Setting up my brackish tank

[Madou]

So I started a brackish tank for multiple reasons, the main two being I needed "fresh air" (or water ) after keeping fishe for a while. Brackish seemed challenging, but not quite as expensive as salt, so my bugdet allowed it. I moved on first of july, and I have to say, I don't trust the ground in here with a fully filled 200x70x60 tank... I therefore compromised with an archer tank (because they're amazing, and need air to be seen "hunting"), which allows me to keep a tank 2/3 filled and lower the weight.

I filled it with sand, added what wood I add, reconnected my Eheim 600 Pro, hid the thermometer under the sand, angled the flow pump (700 to 8000L/h) to push water through the emptiness in the wood, added a 300W heater (which is fully submersible, does that mean I can leave even the knob under water level?) and 3 LED neons (two of which work, I need a new power supply for the third but it's all blue, I'm not sure I want that). All I have left to do is mix my water with salt in containers, but since all I have are five 10L ones, I'm waiting for 3 more 20L to come early this week, and as I bought 10kg of salt and had 2kg, I have plenty enough.

Here it is, I will try to update it as often as possible, and will start off with the first pictures my gf took (Nikon D5100 if anyone is interested in these things, as she won't use my D5300 even though I tell her to )

justarn You asked to be @, so you now are!
HX67 You helped me bunches, least I could do is to @ you!

 

[HX67]

Man of action!
Solid start you've got going. Will be a joy to watch you go.

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[justarn]

Good so far.

 

[BIG-G]

I like it. will be watching this one. Looking good so far, Archers are so cool!

 

[Madou]

First 110L of water from last night and this morning (sitting in my small barrels over night or throughout work day).
Only have 2x 20L and 3x 10L, so this takes a bit!

Salt doesn't seem to mix well in my barrels, even though I shake them hard right as I add salt and before putting them in, so I am not getting the right numbers, but I'm underdosing from today on, letting it sit in the tank with a 900L/h flow pump and my air pump running at max to mix the water while i'm not home. Hopefully, i'll be underdosed once it's almost full and I can do the necessary adjustments later (or even leave it at 1.007-1.008 at first).



Should be twice that volume by tomorrow!

Wood isn't floating yet, and I hope it won't, as it's been sank before, but eh, been dry for a while I guess.

Keep you guys updated!

 

[Madou]

A few more shots with a bit more water!

Since I can't mix my water in the barrel, I mix it in the tank with about 9900L/h of movement!

Tried plugging my filter, but appears with low level of water, it doesn't feel like engaging, so i'll have to push water through and overdose a couple barrels to get back to my normal density.

I'll reduce it for the fish, of course, but it's there and will add a bit of flow in the tank.

FTS with almost all of the desired water in the tank:


Here you can see the water flow and how I wanted it to be. Pump shoots through the hole in the log, and goes through its entire length and moves water all the way through the 200 cm of the tank.


Can see the other side of the log, with the effect on the bubbles. Having as much movement in the tank as possible to mix the salt the best I can without having flow in my barrels to do it there.

 

[HX67]

Envying your progress.

I often do salt mixing in a new tank by just dumping it in the tank in an open container and directing moderate flow over it. But then, one of my favourite pastimes is watching paint dry.

 

[Madou]

With everything setup, my water where I want it, I added the first two inhabitant to help cycle and monitor my water parameters.

I know we're supposed to use expandable fishes, but eh, a few mollies' lives aren't worth less than another fish right?

Anyway, here are some crappy cellphone pics of the Mono and the Scat, who are doing pretty well right now!

I also have 6 fresh Red mangrove seedlings, with a lil green tip which I can't wait to see turn into leaves!

 

[Madou]

Time's gone by, and my red mangrove is starting to show leaves, just as I got most of my inhabitants!

5 Toxotes Jaculatrix
2 Monodactylus Sebae
2 Monodactylus Argenteus
1 Scatophagus Argus

Only need to get myself 3 Gymnothorax Tile and perhaps some flounders if I ever come by them.

Some pictures, but they're still fairly small and fairly hard to catch even with food!

On second pictures, the lil' guy has an anal fin that seems much bigger than his pals, and since he also has the most black and least stripes, it makes him look amazing!

 

[Chub_by]

That's a good looking tank and the stocking is spot on, too. Well done