Sand!!

[mepling]

I bought a Green Spotted Puffer about three weeks ago, he/she is about 1 1/2" long. For now he is living pretty happily wiht my male Betta in a 10 gallon tank. I just bought a 29 gallon tank for my GSP and I want slowly convert my puffer over to full marine in this tank over a period of time, I do not want to lose him by rushing this process. I want to have live sand but I know I will have to wait till salinity levels are full marine. My question is, can I put in dry sand now while I raise the salinity and then later after reaching full marine add live sand on top of the dry sand? Or can I just have NO sand at all until marine levels are reached to add live sand? How long would I have to remove my puffer for the live sand to be safe or normal again?

[Tim]

I bought a Green Spotted Puffer about three weeks ago, he/she is about 1 1/2" long. For now he is living pretty happily wiht my male Betta in a 10 gallon tank. I just bought a 29 gallon tank for my GSP and I want slowly convert my puffer over to full marine in this tank over a period of time, I do not want to lose him by rushing this process. I want to have live sand but I know I will have to wait till salinity levels are full marine. My question is, can I put in dry sand now while I raise the salinity and then later after reaching full marine add live sand on top of the dry sand? Or can I just have NO sand at all until marine levels are reached to add live sand? How long would I have to remove my puffer for the live sand to be safe or normal again?

I would suggest aragonite sand, though I would make the tank marine from the get go. Use a small hose to drip marine water into a container with the GSP for acclimatisation.

[Pufferpunk]

Sand becomes live, when you add live rock to the tank.

Please do your poor betta a favor & move the GSP into the larger tank NOW!!! That puffer is going to tear his fins to shreds!

[mepling]

"Please do your poor betta a favor & move the GSP into the larger tank NOW!!! That puffer is going to tear his fins to shreds!"

Ive been told this by the pet shop people and have read it online, I am getting him out asap. Something pretty neat has happened though, I think its neat. My Betta flares out and darts after the little puffer anytime he gets too close. He does really well at holding his own for now. The puffer is actually showing signs of fear when it sees the betta: shying away, curled tail, and gets as far away as possible. I cant wait to seperate them though, hopefuly nothing bad happens.

[mepling]

Also, I do not plan on adding any live rock for some time because Im new to salt/brakish water and I want to get more experienced before I try this. This is why I was relly leaning toward live sand.

[RTR]

Commercial "live" sand generally is not live. Save your money. Pufferpunk's advice above is right on both points- on aragonite sand and on getting the GSP out and into larger quarters.

But a 29 gallon tank is really a bit small. A 40 would be a lot better and not much more costly.

HTH

[mepling]

Thank you all for the help. Why would it be bad to start with a fresh water tank for the puffer and slowly raise salinity levels? Start with just dry sand and later introduce live rock? Im a noob and probably sound stupid, but Ive been searching for the best way to convert this little puffer on tiny budget. Not that Im cheap, I just bought the gsp and then learned about his water and tank requirements and basiclly know nothing about saltwater. Now without any preplanning for a marine tank Iam trying to learn AND save this little guy. The more I learn, the more I really like the GSP.

[Pufferpunk]

Why would it be bad to start with a fresh water tank for the puffer and slowly raise salinity levels? Start with just dry sand and later introduce live rock?

That is exactly what you should be doing.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19348

[mepling]

Thank you. Iam saving some of the fresh water I take out of my tropical tank (gsp and betta occupied) to put into my new tank to help it cycle. For a 29 gallon tank with dry sand, how much of the old water do you suggest and how long should I let it cycle?

[Tim]

Thank you. Iam saving some of the fresh water I take out of my tropical tank (gsp and betta occupied) to put into my new tank to help it cycle. For a 29 gallon tank with dry sand, how much of the old water do you suggest and how long should I let it cycle?

You should take out some substrate and filter media and put that in the new tank instead iirc.

[Pufferpunk]

There is NO beneficial bacteria in water. It lives on surfaces: substrate, decor, filter media.

[mepling]

Ok. Thank you

[mepling]

So. According to what I am reading. It looks like I could just put my filter from my astablished tank in my new filter res. so the bacterias have to flow through the new filter.? Maybe switch the old filter back and forth between the two tanks to get the new filter cycled in. And do small water changes a few times?

[mepling]

Also.. I realise that If the new tank has any salt in it, I canot put the filter BACK into the tropical tank tp collect more bacteria. So I might cycle the tank and build up a biological filter before adding salt.

[Pufferpunk]

You purchased your GSP in FW, right? Leave it in FW for now & cycle the tank as such. Do not add ANY salt, until the bacteria has been established & the parameters stable for at least 1 month:
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/