The Puffer Forum

You mean 1.006? Depends on how long it has been at that SG & if the tank was cycled properly to begin with. She can bring it down & add Tetra Safestart to the filter.

I raised the SG to 1.006 in one day! Anyhow, I just did a 70% water change and brought the SG to 1.002-1.003.
Ammo is at .5
Nitrite 0-.25
Nitrate below 5
Should I do another water change tonight?
If I keep the SG at 1.003-4 will it be ok?

Yes do more water changes. By raising the sg too fast you have knocked out your friendly bacteria causing your tank to cycle again. Daily water changes are going to be essential until you have 0 amm and nitrite

The same bacteria is present in low end brackish as in freshwater, and bacteria can and does establish with salt present. The reason it needs to be done slowly is because that bacteria is sensitive to changes in salinity, not because it can't establish.
Drop the salinity down to 1.003-1.005, that's recommended for a F8. Do 50% daily water changes until your parameters are stable.
Upgrade the tank size to at least 15 gallons.

bertie 83 wrote:Yes do more water changes. By raising the sg too fast you have knocked out your friendly bacteria causing your tank to cycle again. Daily water changes are going to be essential until you have 0 amm and nitrite

While maintaining the SG at 1.002-3?

Drop to about .004. Maintain daily w/c while your tank recovers from the shock

It's at .003 now. I'll maintain that with daily wc's.
I did a water change this morning, should I do another one tonight?

do you have a test kit? That will tell you when to do the changes.

Yes i do. But how high do I let the ammo and nitrite go before I do a water change? I'm used to keeping piranhas I'm just starting to learn about puffers.

Do not allow them to get much above 0

I doesn't matter of the fish the ammonia and nitrites are NEVER readable. Nitrates should be under 40, preferably under 20.

J-P wrote:I doesn't matter of the fish the ammonia and nitrites are NEVER readable. Nitrates should be under 40, preferably under 20.

Nitrates are always under 10.

that is good. They are messy eaters so if you hit 20 do a water change. If you can keep them under 10 then that is even better.

As soon as your ammonia or nitrites are detectable, do a water change. You want to try and keep them at 0 at all times since puffers are so sensitive.

Did a 50% wc this morning and the water params are:
Ammo 0,nitrite 0 and nitrate 5. SG is at 1.002.
If the tank is fully cycled by the end of the week,should i increase the sg to 1.004?