The Puffer Forum

For those of you with brackish puffers, particularly those with GSPs, what do you keep your salinity at? I did a cleaning and water change today and doubled the salt from 8 tablespoons per 4 gallons to 1 cup per 4 gallons. Apparently there's 16tbsp per cup. When done, my reading was 1.014. Should I maintain this or go higher? I've read gsp's prefer high salinity, marine even better but I don't want to go full marine.
Thanks.

My GSP is just over two inches long and his tank is a FOWLR at 1.026. Out of experience with this puffer specifically, his whole personality seemed to level out with the higher salinity. He doesn't pace at all anymore, his colors are brighter and he seems more interactive at full marine compared to when he was in fresh and low-end brackish conditions.

I had worked my way up to 1.016 b4 I had a bio crash that killed my gsp... I'm keeping it at that untill I get another one and I don't plan on going above 1.018 for a long while. I don't have the money to go full marine yet because when I do I want to do it right ie. Skimmer, sump, live rock and good lighting.

You can read my version in the GSP article in our Library.

Thanks so much for your responses so far.

Bcummings, that's why I don't want to go full marine, that added expense, then I'd need a larger tank as I'd want to get other marine creatures. Sorry your bio load crashed and the loss of your puffer. I hope mine don't crash since doubling the salt.

erinmd, it that a special brand of tank? Is it full marine?

Thanks Pufferpunk, I'll have a read of it again. I also have a printout of it someplace as well.

Thnx pufferfreak it didn't crash from raising sg it was poisoned with Lysol by accident. PP has a great article on gsp's and her pics of hers shows she has taken care of them very well. It is a cost issue with most gsp owners I beleive to not make them full sw. I plan on it in the future but IMO a very highend bw setup is perfectly acceptable. As long as your not raising your sg more then .002 a week you should be fine though. I would shoot for 1.018 and if your like me when the time comes go full sw.

Oh, I thought the bioload crashed from increasing the salinity.
I seriously doubt I'd go full marine, seems like a lot of work to keep the inhabitants alive and I've seen the prices of frags, holy shamoly. I do forsee a larger tank though. But don't tell my bf though or he'll me as I just sold a perfectly fine 55 gallon.

You don't have to have a reef tank to keep a marine tank. There are tanks called FOWLR, which means fish only with live rock. When you switch over to marine, you get to use live rock & a protein skimmer for filtration. Much more biological filtration with this method & this results in the need for le$$ water changes.

I really think no one should get a GSP with having some-kind of intentions for full marine. Look in Craigslist for marine things and slowly piece it all together. I did it and got a Sump/skimmer/overflow/and return pump for $200 and half the stuff was brand new so you could bargain for less. Are you using a hydrometer to measure you SG in the meantime. BC not all bags of salt contain the same mileage/potency if ya kno what I mean. Not that thats what caused a tank crash, it was definitely cuz the SG doubled in one water change. I would suggest F8 if you want to stay BW

SD im not sure if im misreading your post or if your confused with what was being talked about? I check my sg with a hydrometer thats cilibrated from a refractometer. I agree that not all salts will have the same potency. Thats one reason why wait about 14 to 24 hours b4 rechecking my mixed water and useing with water changes.

SammyDee wrote:I really think no one should get a GSP with having some-kind of intentions for full marine. Look in Craigslist for marine things and slowly piece it all together. I did it and got a Sump/skimmer/overflow/and return pump for $200 and half the stuff was brand new so you could bargain for less. Are you using a hydrometer to measure you SG in the meantime. BC not all bags of salt contain the same mileage/potency if ya kno what I mean. Not that thats what caused a tank crash, it was definitely cuz the SG doubled in one water change. I would suggest F8 if you want to stay BW

Well, that's your opinion. I think most gsps are NOT in full marine. I've read tons about these guys and they do great in high brackish. I should do a survey of gsp owners and see how many are in FW, BW and Marine.

I can't go full marine, that's not an option due to expense. I've spent a small fortune on my tanks and with my obsessiveness, I'll end up going all out in going marine. If I'm wrong about them needing full marine, then I'll find a new home for him, but I'm willing to bet he won't be taken care of as well as I do. I use a refractrometer.

We really don't know enough about GSPs to say what is "best" for them. Still sooo much to learn. IMO, if you prefer to stick with BW, then thats fine.
I haven't decided yet, what I will do. If I go to marine, it will be because it will save me the water changes! I have yet to see compelling evidence to suggest that marine is actually better for them, although some suggest that they have improved colours?.
PufferFreak, don't feel bad if you need to keep to BW - I kept my first GSP for 10yrs+ in FW!!(not that I would suggest for a minute that anyone else should try it - I just didn't know any better).

High-end BW is fine for them for life, as long as you do the WC necessary for them.

Thanks bigfatfish and Pufferpunk. I do 50% water changes religiously every week. I'd love to have a marine tank but right now, it's totally out of the question.