Hello everyone, I've been searching around the forum and PufferPedia, but I believe this is my first post. I've recently found out that my girlfriend and I are expecting a new member of the family, which means I have to downsize my fish collection. I currently have a standard 55 gallon with six Labidochromis caeruleus (African Cichlid), a 29 gallon with a 1.5 inch GSP, and a nano reef tank (off topic). I was supposed to go to a locally owned pet shop today and give the owner my GSP, but I don't think I can give him/her away. My new plan is to re-home the six Labidochromis and convert my 55 gallon into a GSP setup. I have no plans on adding tankmates (solo setup only); I'm aware that I'll have to recycle the 55 gallon with brackish water the same specific gravity as the 29 gallon (and redecorate the entire aquarium, pretty much). All this being said; I've always done close to 50% water changes weekly on the 29 gallon the puffer is currently in. I would like to continue the weekly 50% water change when I switch over to the 55, but 50% of 55 (if the tank only had water) would be 27.5 gallons. I don't have the capacity to mix that much at one time; so I was wondering if doing two 25% (around 13 gallons... perfect for my current mixing setup) water changes a week would be just as effective as one 50%? Maybe a schedule like every sunday and thursday? Or maybe every 3-4 days? Let me know what you guys and gals think.
Thanks,
Powerman2442
Just a little side note: My girlfriend names most of my fish and I've never been big into naming fish or calling them by the names she gives them, but this GSP has been the only fish I've ever called by its name. She named "him" Hugo and we talk about him like he is a person sometimes. I've actually had friends ask us who we were talking about then having to explain that it's our pet puffer. Thanks again for reading my story and questions.
First, a small and I hope not shocking introduction to aquqrium hobby mythology: Hobby tank labels refer to tank volume which are highly imaginary. A nominal 55 gallon tank holds far less than the label implies. Even with multiple external filters, I have never set a nominal 55 US gallon tank which held more than 41 or 42 US gallons. Several set-ups have held significantly less than that. When we discuss water changes, we are talking about real, measured, or at least measurable volumes. A 50% partial on a tank holing 42 gallons of water should be therefore 21gallons.
A corollary of our mythical nominal volumes is that most folks seem to have slept through high school or middle school math. Water change volumes cannot be added serially. That means that two sequential 25% water partials do not change the same amount of water as one 50% partial. You have to (gasp!) do calculations. For all the painful details, see:
I understand that manufacturers over rate their products frequently; not just within the aquarium hobby either. I just used the numbers to start a general conversation about my particular issue of not being able to mix large amounts of brackish/saltwater at one time. Even at 42 gallons a 50% water change is 21 gallons, like you said, but I don't have the capacity to mix 21 gallons at one time. I would say around 13 gallons would be an easy amount for me to mix with the container, pump, and heater I use for mixing. I did some math and figured out that 33% of 42 gallons (which you said would be the maximum amount a standard 55 gallon could hold) is 13.86 gallons, perfect for my setup. Do that water change every 4 days and in 24 days the "End % Old" would be 8.73%, correct? I could easily achieve a 13.86 (roughly) gallon water change every 4 days, and with one 1.5 inch GSP I think that would be more than sufficient for the time being. I plan on having a little substrate (1.5 - 2 inches max) and quite a few pounds of rock formations, so I doubt it will even hold 42 gallons, so 13.86 gallons would be over 33% most likely. Does this sound like a good idea? Let me know if you have any other information RTR, bookmarking your link.
Can anyone that knows about green spotted puffers comment on if you think my plan would provide an adequate maintenance routine for my juvenile GSP? I'm sure this is enough for a juvenile, but I am not sure about an adult GSP. Would anyone recommend increasing it in the future once the puffer gets bigger or would this routine work for an adult? I may be able to come up with a larger mixing setup in the future, if not, I can always do 13 gallons more frequently. I'm not shy about water changes, just restricted on mixing capacity.
Are you restricted on your mixing vessel size because of space or cost. We might have some suggestions about both.
