The Puffer Forum

I am starting my first brackish water tank and have a few questions.

1. What would be the best sand or crushed coral? My local pet store uses a crushed coral which seems cool, but I have read bad things about it. I have also read about sand being used although that seems like it would be difficult to clean.

2. I have added 1.25 cups of instant ocean salt per 10 gallons and my hydrometers needle isn't moving. I read that 1 cup per ten gallons should be like 1.005. Is there something wrong or should I just keep adding salt?

3. I have read the fishless cycling article, but my fish store said once my salinity was right it would be fine to add the fish. I specifically asked how long the tank should run. Is this true or whats the deal?

Thanks!

Hi,

I recently set up my first Brackish tank too I mix the water in a bucket and check the salinity in there before putting it into the tank, it tends to be 4 heaped spoons per bucket to get it to 0.005, and I have aragonite on the bottom of the tank.

Definitely get it cycled before adding any fish, the aricle on fishless cycling in the library here is great, I set the tank up, then added a frozen prawn or 2 to the tank to rot for the ammonia, and tested every day til the ammonia and nitrite were at 0 and nitrate below 20, then did a 50% water change before adding the fish, but if you are in USA there's a product called Biospira that cycles straight away

What puffa(s) are you going to get?

Alright thanks for the help.

What size spoons are you using? I guess I will just keep adding more until I get some results. I am in the US, so I'll have to check out that Biospira.

I was planning on getting a green spotted puffer but the pet store only has a big one on display at the moment so I have to wait anyways.

Awww man is bio-spira only in USA? I've never looked for it here but I sort of assumed it would be somewhere I guess. Not that I was planning to use it anyway but oh well.

In response to your question though . I will be using sand and I don't think it should be any harder to clean really. I will be using play sand or filter sand probably cause it's so cheap!

A normal dessert spoon

and yeah...I searched high and low here in the UK for Bio-spira when I got sold the puffers and tank all in one day (I know.....noob idiot) but no bio in the uk

I found some stuff at the pet store that is like bio-spira called cycle. From the details on the bottle it seems like it will accomplish the same thing.

I also bought some crushed coral. After I washed it and put it in though it made the water very cloudy. That has since settled but the water now stinks. Do you guys think I need to change out some of the water or is that ok?

I have seen cycle in the shops but apparently it doesnt work . Not sure about the coral whether this is normal or not

Cycle doesn't work, it is just garbage.
I'd change the water just to be safe, it shouldn't do any harm though

kb1100 wrote:I have added 1.25 cups of instant ocean salt per 10 gallons and my hydrometers needle isn't moving.

Depending on the salt, I have found that one cup of marine salt per 5 gallons will raise the SG by 0.005. The hydrometer needs to be rinsed out with fresh water before and after use. Also, if it is a new hydrometer, you need to soak it in salt water for a day.

Also, if it is a new hydrometer, you need to soak it in salt water for a day.

Never heard that one before.

Idontknow wrote: Depending on the salt, I have found that one cup of marine salt per 5 gallons will raise the SG by 0.005.

Thanks for the help.
I found that I had to add a little over 2 cups per ten gallons to get it up to 1.010.

Idontknow wrote: Also, if it is a new hydrometer, you need to soak it in salt water for a day.

When I went back to the pet store the salt water guy told me that as well. He called it seasoning.

Pufferpunk wrote:

Also, if it is a new hydrometer, you need to soak it in salt water for a day.

Never heard that one before.

I don't know why, but it said it on the directions.