In this thread I will try to cover and explain everything anyone will need to know on how to set-up, stock, and maintain a successful brackish water tank.
For me, brackish was a break away from the norm of fresh water tropical fish keeping, I had been interested in saltwater for a while. But ever noticed how much it costs to start a marine tank? Well, brackish tanks dont require the considerable cost, the complexity of special equipment, and time devotion that marine tanks do to be successful, but they still offer something considerably different from the average freshwater tank.
Brackish water aquariums allow you to keep many beautiful, interesting but not always commonly seen species. A brackish aquarium can be a mixed community tank, a specialized species only tank or a specific habitat.
WHAT IS BRACKISH WATER?
Brackish waters occur where rivers and streams meet the oceans of the world. The salinity,measured as Specific Gravity(SG), of brackish water varies depending on the tidal cycle, amount of freshwater from rain or rivers, evaporation, and temperature. The typical specific gravity (SG) of brackish water can vary between 1.005-1.021(these number vary depending on what source you use) where the SG of the ocean varies between 1.022-1.025. There are three types of brackish biotopes (habitats), they are 1) the estuary, 2) the brackish river, 3) the mangrove/swamp. I will discuss these areas in more detail further along, for each one has its own specific characteristics and inhabitants that should be considered when setting up your own tank.
The Estuary Set-Up
Estuaries are formed at the mouths of large rivers that generally have some year round water flow that produces permanent brackish conditions. The estuary biotope maintains a higher, but more constant, salinity(SG) due to its relativity to the ocean, being closest to the ocean than say the mangrove or river biotope. The only times that the SG in estuaries will vary greatly is during heavy flooding or extreme drought.
The estuary set-up is probably the most commonly used set-up for brackish water aquariums. These tanks are easier to maintain, and all that you need to do is have a slow-to moderate water flow, good aeration, and maintain higher SG levels and pH levels. Estuary set-ups are best done with larger tanks (55gal + to start and expect to need a larger one in a few years, depending on how many fish you stock it with) as its normal inhabitants can grow to larger proportions.
The most commonly found inhabitants are Monos, Scats, Columbian Shark Catfish,Puffers and other larger types of brackish fish. Most all brackish fish will venture in and out of the different biotopes, but some fish will be more common in one area than in another.
Specifics for this set-up:
Temperature:78-84 F (I keep my tank at 80-82)
pH level: 7.6- 8.5
SG:as juvieniles 1.010-1.015*(See note below) with a gradual increase to 1.20-1.025 as adults
Decoration: Rocks and branchy driftwood (be sure to clean driftwood)
*NOTE-This SG for juvieniles depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
The Brackish River
Brackish rivers are at the end of the cycle, or rather the last place that the saltwater flows to. Because of this, the SG is not generally as high or as stable as the estuary. Backish rivers tend to be fast flowing, and because of this are highly oxygenated, and are usually heavily planted along the sides with open swimming areas in the middle.
With the river set-up you will need a higher flow rate of water, this can be achieved by using a powerhead to help create the higher currents, an air stone and air pump to help with aeration, and maintain lower SG levels,and maitain a high pH level. Because some of the inhabitants of the BW river biotope are smaller a tank as small as 10gals can be used for SOME species, but 29-75gal tanks are best suited for this set up, but of course you can set-up whatever size tank you want.
The most commonly found inhabitants of the BW River are: Bumblebee Gobies, Fan Dancer or Knight Gobies, Glassfish (just a reminder, Only Buy UN-PAINTED Glassfish), Celebes Rainbow Fish, Puffers, Orange and Green Chromide Cichlids, Silversides, and many other types of fish.
NOTE: This system usually has a higher concentration of fish due to plant cover and increasd oxygen levels.
Specifics for This Set-Up:
Temperature: 78-84 F
pH Level: 7.6-8.5
Salinity(SG): 1.005*-1.010
Decorations: Heavily planted, covering the sides and top of the water, with swimming area in middle and driftwood and rocks covering the bottom.
*NOTE-This SG depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
The Mangrove Swamp
Mangrove swamps are found along the sides of estuaries and rivers. Mangrove swamps have low water flow due to fact that they only recieve the excess flow from rivers and estuaries. They usually have a low water level, but do flood during periods of heavy rain, and high tides can also effect the water level of the mangrove swamp. The swamps usually have a mid-high range brackish SG, and is somewhat constant, except for during times of heavy rains or high tides.
The Mangrove Tree is the dominant and most important aspect of the mangrove swamp.
