The Puffer Forum

In a couple of months I will likely have the space for a proper Green Spotted Puffer FOWLR set-up. I fell in love with the little bastards, and I actually want to do it right. They are the cutest puffers I have seen. I've done a pretty good amount of research on puffers in general, and I currently have 2 happy Dwarf Puffers, so I am comfortable in taking care of the puffer when I get it. However, this is going to be my first attempt at anything remotely salty. I have read a lot so far about starting a saltwater tank, but I have some questions pertaining to if the ideas I have will work with GSPs.

The Plan:
Option A is the 29 gallon Oceanic Biocube (or something like it). http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CG8Q8wIwAA. I really like how the equipment is hidden away in the Biocube and it comes with pretty much everything but a skimmer.I also just really like shape of cubes. However, I think it might be overkill. The lights that come with the cube are meant to support corals, and the supplied filter uses bio-balls and filter cartridges. I have heard that filters can be nitrate factories and the bioballs are kind of redundant with live rock, though I suppose I could use this area to grow macroalgae or a 'fuge (the manufacturers say this can be done). I also do not plan on growing corals.

Option B is a 40 bare breeder. This requires me to buy all of the peripherals separately but I don't have to pay for extraneous supplies. Plus, I get the extra 10 gallons (I wouldn't bother with a 30 breeder because I might as well get the extra 10 gallons for only 16 inches height). With this, I was thinking of just using a good-quality big for the tank protein skimmer, live rock, and powerheads as a means of filtration. Is this enough with puffers? I have read that one honestly doesn't need a HOB or canister filter with LR especially with pretty small systems, but puffers are messy. The one major downside is that I can't hide the equipment and I don't want to do a sump (I'm concerned about weight past a total system of 40 gallons and don't want to deal with the reality of a bigger tank).

I might instead do a 30 breeder with a 10 gallon DIY sump. The thought of a DIY sump is cool, but I'd be worried about screwing it up and I am not entirely sure if I want to mess with it that much. I like the idea of being able to hide all of my equipment though. I know ready made sumps are available, but I know nothing about them and I have heard it is much cheaper to just make it yourself.

That's it for the tank questions. My next is about acclimation. I would much rather go straight to marine rather than trying to pass through brackish. I read the thread about putting young GSPs full marine and apparently they like it better regardless. If I am going to end up with marine or close to it, I'd rather just do that from the start. Cycling fishlessly with cured LR and some saltwater Bio-Spira (which is easier to find, oddly enough) seems a heck of a lot easier than fresh or brackish cycling. Shorter too. However, I am concerned about acclimating a GSP that is in hopefully brackish and quite possibly fresh water to full marine. Is this possible with the drip method and several hours? I remember reading about people doing this on this site I think, but I also don't want to kill the poor fish.

Sorry for such a long question, but I know it is better to ask before I do something to the fish rather than pouring a ton money into saving it.

The 40 gallon breeders actually hold more like 45 gallons, and that is a much better shape for the puffer. If you put a black background on, get a aqueon or some black heater, a hob skimmer, etc, you can sort of hide your equipment.
Puffers can be acclimated in a few hours. I've done it, no problems.

I'd advise always using the biggest tank you can (a) Afford, and (b) make room for, more so with marine tanks IME so far and especially with messy puffers. Can't tell you for sure how fast you can acclimate your puffer because when I was trying to raise my salinity it was the whole tank, +.002 a week.
Welcome!

If you want a puffer tank for an active puffer, you do not want a cubical tank unless it is massively over-sized. They are visually striking, certainly, but do not offer as much swimming room for active fish as more conventional rectangular tanks. Active fish need as high a multiple of their adult length as possible, with current along the front at least - for exercise. Cube tanks minimize swimming paths. Ignoring this leads to obese fish with poor adult configuration and shorter lives.

I would also suggest maximizing your sump volume. especially if it is to house much/most of the LR and the skimmer and if possible a macroalgae refugium.

If you are going to use cured LR, why are you looking for bacteria? They will be there already. Convetional biofiltraton is unnecessary. It is part of the LR's function. The LR, skimmer, and marcroalga will also be doing chemical filtration. That combo is the great value of full SW - fewer and smaller water partials are needed - which is why they are money and time and effort savers in the long run.

Fish can be acclimated in hours (less than a day with constant attention) with careful handling, bacteria cannot.

HTH

Thanks for all the fast responses! I appreciate all the help.

If you want a puffer tank for an active puffer, you do not want a cubical tank unless it is massively over-sized. They are visually striking, certainly, but do not offer as much swimming room for active fish as more conventional rectangular tanks. Active fish need as high a multiple of their adult length as possible, with current along the front at least - for exercise. Cube tanks minimize swimming paths. Ignoring this leads to obese fish with poor adult configuration and shorter lives.

I had a feeling this might be the case, so it looks like I'll be going with the 40 gallon breeder. I'd do the 40L, but I will likely not have the space for a 4 foot long tank and I want the depth to stack the LR. As for the current, would having one powerhead aimed along the open bit in the front (I plan on putting the LR along the back wall) and one aimed at the LR be enough? I haven't done as much research on powerheads aside from learning about good brands, but from what I have seen 2 in a 40 was fine.

I would also suggest maximizing your sump volume. especially if it is to house much/most of the LR and the skimmer and if possible a macroalgae refugium.

I might add a sump eventually, but at first probably not. If I use a good skimmer along with the LR and try my hand at growing bits of macroalgae in the tank itself, from what I know this should be plenty. Will it be? A sump is probably better, I'm sure, but I'd rather hold off on adding it.

If you are going to use cured LR, why are you looking for bacteria? They will be there already.

Now that I think about it for a moment, it really is a silly addition. Thank you for making sure I didn't waste my money.

Fish can be acclimated in hours (less than a day with constant attention) with careful handling, bacteria cannot.

That's good to know. Is raising the SG .001-.002 an hour sufficiently slow using a drip method? I've read that figure somewhere....

Another question. Is it worth trying a deep sand bed to get denitrification? I know it isn't absolutely necessary as LR will do it too, and deep sand beds can cause problems with gas pockets.

I wouldn't do the deep sand bed, it will just take up swimming room in this case .

I would not do DSB either - W/LR and a skimmer and a GSP, there is going to me minimal water volume in any case - Frankly, I would not operate it without a sump of the same footprint. When you cut into the water volume, tank operation gets tricky and more difficult.

Other folks can offer better responses on the HOBs and current. I never use them because they generate too much salt creep/spray.

Remote DSB would work.