GSP Tank preferences

[zookey]

So if you were a GSP and had a choice..... would you prefer a long narrow tank (standard 40 gallon) or would you prefer a custom made square tank (25 x25 x15 = 40+ gallons). I have the option to get either of these fairly cheap and wondering which would be better to keep a GSP in. Would the square tank filter properly or would there need to be some kind of powerheads to keep the water from creating a stale spot?

I should say eventually this tank will go full marine. Planning on a FOWLR but that may change to no live rock, finding it here is a challenge.

Also would like to know .... I would like to have sand in the bottom of the tank. The only available sand here is bagged "live sand" would this be acceptable if I don't have live rock? Sounds odd that the LFS sells live sand but no rock (live or dead).

Any and all opinions greatly appreciated. Just trying to do what is best for the puffer.

[Pufferpunk]

Considering we're only talking about 1/2g difference, go with the longer tank. If you're not going to use live rock, then why bother bringing the tank up to SW? The reason we do this is to have the advantage of marine filtration: LR & protein skimmer.
Bagged sand = dead sand.

[zookey]

Okay... so the square tank would not be good for a puffer? I was just looking at the room available around the decor. I see so many tanks that look like the fish hardly fit between the decor and the glass. I thought it looked like it would make it safer for the fish. But if you think the longer one would be better... that is what I would do.

I do plan to get the tank to full marine because of the live rock filtration and skimmer. Plan to buy the skimmer next week while in the neighboring state at a convention. I will look at that time for rock, but not sure if it would make it home without freezing. I don't know enough about it yet to know if that would damage the life on the rock.

I will talk to the LFS and see if Live Rock is something they order in special or if they sell out of their display tank.

If they were to sell from the display tank... would it need to be disinfected somehow? There are fish in there now and I would think it could carry some disease like any living thing coming into my tank. Maybe I am way off. This is all still very new to me. I keep reading and trying to keep it all straight..... just trying to make the best home for the puffer.

Thanks for the advice.

[Pufferpunk]

If their fish are healthy, the rock will be fine. You can always keep the rock in a bucket of SW, with a heater & powerhead, to QT for a month or more.

My 1st LR I ordered from here: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aqua ... .cfm?c=393

All you really need is a few lbs of live rock & the rest could be dead. The LR will seed the dead rock: http://www.marcorocks.com/

[RTR]

+1 to PP's posts.

Length is good, it is exercise space.

SW filtration is potentially superior to FW.

[zookey]

Will live sand (wet sand in a bag) seed dead rock? I assume it would take a while, but would it work?
I saw at the LFS today that the live sand they have is packed in water. I never looked close enough before to notice that there is water in the bags too.

I also asked them about their live rock and there seems to be some kind of things (mushrooms maybe) living on most of it. Could they be okay in a tank with a GSP or will the puffer just kill them off?

[Pufferpunk]

There is nothing live in bagged sand. Any bacteria it started out with is long gone. Real live sand is taken from a tank with live rock. It carries all sorts of worms, pods & other detritus eaters.

Mushrooms taste bad, so most puffers will leave them alone.

[zookey]

Thank you Pufferpunk. I appreciate all of your help and your knowledge (and willingness to share with me).