How fast freshwater to marine? (gsp)

[Flaring Afro]

I was wondering how fast you could go from freshwater to 1.020ish marine (without him panicking or uncomfortable)? Does it take months or can you do it in a couple weeks? I have a gsp, Ralph, that's a little over 2 inches and want to make the transition fast so I can put a fish with him. He's actually VERY docile (unlike another I had to return). Right now he is with a pleco that is 4" or so and a couple corys. If one bumps into him, he even looks sad lol.

[lesleyanndunn]

your corys and pleco cant go marine tho
are you removing them before going to marine?

[Flaring Afro]

Oh yes, they will be separated. Right now they are all in a 20 (I clean the gravel every other day and ammonia etc is surprisingly fine so far). I'm getting 2 tanks around 55 gallons to split them and expand in fish a bit.

[Hilly]

With the GSP in the tank, you can up the SG by .002 a week or slower if you prefer. So its going to be about 10 weeks.

If you set up a fresh marine tank you would still be talking a bare minimum of several weeks to get it stable before attempting to introduce fish.

[Flaring Afro]

What I plan on doing is putting him alone in a 55 gallon with half of the water from the current tank and the filter on the current tank (a 55 bio-wheel) which should get the bacteria started well enough for a small gsp in 55 gallons of water and put him on marine through time in that. By the time he is on full marine it would be established enough to add some more fish one at a time. Would that work well?

[J-P]

Nick did it where he set up the tank first at the SG and quickly drip acclimated the puffer to the new SG.

please read:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22473&p=240088&hili ... re#p240084

[Flaring Afro]

Nick did it where he set up the tank first at the SG and quickly drip acclimated the puffer to the new SG.

please read:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22473&p=240088&hili ... re#p240084

If I did a fast change to saltwater, would you recommend getting some saltwater from a lfs to get the good bacteria going or would you say that's too risky of bringing in parasites etc?

[J-P]

Actually I have no idea... just posted the link because it would be helpful. You can PM nick... but that tank has to be established first.

You can't do a fast change in an uncycled tank. Better to swap out the tanks (filter media etc.) and slowly raise the SG as previously mentioned.

The quick swap is only if the 2 are fully cycled.

[Brandon8521]

If you go about raising the sg by .02 every week or two it really doesnt take that long to bring it up to sw. And that will give you some time so you get everything you need and time to plan it all out. I wouldnt rush into it and its not going to hurt your lil puffer either. I would just take my time. Who know you might want a sump or refugium or both. I am addicted to youtube and looking up all kinds of ways to run sumps and stuff and dont want to make the transition untill im certain on what setup i want.

[Pufferpunk]

If I did a fast change to saltwater, would you recommend getting some saltwater from a lfs to get the good bacteria going or would you say that's too risky of bringing in parasites etc?

There is no bacteria in the water column. You could add Bio-Spira but you're still taking a big chance. What's the rush?

[nmonks]

I agree. The GSP itself could be dumped in medium salinity brackish from freshwater conditions without the least bother. But the filter bacteria are a whole other thing. From freshwater to about 10-15% salinity, i.e, around SG 1.004, your freshwater bacteria will be in place. But above that, the freshwater bacteria start dying and are replaced with the marine bacteria. It's a bit more complicated than that, but that gives you the basic idea.

Much better to keep the GSP at a lower salinity where the water quality is good than to try to raise the salinity while ruining water quality. Adult GSPs are perfectly happy from 1.005 to 1.025, so there's no pressing need to keep them in a marine aquarium. If you want a marine aquarium, then that's fine, and cycle it using live rock and ammonia. Once it's stable, then acclimate the (at least subadult) GSP via the drip method, and that's all you need do!

Cheers, Neale

There is no bacteria in the water column. You could add Bio-Spira but you're still taking a big chance. What's the rush?

[Flaring Afro]

If I did a fast change to saltwater, would you recommend getting some saltwater from a lfs to get the good bacteria going or would you say that's too risky of bringing in parasites etc?

There is no bacteria in the water column. You could add Bio-Spira but you're still taking a big chance. What's the rush?

The main thing is Ralph is very docile and even gets pushed around a bit by smaller corys (he is careful not to bump into them, but they aren't to him lol). If he's alone in a tank for a long time, will he become more territorial? Because of this I was considering getting something else that could go through the transition with him but the only thing I can find locally are more gsp and I sure as heck am not pushing my luck in getting another docile one.

Also, bio-spira is the store bought bacteria in a bottle right? I know that doesn't work to great which is why I was going to go the lfs water route. A guy there gives some water for this for free and I've done it on a (freshwater) tank and it made it very stable before putting fish in it.

[Nick]

When he reaches maturity, he's likely to get territorial no matter if tankmates are already in place or not.

[Pufferpunk]

He still needs to be separated from the cories, as they will not tolerate any salt at all & he needs salt now.

[Flaring Afro]

He still needs to be separated from the cories, as they will not tolerate any salt at all & he needs salt now.

Yes. I was hoping on getting a mandarin or scooter blenny with him though. If he ever did start to nip or show signs of aggression I also would have an extra 20 I could immediately use to separate him them with until I go out and buy another. A lfs actually has some I've seen eating dead food so their finicky eating habits wouldn't be a problem either.