Saturday, 24 September 2011

Brackish Fish Aquarium

Brackish Fish Aquarium is a type of aquarium which is gaining in popularity however, that is a bit rare. This is the brackish aquarium setup. Most aquarists will easily recognize the "standard" tank types: Freshwater, , Fish-Only-With-Live Rock, Fish-Only Marine and Reef Aquarium.

What is Brackish?

Brackish water is considered to be somewhere between "pure" freshwater and ocean water in salinity. In nature, brackish water is formed by swamps and marshes that are more or less at sea level and on a coast, estuaries, and, rarely, landlocked bodies of water that happen to have salt in them. Brackish water is found all over the world where inland freshwater streams and springs meet the ocean. The lower part of the Hudson River which separates New York and New Jersey is a giant brackish biotope. This is also true for several small canals in sub-tropical Florida. Literally, the word is an adjective to describe any water that is salty or briny. Brackish aquariums have both advantages and disadvantages, when you compare it with freshwater aquarium setup or marine setup. It’s little difficult to keep up compared to a standard freshwater aquarium, but are quite easier compared to a standard marine aquarium. There are some very peaceful species, and there are a few odd species that prefer brackish water. The fish will do fine till the waste products like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all kept at safe levels.

Brackish Tank Setup
One can easily follow the standard freshwater setup for setting a brackish aquarium. For setting up of a brackish aquarium you need to buy aquarium filters that are for either saltwater or freshwater aquariums. Apart from this you also need to buy any other equipment or chemicals you get. The first thing to be noticed where the setup diverges from a standard freshwater tank is, of course, filling the tank. Generally, brackish tank has a specific gravity between 1.005 and 1.010, but it can range anywhere between true freshwater and true saltwater (i.e., up to 1.020). Most of the fish have a preferred specific gravity, but most brackish fish are pretty adaptable in this condition. But it is best to do research and plan according to the gravity requirements. Also, you need a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity. Pay attention to the amount of salt you use. And then, you can follow any of the normal procedures to cycle the aquarium.

What to Stock the Aquarium With?
Some of the common brackish fish are guppies, mollies, gobies, and the dwarf puffer. These are some of the brackish fish. But it’s always better to do research on the fish you are going to keep and then proceed. In addition to fish, there are many invertebrates that live in brackish water. True Amano shrimp, some fiddler, shrimps, crabs, and snails also do well in this type of aquarium. Some plants like Java moss and Java fern can also be kept along with these fish and animals.

Brackish Fish Aquarium Care
Once your aquarium is set up, it is perhaps best to allow the specific gravity to vary periodically. It’s necessary to match the salinity of the new water to that of the old water. Once the fish gets adaptable they can survive up to certain level of changes.

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