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question about brackish tanks

Discussion in 'Saltwater Fish Forum' started by Leslie, Aug 3, 2008.

  1. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    I have no clue how to have a brackish tank. i need to know how to do the water, if any special filters, anything basicly. any help please.
     
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Everything should be the same except for the salinity.
     
  3. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    how do i do the salinity?
     
  4. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    A hydrometer.
     
  5. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    ok?? what does that do?
     
  6. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    You put water in it and tells you how much salt is in the water.
     
  7. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    i found this. and it says i can keep 3 bumble bee goby in a 5.5g tank but i want a bigger tank thought. but here is what i found.
    The equipment you will need for a brackish water tank is similar to a freshwater tank but with a few additions. You will need:

    Aquarium. Some articles claim that a 55 gallon or larger aquarium is required for brackish water aquaria but this is untrue. You could go as low as a 10g or even a 5.5g. The recommended set-ups later in the article may help you chose tank size.

    Filter. The best filters for a brackish tank are hang on the back mechanical and bio-wheel filters or canister filters. Undergravel filters will not work properly with a sand substrate. For aquariums larger than 20 gallons, you should use 2 filters on opposite sides of the tank. You will want to have your water turned around 10 times per hour (so you would need a single 300gph filter or two 150gph filters for a 30g tank).

    Heater. Never go cheap on a heater. Submersible heaters are much better at spreading heat and are less likely to shatter. Make sure you get a heater marked for fresh AND saltwater use. You also need to make sure the heater is adequate in size. A rule of thumb is 5 watts of heat per gallon.

    Glass Top/Light Hood. All tanks should be covered and brackish tanks are no exception. Keep in mind, also, that brackish water evaporates faster than fresh water. If you plan on keeping plants, get atleast 1.5 Watts of light per gallon of water.

    Thermometer and Hydrometer. You will need the thermometer to keep the temperature and a hydrometer to measure the salinity of the water. A cheap swing handle hydrometer is fine for this situation.

    Substrate. Brackish water areas always are covered in a sandy, silty, or muddy material and I feel that sand is the best option for a brackish water aquarium. You could use marine aragonite, "Minerial Mud", or play sand (which can be found VERY cheap at hardware and home improvement stores). If you plan on keeping live rooted plants, you will need about a 1" layer of substrate (avoid larger layers as they can build up anaerobic spots) and for a fish only tank, a very thin layer is best.

    Marine Salt. I prefer Instant Ocean but most brands should work. AVOID Freshwater Aquarium Salt as this is not the proper salt to use in brackish or marine tanks (although it is fine in full freshwater tanks to fight off parasites).

    Water Condtioner. As with all aquariums, you will need a product to remove chlorine and chloramine from your tap water before placing it in the tank. Make sure the product is listed for both fresh and saltwater use.
    Once you have all of this equipment, you are ready to set up a brackish water tank. The question now is: What fish should I get?
     
  8. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Three in a 5.5 gallon tank ? Where did you read that ?
     
  9. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    it said it on that page. i think tht is to small but it was on the page. let get the name of the page.

    <a class="postlink" href="http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html</a>
     
  10. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Humm, okay. Three in a 5 gallon tank, even by themselves, seems like a risk to me considering how territorial they're supposed to be.
     
  11. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    it even says they are peaceful. i have seen almost every where it says they are peaceful. i know they arnt.
     
  12. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    I've read that it is peaceful unless something enters their territory. In a 5.5 gallon tank that wouldn't give 3 very much floorspace to claim as their own. I'd imagine if you had one in a 30+ gallon tank he might be pretty easy going since he'd have more room for himself.
     
  13. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    maybe i should find a local breeder. they may know more then that site. i dont even know if they can be breed.
     
  14. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Yeah, that would be a good idea.
     
  15. Leslie

    Leslie Thread Starter New Member

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    now thats going to be hard.
     
  16. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Yeah, I was thinking that too.
     
  17. caronsd

    caronsd New Member

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    I actually just rescued a fresh water goby from being flushed. Not sure what species it is but i saw the ad on craigslist and rushed to save it. It has a high dorsal fin and is brown with spots. Beautiful fish. put him in my 55 gallon community for now.