The Puffer Forum

on all my other tanks i used a python to clean and refill what do i do for brack tanks i know to do a 50% wc how much do i premix and can i still use a python to refill

I'm not experienced with brackish water but I'm assuming the same rules apply to it as it does with Marine.
You can use your python to syphon water and vaccum the substrate but you will have to premix whatever water you take out.
You CANNOT add the water and then add the salt.
Now as far as evaporation goes, salt does not evaporate so before you "top off" check the SG first then use whatever amount of salt nedded to bring the SG back to the preferred range.(usually very little to none)
This assuming the same rules apply to brackish as they do marine.

You do not add salt to top off water for SW or BW.

I have 2 brackish tanks 20g & 50g. both hovering around 0.005 sg. I use a 20g tank to mix salt in. I fill it with water add enough salt to bring the sg to 0.015.

I use a python to remove 50% from the target tanks and then I fill up 1/3 of a 5g bucket with water from my 20g mixing tank and add 2/3 regular water. After WC is done I fill the mixing tank up again and add more salt. I run a heater and a powerhead in the tank. Any water tight container will do. I was using an 8 gallon rubbermaid for awhile.

Adding appropriate amounts of water conditioner of course.

y do u run a heater and powerhead in ur mix tank i have already put salt and water in tank do i need to start over i have a 5g bucket do i mix a new batch or keep running tank as it is

no you don't need to start over.

I use a powerhead and a heater because it is best that the water sit for at least 24hrs before adding to tank to make sure the salt is disloved. I fill up my mixing tank right after doing a water change so it sits for a week. I heat it so the water I add to my fish is the right temp(you can also do this byadding hotter fresh water) and I use a powerhead because movement and aireation help disolve the salt.

a 5g bucket will work depending on how big your tank is. Say you are changing 20g of water out of your 40g tank. Mix the 5g bucket at a SG of 0.020 and add 3 buckets of regular water. I think if you let it sit for a couple of days then add the 3 buckets of fresh followed by your bucket of salty you should be OK. I suppose you could add the fresh with the python but that would make addin 15g of water more difficult to judge. Although minor fluctuations in SQ(under +- 0.002) are not a problem anyway.

thanx you pufferoni that was the best advice ive gotten yet merry x-mas i have my bucket of salt water sitting now i will do a water change this weekend i brought bio spira and eight mollies to help cycle my tank its a 55g tank i tried to use cycle but everybody said its a waste of money so i got the spira and mollies what do u think

Will your LFS be taking back the mollies? I woulda bought the puffer instead of the mollies.

I agree with PP(as I always do) if you have fresh Biospira and use it correctly the tank will be immediately ready for the puffer no need to wait for it to cycle.

"Cycle" is basically nothing more than a weak ammonia source.

i wanted to buy puffers but decied to what till i got my refractometer and check my salt i think i mess that up when i do wc i will check all my levels then get my puffers my mollies all lived LOL!!!!! i did everything yall said but premix my salt and i have it in a bucket with ph and heater my water is cloudy

i think i used my bio right i just poured it in my tank than added fish what i do wrong?

It sounds like you did it right. As far as trying out the mollies until you get the salt right sounds like a good plan. It never hurts to go slowly and make sure your comfortable with the new regimen.

do u know how hard the water should b for fig 8's and how do u get the water harder i was thinkin bout crush coral in my filter and i am thinkin bout getting five fig 8's for tank is that a good idea for a 55g tank

5 might be a bit much. I'd go 3 max personally, but then again we give our fish lots of room. The salt will increase the hardness some. I'm trying crushed coral in the filter of our snail tank. Not sure how well it's working though.

Honestly I did changes on an SG 1.007 F8 tank at my (now ex) gf's place for months and months with a python by just measuring the salt(tweaking with more or less on experience) and having it in a 3 gallon bucket. After the tank was empty I'd start filling the bucket, then when it was full, start on the tank. I'd stir the bucket to dissolve the salt and make brine, and dump it in all at once when the water was about halfway up the tank. Never had a biofilter crash or change in SG of more than .003.