The Puffer Forum

Hello,

i will present my project of a perfect figure eight puffer habitat. If start the project 3 month before. First i was a long time busy to investigate for all informations around brackish water.

Finaly was the Goal:
1. The original Habitat of puffer eight is in Thailand and Sumatra in brackish water of the mangroven wood. Therefor i need a tank with roots like this habitat.
2. Puffer eight has a higher metabolism that needs a higher filtering.

If choose a 60Gal (240ltr.) Tank for this Project. The reason was that i have not enough more space on the final place of thank.

It was the plan to get original mangrove in the thank for this it was required that the top is open. Problem was that F8s a relay good jumpers, for this i need a higher frame on the top. The frame and top of the Tank is a own construction special for this project.

The botanical for the tank is:
2 Thai Mangrove (Rhizophora Mucrontata)
2 Red Mangrove (Rhizophora Mangle)
3 Anubias barteri var. nana
3 Hygrophila corymbosa

Note: Only the Mangroves a typical brackish water plants - i am very pound about this plants. I have read very often that the other both can survive in this water and i choose them for the typical form of the leaves that is like that form the mangroves.

The Technical Part:

lighting:
2 T8 neon lamps each 30W (one Daylight and one Bio-Lux)
2 Botanical lights each 15W with energy saving each has the power of 75W.
2 LED Moonlight spots.
1 Neon lamp in the cabinet for the maintenance on the technical parts and filtering.

filtering:
1 JBL e900 external filter.
1 JBL 9w UV-C lamp
1 Protein Skinner with a diaphragm air pump
In construction is the:
1 Schwefelnitratreduktor with Redox Controller and dosing pump.

additional technic:
1 diaphragm air pump with two exits - my puffers like the bubbles.
1 JBL powerhead pump
1Jäger 150W heater
1 power slip that can be programmed and is manging the light system.

The thank runs since 3 weeks and an one week my puvers will be remove in her new aquarium.

Pls let me know your feedback, criticism or suggestions

Best Regards Vinc

Attached you will find some picture of the constitutions

Pic 01: Test the final place of the tank


Pic 02: Construction of the Frame


Pic 03: The tank get water


Pic 04: First time that aquarium and frame was together.


Pic 05: i store 3 weeks the roots in water, after this i busy to cocking this large roots for 8 hours.


Pic 06: Stones, sand and roots are in the tank


Pic 07: Short view on the technical cabinet


Pic 08: the mangroves growing out of the water.


Pic 09: View in close to final aquarium


Pic 10: There 3 times at the day that is twilight in the tank.


Pic 11: Aquarium with moonlight

That's beautiful! Wow!

Nice

Very well done!
with the mangroves though, just keep an eye on the roots. I've heard stories of them breaking a tank...
Also, for that salinity I think the skimmer won't work.

Other than that, I like it a lot! Love those roots, and the frame came out very nice as well

Yeah, I've heard some bad stories with mangroves.
Plus, the SG should be around .006, and the skimmer won't work.
But you have a beautiful tank! Best of luck.

Wow, I love it! Great job!!

Great plan, good luck to you. +1 on those roots though, they will eventually grow into a tree.

that's a sweet looking tank I'm thinking about making some moonlights i just found some 470nm LEDs seeing your tank makes me want to do it soon

Thanks ! I am very happy with this project sill know. It was hard work to realize this, 3 month i have the idea in my mind how it should look and work. Now i seen that the result is the same that i had in my mind. That makes me happy and also a little bit proud. It i enplane this project to other people the looks me something with incredible and stupid.

Jase wrote:Very well done!
with the mangroves though, just keep an eye on the roots. I've heard stories of them breaking a tank...
Also, for that salinity I think the skimmer won't work.

Other than that, I like it a lot! Love those roots, and the frame came out very nice as well

Regarding the roots of the mangroves i am relay afraid . If investigate 2 month for all that is in the tank. I found a forum specially for mangroves and also aquariums with mangroves. I was able to get a lot of informations about the mangroves and also how it will works in a brackish water tank. For sure i will have a look on this and will see how it will works, normally it should be not a problem. But i must take care that they will be not to high.

About the skinner i am also nor relay sure, maybe he will be useless. I will see and check what happens in future.

Thanks Vinc

TheBlueMeanies wrote:that's a sweet looking tank I'm thinking about making some moonlights i just found some 470nm LEDs seeing your tank makes me want to do it soon

The moonlights was very cheep. If buy i a DIY Store two lamp sockets (each for 4,49€), two blue Osram LED Spots (Each for 8,99€), a surface mount for the Backside on the frame (1€), Kabel and Plug (2.49€).
Than install all the ting, but i have some basic electrical knowledge. The cost for over all was 30,45€, but all of the Parts are replaceable and i know exactly how it will work. The LED needs each 0,84W per hour and also cheep in use.

The give the full Tank a blue light, but with the spots i can high lite special areas in the tank.

I know you want to go all natural but Petsmart sells fake mangrove roots that look pretty good. Not sure if you have those shops out there or not.

The real Mangroves are no fake.

The big roots are red moor woods. But they looks like the same as mangroves roots. The benefit is that this wood is not destroy the real mangroves jungles (save our planet). But it is easy to have the mangroves root style with slim roots in the tank. I search specially for tis type of wood for my project.

I think PP was saying to replace the mangrove trees with fake mangroves. so you don't risk them breaking your tank.
Again, those roots are really nice

Now it is done the puffers are now in her new home.

The removal needs more than 3h. I was careful with the change form normal water to the brackish water. I start in the last 2 weeks to reduce the salt in the water of the Brackish tank. Also I regulate the temperature in both tank´s (origin and destination) on the same level.

I put form the origin tank first the water in a bucket and bring them together with the puffers close to the brackish tank. Befor i reduce the light in the room. Than i put a blanket over the bucket, to reduce the stress when i cross the bucket or be in front of it.

Than i change in 3 hours every 5 or 10 minutes a cup water form the Bucket with die brackish water.

After the 3hours i bring them in her new home.

The Main light of the tank was still switch off, only the lamps for the plants bring a littel bit light in the tank. I let the twilight the first half hour the i switch the first on and after a second half our the second light.

Now there a check her new home and investigate every new thing. Ok, it is more Hatori and the scary Caligula follow him. But both looks fine and the have great colors.

Hatori observer his new tank and it interested on the camera also - this picture is make in the without the main light of the tank.


Hatori and Caligula looking on the borders of the tank.


Made after i have switch on the first light.


know the light is on

Your puffers are soooooo cute!