Changing to brackish! Need help!

[Swoll929]

As the title implies, i currently have a low tech planted community 135gallon that i want to turn into brackish. I am bored to death of the community tank... time for something else. My original thought was discus, but then i got side tracked on pictus cats and african cichlids, then angels... now i think i have decided to go brackish instead with archers lol.

Tank is an all in one with bio balls.

So,
-how necessary is ro water?
-Suggestions on how to do large water changes? (All ive seen is 5 gallon buckets, too slow on big tanks)
-Compatible tank mates with archers?
-Any invertabrates that can hang?
-Best foods?
-do i need any additional equipment?

Thank you in advance for any info!

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

What size tank do you have?

What I would recommend is to get a plastic 55 gallon barrel or two and use it/them to mix your salt with a good powerhead. Then, find the archer fish you want and buy them, most likely as fresh water. Once you have them you can basically increase the salinity slowly over the next year or so, maybe just a few months, until you get it to where you want it to be. You will obviously need a hydrometer or something that can read the salinity to see where you are at.

You will need to remove the plants because they will not live once you start increasing the salinity.

 

[tlindsey]

You could add Scats or Archers also Brackish water Moray Eel would do well in the 135. As far as foods I personally leave about 3 to 4 inch space between water level add branch like wood so that Crickets could crawl around on them. The Archers would instinctively hunt for them but offer a good floating pellet as a staple.

 

[Swoll929]

If I remember correctly it is 6 foot long 24 in tall and 18 in deep. What is an all-in-one don't remember what size Rios in the back with bio balls. I do not run any chemicals only sponges and filter floss in addition to the bio balls. I have heard that some of the low-light plants Will Survive the salinity are there any off the top of your head that will make it?

I'm thinking definitely archers, the eel is certainly interesting. Any other cool ideas?

Drums seem interesting i guess on wheels they would be dealable. Is it possible to mix in the tank during filling?

 

[tlindsey]

If I remember correctly it is 6 foot long 24 in tall and 18 in deep. What is an all-in-one don't remember what size Rios in the back with bio balls. I do not run any chemicals only sponges and filter floss in addition to the bio balls. I have heard that some of the low-light plants Will Survive the salinity are there any off the top of your head that will make it?

I'm thinking definitely archers, the eel is certainly interesting. Any other cool ideas?

Drums seem interesting i guess on wheels they would be dealable. Is it possible to mix in the tank during filling?

You can pickup a couple of 50 gallon Brute garbage cans to mix up your water don't try mixing in your aquarium.

 

[duanes]

RO is not needed for brackish, in nature brackish environments are under constant fluctuation with tides, weather events, and river estuary change type rise and fall with the seasons.
Some hardy plants may survive brackish waters.
I have kept certain vallisneria, and java fern in brackish tanks.
If you don't care about being geographically correct, sailfin mollies (and many other new world live bearers) come from brackish habitats, and their fry would add snacks for the archers.
Many brackish fish move toward, and do best in total seawater salinity as they age, scats and monos seem appreciate this type transition, and stay much healthier if salinity increases as thy get older. I've seen many get HITH scars if kept in low salinity water when older, although this may also be due to a lack of water changes frequency.

 

[Swoll929]

So i made to leap. I got three 4ish" banded archers. They look great!

It was mentioned at my lfs that i can use rock salt and add trace elements if i prefer down the road as opposed to reef salt. This seems like more work, but i am interested in knowing how it works or what would be necessary. Can anyone eleaborate?

 

[tlindsey]

So i made to leap. I got three 4ish" banded archers. They look great!

It was mentioned at my lfs that i can use rock salt and add trace elements if i prefer down the road as opposed to reef salt. This seems like more work, but i am interested in knowing how it works or what would be necessary. Can anyone eleaborate?

Purchase Instant Ocean it has all the minerals you need. Reef salt has more minerals for Corals,Clams,live rock.

 

[tlindsey]

Purchase Instant Ocean it has all the minerals you need. Reef salt has more minerals for Corals,Clams,live rock.

All you have to do with Instant Ocean is measure and mix and check salinity with a Hydrometer that is it.