that may light this tank...that's 2.25WPG, good enough for most *EASY* plants[when the 55 doesn't even have 1 WPG!]

And...I'm gonna start out with a low salinity because I'm wanting the tank established before I add the puffer/gobies...This will be my first brackish and I really don't want to loose any fish...

[J-P]

Wow this thread advanced quickly ... I was going to do a little research on the water perams required for the link I sent earlier.

But... since you have already started the purchases .. please look into the tolerable salt levels for the plants listed. If you keep it low end you may have some success.

Don't forget that some plants will die regardless. I am unlucky with some while others are fine. I keep some that others find overly difficult or impossible.

Keep the ones that do well in YOUR tank and don't try to FORCE the others to do well. It is a lesson in frustration (as well as a waste of $$).

[kENNY]

I don't have the tank yet[that pic was just one I grabbed from the 'net from Hydrophyte on TPT], just tons of spare plants from my FW tanks and a stand I decided to use + the 3x 24" lights[will be four, but two are on the 55 for now until I get the new 48" T5...so 2 when it's first started]. Still gotta fork over 100$ for the 20gH kit[I can't stand used tanks] in WM and then I'll be more on my way...from there, I'll just get the new glass lid, the rock/sand, & rest of the plants...

I expect nothing less the adapting/dying from plants as all of mine are kept in FW and tho they thrive, that's not saying they will like salt...at all...lol

I don't mind you adding more to my journal though, I really appreciate any info. you guys could give me. I wanna do this tank right...which means I'm still researching....

I'm even gonna fishless cycle it! [which means I need the new test kit and ammonia added to my list again]

[Iliveinazoo]

I recognise that name, I'm sure he joined UKAPS a little while back and now has a few of the members doing ripariums.

If it takes off and I have it before you do, I'll send some your way!

That's a generous offer but I'm in Southampton, England so may be a bit out of your way especially with customs to get through.

[kENNY]

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were in the UK...Still, if I could, I would! Is that why it's[C. Ciliata] so hard to find it for you BTW?

And yep, Hydro is the guy with the rip's. They are awesome tanks, but mine failed miserably.

[kENNY]

Hmmm...I have an empty 29[I guess people equate it to a "high" 20gL, because it can be considered a 29gH] that is only 2 years old, never had copper treatment or anything that could kill sensitive fish, so I'm very tempted to use that instead of a 20gH...

Another thing you guys will notice, my tank list shrunk *SIGNIFICANTLY*...

That's because I've lost some bettas and just don't feel the want/need to have so many tanks anymore...

Basically it'll just be my 55 as a FW community, my 29 as a brackish, and my 10 as a nano-reef...[it's cuz I have those tanks and can work on them quicker]

[J-P]

I think there are high and long ... depending on the foot print. I have a couple tanks with the same water volume, but one is taller than the other and also more narrow. My "long" tanks tend to be shorter and wider than the "tall" tanks.

[kENNY]

Based on this one's foot print compared to height, I'd guess high, but w/e...

It's 30"[L]x12"[W]x18"[H] and it looks this shiny:


[sorry for the weird angle and showing more of my computer then tank...I had the lights off so it would be a good pic of the tank and I was kinda blind because until the flash hit, there was no light on the LCD screen. ]

Oh, AqAdvisor thinks this idea is a [slightly, but still] better idea then the 20gH:
http://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?AquT ... ode=simple

It was at a 107% stocked in the 20gH and now it's 81%...

[kENNY]

Sooo...

I'm really torn about ditching my idea to get a figure-8/bumble bee gobies, because they are unavailable locally now.

My replacement would be a green spot puffer because they are my favorite puffer.

Keeping in mind me having only 3 tanks[besides the betta/shrimp tanks, my mom's 20gL, & the hermit crabs]; will better allow me to spend more time maintaining the 29 & the 10...

Since the 55 will be understocked compared to now, I'm going to drop my maintainance for it to just 1 25% WC from 2x 50%'s a week which has become back breaking...

[J-P]

You can always wait it out ... or re-arrange things and put the GSP in the 55?