bacteria for brackish

teleost

teleost

AC Members
Jan 27, 2005
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chicagoland
I'm starting up a new brackish system soon and want to cycle my tank fishless.

I've asked several people and received several different answers to these questions:
1. can I cycle a new brackish system by seeding my tank with freshwater bacteria and slowly raise the specific gravity? Will this kill the bacteria?

2. Do I need to just start with the right gravity and let the air bring the right bacteria to my tank? Some people tell me to place a raw shrimp in the tank to get the right bacteria. Is this good advice?

Thanks
 
GOOD question!!!
teleost said:
1. can I cycle a new brackish system by seeding my tank with freshwater bacteria and slowly raise the specific gravity? Will this kill the bacteria?
Click to expand...
I honestly dont know. I know SW has different bacteria so that won't work(with SW tank) I bet it holds true for brackish but that is a very misinformed assumption on my part

2. Do I need to just start with the right gravity and let the air bring the right bacteria to my tank? Some people tell me to place a raw shrimp in the tank to get the right bacteria. Is this good advice?

Thanks
Click to expand...
The shrimp serves the same function as the ammonia, only is harder to get to an accurate level. Go with plain old ammonia and skip the shrimp.
 
Find out at what SG the fish you want are being kept in at the shop. Cycle your tank at that SG. I think you'll find most are kept in FW.
 
If you cycle FW and raise the specific gravity, you can and will kill off the FW bacteria, depending on the specific gravity and the rate of change of the density. If you cycle FW and raise the specific gravity s_l_o_w_l_y (say no more than 0.002 per week), the SW bacteria will establish before the FW are killed and the transition will appear seamless.
 
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