starting a new tank for puffer

[floridafishfan]

Hello I have been researching GSP for a couple weeks and would like to get one but I am not a instinct buyer and would like everything to be perfect first. Well heres the plan i would like to start him out in my 20 gallon long, which I will be turning into brackish. MLF sells GSP but they are young and kept in freshwater. So what im thinking is ill put him in freshwater and add salt slowly till I get to the proper Ph. I have some PH buffer for cichlids it is 8.2 could I possiably use this? I have two packs each one treats 20 gallons its made by API.

I have the 20 gallon long setup now and is fully cycled for 6 months it has fish in it that will be moved to another tank, I want to change the substrate to Caribsea Agronite crushed coral to help with the buffering I have a fluvel 204 canister, hob marineland biowheel 100, and a small powerhead I will use for this tank is this ok for filtration?

How soon should I start adding the salt once hes in the tank?

Keep in mind I have not purchased the GSP yet and would just like some advice on how to go about this. My goal is to keep a healthy GSP in brakish water until almost full grown then keep him in saltwater. Oh also the puffer will be housed in the 20 gallon long alone, Im aware of the size and would not be his permanent home.

Thanks ahead of time

[floridafishfan]

Ok so I've decided to go with figure 8 puffer instead, because of tank size. Could I get away with two of them long term in a 20 gallon long tank?

[Gooburz]

Rule of thumb is 15 Gal minimum for a F8 puffer and an aditional 10 Gal for each extra 1. I made the mistake of keeping several in a 15Gal only but they will be moved into a 55Gal in less than a month. So 1 in a 20 Gal, 30Gal you could do 2.

[bertie 83]

Defo just stick with 1 f8, maybe add a pair of bbg's

[RTR]

IME, two F-8s do best in a 33XL tank.

Lose the biowheel, even at the very low specific gravity F-8s prefer. The salt creep is a mess in BW from that filter format.

HTH

[floridafishfan]

Ok thanks everyone I'll only get one then. Is it just the bio-wheels that get salt creep or all HOB filters cause I have others I can use like aqua techs, will the FLUVEl cannister be enough for filtration?

[puffykid]

The main source of salt creep in Hob is the bio-wheel due to it splashing water around inside. But you can simply take it out.

[Pufferpunk]

I prefer Aquaclear filtetrs for anything <55g. then I start adding a canister.

[RTR]

I don't like HOBs more from the noise and the current control than anything else, but I am a canister nut. I can customize them and their output is totally controllable. I really like filter I have to touch to see if they are really operating...

Canister for me start at 15 gallons, and I only have one of those left in operation. Its days are numbered. No more small tanks in routine use. That is part of simplifying my life. The tens are all gone already and the next-to-last 15 went a couple of weeks ago.

[bertie 83]

I agree with rtr. I run canisters on anything, and I do not have a tank with only 1 filter

[floridafishfan]

Here's what it looks like so far...all my other tanks have a much more natrual look so its a change. Please comment on any. What do you think?

[RTR]

That is the idea, but it still could use more decor.