# Wanting to set up a 36 gallon Brackish.



## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

There is an empty 36 gallon bowfront at petsmart for $10, and I wanted to try brackish, but I never have before. I already have sand substrate that I think should work. Than I'll get a 40 gallon whisper power filter. As for heating I'm not sure. I want to have a planted tank, but I understand that is tough w/ brackish. what are some reccomended plants?
Here are some fish I am interested in putting in the tank. (not all of them obviously)
~bumblebee gobies. I REALLY WANT SOME!
~mollies
~ghost shrimp
~white tip catfish
~figure eight puffer
~ indian glassy fish

Any other reccommendations. Help with stocking?:-D thanks


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## FordMan (Jan 18, 2009)

cabomba caroliniana and vallisneria spiralis are two plants that do famous in a brackish tankget yourself a nich peice of bogwood maybe a fewsoluble rocks to buffer ph some sword tails a couple gold severums maybe a driftwood catfish and a shoal of horsefa ced loaches you'd have yourself a pretty neat biotoope


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, what type of brackish setup are you trying to accomplish? Estuary, Brackish River, Swamp setup, etc? I am just going to guess you are thinking of a River community dependant on what you said.

Remember, you will need a refractometer to measure your salinity levels. Or, you can get a hydrometer, but those are not accurate at all. Think of them of test strips. Do you also have the correct salt?

Plants can be Anubius, Vallisneria, Hairgrass, and Java Fern, but I would do fake. 

Fordman, you do know that those are all FW?


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## FordMan (Jan 18, 2009)

fake plants suck and look cheesey that beginner community tank look (i call it the 12th birthday tank look haha) stuff i why not have a bubble treasure chest and a flourecent colored pirate ship go as natural as you can this tank should be veganized lol your plants will do well .3 oz of instant ocean (1.5 grams) per gallon a 20th over ocean salinity trust go real plants are an important part of any tank not to mention java ferns will flouresh in that environment as will the other plants i mention i mean those plant are from brackish environments


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I never said anywhere that fake plants means the addition of those cheesy decor options. Silk plants look almost exactly like real plants just for the record, and without the hassle.


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## FordMan (Jan 18, 2009)

what hassles? the occasional trimming of dead leaves isn't that why we own our own tanks and dont just go to the aquarium once a week SO WE CAN PUT OUR HANDS IN IT WEEEEEEEE lol


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Again, don't jump to conclusions.

You need:
-Enough CO2 in your tank to allow plants to thrive
-Plant Ferts/Root Tabs
-Required Lighting
-Knowing how and where to trim plants

And I'm honestly not getting into a debate on aquarium plants. This is just silly.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

Not a lot of brackish options, longterm, with a 36g. You could do dwarf puffers. Or an AT or NGT grow out tank. They grow very slowly so you would be ok for a couple of years


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## FordMan (Jan 18, 2009)

that over complicating things you just need enough fish to produce enough waste and co2 to feed the plants and yes obviously the required lighting which basic full spectrum flourensents allowed 2 watts a gallon easily take care of i mean we're talkin basic flourecents which most hoods have standard you can trim whatever you want where ever ....

ps isn't a fish forum about friendly debate over aquatic issues?


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

aspects said:


> Not a lot of brackish options, longterm, with a 36g. You could do dwarf puffers. Or an AT or NGT grow out tank. They grow very slowly so you would be ok for a couple of years


Dwarf Puffers are a 100% freshwater fish. 

And Fordman, good point on the last, but everyone is fine with their opinions.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

Cody said:


> Dwarf Puffers are a 100% freshwater fish.
> 
> And Fordman, good point on the last, but everyone is fine with their opinions.


Not all dwarf species of puffers are fresh. I know for a fact that both figure 8s and GSP are found in brackish water and they are usually readily available at your LFS.
I'm sure there are other brackish dwarf variety out there, but those are just the ones I know of off hand.


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## FordMan (Jan 18, 2009)

not to mention you can aclimate many of these fish to mostly fresh or mostly salt like mono's for example


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

aspects said:


> Not all dwarf species of puffers are fresh. I know for a fact that both figure 8s and GSP are found in brackish water and they are usually readily available at your LFS.
> I'm sure there are other brackish dwarf variety out there, but those are just the ones I know of off hand.


Dwarf Puffer is an actual specie, which is freshwater. Of course GSP's and figure 8's are Brackish.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

If you're referring to INDIAN dwarf puffers, (commonly called dwarf puffer along with 10 other common names) that is a fresh water puffer, however the term dwarf is a reference to size. There are many dwarf species of puffer, as well as other fish.


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

I do think that when most people say dwarf puffer, they are referring to the indian dwarf puffer. That is why it can get confusing when you say brackish dwarf puffer. 

I think your selection of fish sounds good. I would not put the figure 8 or the catfish in with the little gobies. They would probably have them for a snack.

I just put some knight gobies in my brackish tank. So far I really like them. They can eat small fish, but they may do ok with the figure 8, if you went that route. 

The freshwater flounder are cool fish as well, may want to check them out.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks everybody! What do you think about
4 bumblebee gobies
3 male black mollies
5 ghost shrimp


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

i might go with 1m 2f mollies, but besides that youre looking good. they will have tons of room in that tank


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

I think the gobies will eat small shrimp. The grown up shrimp may be ok, but I think they would eat the babies.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

aspects said:


> i might go with 1m 2f mollies, but besides that youre looking good. they will have tons of room in that tank


Ok, Awesome! :-D


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

Twistersmom said:


> I think the gobies will eat small shrimp. The grown up shrimp may be ok, but I think they would eat the babies.


Thats ok, cuz I don't want a huge shrimp population either!


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

You might be able to do more mollies. Possibly 6. I would try to get all males, so there is little fry, but then if a molly changes on you, then you know what happens. 

Make sure you have enough hiding spots for all the gobies. They can be territorial.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

Ok, I'll start with just 2 mollies tho.... WE'll see what happens from there.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

veganchick said:


> Ok, I'll start with just 2 mollies tho.... WE'll see what happens from there.


that could work too. the thing about keeping all males is that they can get aggressive towards each other. but with 2, the chances are a little better. as long as you have sufficient hiding places in case of a squabble.


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## aspects (Feb 1, 2009)

hope all works out for you. 
you gonna stick with 2 mollies?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Hopefully, everything is resolved now and we can get back on track.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

aspects said:


> hope all works out for you.
> you gonna stick with 2 mollies?


Yep I'm gonna get 2 mollies! Don't wanna overcrowd!


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