About Mangrove Trees:
The three most common types of mangrove are red, white and black. They are typically slow growing, and some seeds may take up to 5 years before they start to grow. The trees rely on insects to pollinate them, after which they produce their seeds. the seeds actually start to grow leaves and roots before dropping from the tree, which helps to insure their survival.
Mangrove roots are divided into 3 parts:
1)Radiating Cables; The roots that are most recognizable, are the larger roots that suppoprt the tree, provide shelter for fish and other animalsand collect some nutrients.
2)Nutritive Roots; These are small roots that branch off of the main branch of the tree or radiating cables and collect nutrients from the water and mud.
3)the last type is a simple type of root that collects oxygen for the tree.
Mangroves are an excellent exporter of nutrients and is natures own living filter. It is for this reason that many saltwater and brackish water aquarium hobbyist are starting to use them for the main filter on their tanks.
I'm going to mix things up just a little and list some of the inhabitants of the mangroves before going into the set-ups, because I feel this might make things a little easier to understand.The most commonly found are: Fiddler crabs, mudskippers, archerfish, anableps, gobies,some types of killie fish and other oddball fish as well.
The mangrove set-up can be accomplished in a couple of different ways. Most mangrove tanks have both a land area and a swimming area with mangrove trees growing along the edge of the water. Depending on if you are doing a species only tank, or a community tank will have a great effect on what size tank is required. My opinion on this set-up would be that if you are doing a spieces tank, a 20 gal tank or larger should be used. This of course depends on whether or not you are doing a fish only spieces tank or a crab or mud skipper tank. A 30 gal or larger tank should be used for a community tank, whether its a fish only tank or a tank with fish and crabs/ mudskippers. Long tanks would be a better choice for these set-ups than tall tanks would, especially in the smaller tank, to allow more swimming room for your fish.
Canister filters or internal filters work best on this set-up with air stones for extra aeration. The salinity(SG) should be maintained between 1.010-1.015 with a high pH level.
Specifics for This Set-Up:
Temperature: 78-84 F
pH Level: 7.8-8.5
Salinity(SG): 1.010*-1.015
Decorations: Mangrove Trees, floating plants, driftwood/ bogwood and rocks along bottom
*NOTE-This SG depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
For me, brackish was a break away from the norm of fresh water tropical fish keeping, I had been interested in saltwater for a while. But ever noticed how much it costs to start a marine tank? Well, brackish tanks dont require the considerable cost, the complexity of special equipment, and time devotion that marine tanks do to be successful, but they still offer something considerably different from the average freshwater tank.
Brackish water aquariums allow you to keep many beautiful, interesting but not always commonly seen species. A brackish aquarium can be a mixed community tank, a specialized species only tank or a specific habitat.
WHAT IS BRACKISH WATER?
Brackish waters occur where rivers and streams meet the oceans of the world. The salinity,measured as Specific Gravity(SG), of brackish water varies depending on the tidal cycle, amount of freshwater from rain or rivers, evaporation, and temperature. The typical specific gravity (SG) of brackish water can vary between 1.005-1.021(these number vary depending on what source you use) where the SG of the ocean varies between 1.022-1.025. There are three types of brackish biotopes (habitats), they are 1) the estuary, 2) the brackish river, 3) the mangrove/swamp. I will discuss these areas in more detail further along, for each one has its own specific characteristics and inhabitants that should be considered when setting up your own tank.
The Estuary Set-Up
Estuaries are formed at the mouths of large rivers that generally have some year round water flow that produces permanent brackish conditions. The estuary biotope maintains a higher, but more constant, salinity(SG) due to its relativity to the ocean, being closest to the ocean than say the mangrove or river biotope. The only times that the SG in estuaries will vary greatly is during heavy flooding or extreme drought.
The estuary set-up is probably the most commonly used set-up for brackish water aquariums. These tanks are easier to maintain, and all that you need to do is have a slow-to moderate water flow, good aeration, and maintain higher SG levels and pH levels. Estuary set-ups are best done with larger tanks (55gal + to start and expect to need a larger one in a few years, depending on how many fish you stock it with) as its normal inhabitants can grow to larger proportions.
The most commonly found inhabitants are Monos, Scats, Columbian Shark Catfish,Puffers and other larger types of brackish fish. Most all brackish fish will venture in and out of the different biotopes, but some fish will be more common in one area than in another.
