Questions regarding brackish water aquairums.

[8puffer8]

I'm interested in starting a 20gallon aquarium for one F8 puffer.
Now, as far as setting up a brackish aquarium I know that it must have the correct salinity.

One of my questions is about changing a FW tank into BW water tank. From what I've read, one must do 50% water changes. Have a separate container to hold 50% of your aquariums volume (so 10gallons) and have the salinity at about +.001 or +.002 for the new water to be placed in the existing aquarium. Is this the method to use? or is there a simpler, much easier way to do it?

If I have no fish in the aquarium, and the tank has not been cycled, should I start changing it to a BW right away? I've read that raising the salinity can cause damage to your bio filter, but if it's a fresh aquarium, the biological filter wouldn't exist?

Another thing is, if I buy the puffer, and it is in FW, how would I transfer it into a BW tank safely? without causing shock of course.
And lastly, how do you maintain BW conditions when you do a water change? I'm guessing the water you're replacing it with should be at the exact same salinity as the tank it's going into?
Thanks.

[8puffer8]

this thread would probably do better in the brackish aquariums, my mistake.

[Nick]

Moved.

If the tank isn't cycled, just add enough marine salt mix to make get the SG where you want it and cycle it at that SG, that way you won't have to worry about the math for gradually increasing the SG in the tank.

[8puffer8]

Moved.

If the tank isn't cycled, just add enough marine salt mix to make get the SG where you want it and cycle it at that SG, that way you won't have to worry about the math for gradually increasing the SG in the tank.

That helps alot, and makes a whole lot of headache go away, thanks.

[J-P]

On the flip side of the coin ... what SG is the F8 being kept at? If you are buying it form someone who is keeping it in FW.. then you will have to acclimate it to the new tank.

[8puffer8]

On the flip side of the coin ... what SG is the F8 being kept at? If you are buying it form someone who is keeping it in FW.. then you will have to acclimate it to the new tank.

Well, I've read that the SG is best kept at 1.005-1.008.
How do you acclimate it into the new tank?

I plan on getting it from the LFS, but I'd like all my bases covered just incase the situation arises. I'm not sure atm if they keep their F8's in FW or BW.

[Hilly]

You can drip acclimate to the ne SG or you can use a small container take some water out of the bag and then add tank water into the bag slowly changing the SG.

[8puffer8]

You can drip acclimate to the ne SG or you can use a small container take some water out of the bag and then add tank water into the bag slowly changing the SG.

Ok sounds quite simple. Thanks.
Does anyone have an answer to my water change question? or perhaps would have a link to an answer?

[8puffer8]

You can drip acclimate to the ne SG or you can use a small container take some water out of the bag and then add tank water into the bag slowly changing the SG.

Oh and hilly thats a cute puffer in your avatar pic. Is it yours?

[Brandon8521]

You can drip acclimate to the ne SG or you can use a small container take some water out of the bag and then add tank water into the bag slowly changing the SG.

Ok sounds quite simple. Thanks.
Does anyone have an answer to my water change question? or perhaps would have a link to an answer?

Is your Question pertaining to raising your salinilty dureing water changes? If you cycle your tank at the salinilty you are gonna want to keep it at then you dont have to worry about that. If not then your on the right path with that outline. The water your changing water with should be about about .002 to .003 higher then your tank water you can even go with .004 although thats getting chancey.

If your question is just about water changes in general then you can go about it this way. Test your water for nitrates, and dont let your nitrates get higher then about 15-20 once you get a schedule to keep your nitrites down you will have found what percent of water should be changed every week. Its not entirely accurate that you have to do 50% water changes every week but if thats what it takes to keep you nitrates down then that is what you can do. I only do 30% everyweek on my 33gal GSP tank now and that keeps it well below 20 ppm nitrates. Im sure i will have to do more then that eventually once he gets older but you can play with that see what is going to work for you when you first get him and then go from there.

Its more fun to try and learn things (as long as you keep your water parameters at acceptable levels!!!) by testing different methods and see what works for you. Thats one of the things i love about this hobby. Try things out not only with water changes but with all aspects of the hobby.

[8puffer8]

You can drip acclimate to the ne SG or you can use a small container take some water out of the bag and then add tank water into the bag slowly changing the SG.

Ok sounds quite simple. Thanks.
Does anyone have an answer to my water change question? or perhaps would have a link to an answer?

Is your Question pertaining to raising your salinilty dureing water changes? If you cycle your tank at the salinilty you are gonna want to keep it at then you dont have to worry about that. If not then your on the right path with that outline. The water your changing water with should be about about .002 to .003 higher then your tank water you can even go with .004 although thats getting chancey.

If your question is just about water changes in general then you can go about it this way. Test your water for nitrates, and dont let your nitrates get higher then about 15-20 once you get a schedule to keep your nitrites down you will have found what percent of water should be changed every week. Its not entirely accurate that you have to do 50% water changes every week but if thats what it takes to keep you nitrates down then that is what you can do. I only do 30% everyweek on my 33gal GSP tank now and that keeps it well below 20 ppm nitrates. Im sure i will have to do more then that eventually once he gets older but you can play with that see what is going to work for you when you first get him and then go from there.

Its more fun to try and learn things (as long as you keep your water parameters at acceptable levels!!!) by testing different methods and see what works for you. Thats one of the things i love about this hobby. Try things out not only with water changes but with all aspects of the hobby.

Thanks, I was referring to a water change for a BW aquarium that already has the correct salinity, and is cycled.
I do plan on doing 50% water changes, as puffers are apparently notorious for being messy fish. The 50% water I take out should be replaced by water that is the same amount of salinity so the existing water does not get diluted?

Your feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks man.

[Brandon8521]

Exactly, just match the salinity of the tank with the replacement water and your fine.

[J-P]

pre-mixing the solution to the correct volume is also suggested. Although I have not done it myself, apparently it is fairly easy.

[8puffer8]

Ok thanks guys!