Getting Ready to Start the Conversion

[tlkng1]

Hi All...

I have a molly species specific tank set-up, 40 gallon. Currently, it is running as a full freshwater, however, I am ready to start the conversion to brackish.

The tank is decorated as a freshwater with silk plants, regular freshwater aquarium gravel and a red, porous rock (I have no idea what this type of rock is called).

I am trying to determine if the salt (Instant Ocean type) is going to react with the gravel or the rock, or if I need to change the substrate before converting.

Thanks

T

 

[phoenixn7g]

It shouldnt. I had gravel and instant ocean didnt do anything to it.

 

[tlkng1]

(Modified Thread)

I had suffered a fungus outbreak in this tank a few weeks back. I decided to reset everything, scrubbing it down. I disposed of the gravel, literally boiled the sponges and gave the tank a good, thorough rinse and let it dry for a few days.

This past weekend, I added 50 pounds of Aragonite sand (I am normally a gravel person but after I added the sand I really liked the look ), a few lava rocks and silk plants. I placed some pre-seeded sponges I had "cooking" in my large FW to the 40, and tonight, added two, small, black mollies.

Now, just in the interest of keeping a possible illness outbreak down to a minimum, I added some salt (pre-mixed and dissolved in distilled water) to the tank at a small 2 teaspoons for the entire 40 gallons. While I realize this is not nearly enough salt for a brackish tank, I don't want to do a full on conversion until I am fully stocked. Once I have my stock, I'll do the slow conversion.

Two main questions, however.


1. Stocking amounts. Freshwater goes with 1 inch of adult fish per gallon, saltwater is one inch per 3 gallons. Does anyone know the stocking rate for brackish? I'd like to add at least 6 more normal sized mollies of different colors (a pair of each color or lyretail), and possibly one or two pairs of sailfins. Again, the tank is 40 gallons.

Then again, I saw a bumble bee goby today.......hmmmmmm

2. Which test kit is used on brackish...fresh or salt?