Specifics for this set-up:
Temperature:78-84 F (I keep my tank at 80-82)
pH level: 7.6- 8.5
SG:as juvieniles 1.010-1.015*(See note below) with a gradual increase to 1.20-1.025 as adults
Decoration: Rocks and branchy driftwood (be sure to clean driftwood)
*NOTE-This SG for juvieniles depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
The Brackish River
Brackish rivers are at the end of the cycle, or rather the last place that the saltwater flows to. Because of this, the SG is not generally as high or as stable as the estuary. Backish rivers tend to be fast flowing, and because of this are highly oxygenated, and are usually heavily planted along the sides with open swimming areas in the middle.
With the river set-up you will need a higher flow rate of water, this can be achieved by using a powerhead to help create the higher currents, an air stone and air pump to help with aeration, and maintain lower SG levels,and maitain a high pH level. Because some of the inhabitants of the BW river biotope are smaller a tank as small as 10gals can be used for SOME species, but 29-75gal tanks are best suited for this set up, but of course you can set-up whatever size tank you want.
The most commonly found inhabitants of the BW River are: Bumblebee Gobies, Fan Dancer or Knight Gobies, Glassfish (just a reminder, Only Buy UN-PAINTED Glassfish), Celebes Rainbow Fish, Puffers, Orange and Green Chromide Cichlids, Silversides, and many other types of fish.
NOTE: This system usually has a higher concentration of fish due to plant cover and increasd oxygen levels.
Specifics for This Set-Up:
Temperature: 78-84 F
pH Level: 7.6-8.5
Salinity(SG): 1.005*-1.010
Decorations: Heavily planted, covering the sides and top of the water, with swimming area in middle and driftwood and rocks covering the bottom.
*NOTE-This SG depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
The Mangrove Swamp
Mangrove swamps are found along the sides of estuaries and rivers. Mangrove swamps have low water flow due to fact that they only recieve the excess flow from rivers and estuaries. They usually have a low water level, but do flood during periods of heavy rain, and high tides can also effect the water level of the mangrove swamp. The swamps usually have a mid-high range brackish SG, and is somewhat constant, except for during times of heavy rains or high tides.
The Mangrove Tree is the dominant and most important aspect of the mangrove swamp.
About Mangrove Trees:
The three most common types of mangrove are red, white and black. They are typically slow growing, and some seeds may take up to 5 years before they start to grow. The trees rely on insects to pollinate them, after which they produce their seeds. the seeds actually start to grow leaves and roots before dropping from the tree, which helps to insure their survival.
Mangrove roots are divided into 3 parts:
1)Radiating Cables; The roots that are most recognizable, are the larger roots that suppoprt the tree, provide shelter for fish and other animalsand collect some nutrients.
2)Nutritive Roots; These are small roots that branch off of the main branch of the tree or radiating cables and collect nutrients from the water and mud.
3)the last type is a simple type of root that collects oxygen for the tree.
Mangroves are an excellent exporter of nutrients and is natures own living filter. It is for this reason that many saltwater and brackish water aquarium hobbyist are starting to use them for the main filter on their tanks.
I'm going to mix things up just a little and list some of the inhabitants of the mangroves before going into the set-ups, because I feel this might make things a little easier to understand.The most commonly found are: Fiddler crabs, mudskippers, archerfish, anableps, gobies,some types of killie fish and other oddball fish as well.
The mangrove set-up can be accomplished in a couple of different ways. Most mangrove tanks have both a land area and a swimming area with mangrove trees growing along the edge of the water. Depending on if you are doing a species only tank, or a community tank will have a great effect on what size tank is required. My opinion on this set-up would be that if you are doing a spieces tank, a 20 gal tank or larger should be used. This of course depends on whether or not you are doing a fish only spieces tank or a crab or mud skipper tank. A 30 gal or larger tank should be used for a community tank, whether its a fish only tank or a tank with fish and crabs/ mudskippers. Long tanks would be a better choice for these set-ups than tall tanks would, especially in the smaller tank, to allow more swimming room for your fish.
Canister filters or internal filters work best on this set-up with air stones for extra aeration. The salinity(SG) should be maintained between 1.010-1.015 with a high pH level.
Specifics for This Set-Up:
Temperature: 78-84 F
pH Level: 7.8-8.5
Salinity(SG): 1.010*-1.015
Decorations: Mangrove Trees, floating plants, driftwood/ bogwood and rocks along bottom
*NOTE-This SG depends greatly on whether or not your local fish store sells Brackish Fish in FW or BW, please check with your LFS to see what their SG is in the tank with their BW fish, and match your tanks SG to that of your LFS.
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