There are many knowledgeable fish keepers on this forum willing to help and give great advice...The advice is free; What you choose to do with it gives it value.
Well the main reason I'm rehoming the labidochromis is so I can keep the puffer by moving him into their tank. Then the puffers current setup will be taken down to make room for the baby thats on the way. A bigger mixing setup isn't a good idea since I'm trying to make room. I'm getting rid of some extra furniture as well to make room for everything we need for the baby. Money really isn't an issue, but then again if I spent more money on a bigger house I would have the room to do whatever. I guess downsizing is also just a good idea so I don't have to do maintenance on multiple aquariums and take care of a newborn baby. Currently I use a medium size Rubbermaid container to mix everything in.
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept: T lineatus T miurus A modestus T biocellatus C valentini C coranata C papuan C lorteti DPs suvattii burrfish T niphobles
I'm planning on getting him to full saltwater eventually, but currently he is in 1.010 SG. How would getting him to full saltwater help lower water changes to 30% monthly? Does it have to do with the bacteria in saltwater verses brackish? Pufferpunk, do you think 13 gallons or about 30% water changes every 4 days would be sufficient for a juvenile, or is it overkill? What about a full grown GSP?
Powerman2442 wrote:I'm planning on getting him to full saltwater eventually, but currently he is in 1.010 SG. How would getting him to full saltwater help lower water changes to 30% monthly? Does it have to do with the bacteria in saltwater verses brackish? Pufferpunk, do you think 13 gallons or about 30% water changes every 4 days would be sufficient for a juvenile, or is it overkill? What about a full grown GSP?
I'm relatively new to this hobby, just set up my saltwater tank a few months ago actually but I believe it is because filtration in a saltwater tank is more efficient than filtration in freshwater. This is because live rock, skimmer, and powerheads can be utilized for the best filtration.
I can't help much on your questions regarding you water changes but I would think it would be difficult to say for sure what would work best, that it would vary much from tank to tank. Though maybe not too much in your case if it is just the one GSP in the 55. Anyway, my point is that I would think checking water parameters would give you an idea as to what volume/how often of water changes would be needed in your case and as the GSP grows. Starting at a logical volume/frequency and adjusting when needed.
So long as the math works. the tank water will be good. The SW tecnique of FOWLR + skimmer + lighted macroalgae refugium gives the best (i.e., the most effective) water maintenance available to us today. It both oxidizes nitrogenous wastes to harmless forms, but also reduces such wast to to dissolved nitrogen gas deep in the LR or incorporates it int masroalge mass in the refugium (which is removed wen the alga is trimmed back periodically. We cannot match that level of water purification in-tank in any other water format without multiple refugia.
The nominal 50% weekly replacement we suggest is significantly reduced in such effective set-ups. The 30% monthly replacement Pufferpunk advocates is quite realistic for such optimally filtered tanks. The biggest variable is how quickly the hobbyist learns how to feed their pet fish. The primary source of problems in tank care is owner over-feeding or feeding inappropriate foods. That is a slow learning process, at least for me. If you do not overfeed, have sufficient LR plus a good skimmer (for DOC removal) and some periodically harvested photosynthetic material (usually macroalgae), your tank will require sighnificantly les water replacement. But some level of water replacement is always required. No one has achieved a truly closed system at any scale.
Okay, I figured it had to do with the fact that a saltwater tank would contain live rock, skimmer, and potentially a sump. I have a 10 gallon nano reef on my desk, which is probably my favorite aquarium I have currently. Thanks for all the information everyone. I'm going to start rolling with the plans to re-home the Labidochromis, converting the 55 gallon to brackish, and eventually moving the puffer to the 55. I will watch water parameters and see if roughly 30% every 4 days is sufficient. I'm thinking it won't be a problem since I've seen people keep 2 GSPs in 55 gallons; with larger water changes. I might post and update and let everyone know how things work out.
Thanks again for reading my story and questions.
