When should I add salt for my sharks?

[countrygirl4]

Hello (again!)

I have now set up my new aquarium (set it up freshwater). I added the bacteria packet I purchased w/ live bacteria for freshwater, let it cycle the required 24 hrs, and now I have added my sharks. I have not added any salt (aquari salt or otherwise) to this tank yet-the people at our fish store said not to add any for a while because it will kill the bacteria I have added. My question is when do I add the marine salt that I bought? I know I should add only enough to make the salt reading rise .002 at a time, and add that much every 2 weeks (I think), but I just wasn't sure how soon I could add the initial amount of salt. As of right now, there is none in the water, and the sharks did have aquari salt in the other tank I took them from. No salt in there right now shouldn't hurt them, should it? Please help! Thanks a lot!

[Pufferpunk]

What kind of "bacteria packet" did you add? If it wasn't Bio-Spira, then your tank isn't cycled. If it was B-S & you didn't add the fish at the same time as the bacteria, then you tank isn't cycled.

[countrygirl4]

It was bio-spira. they said put it in, wait 24 hrs, then add the fish, which was what I did. What should I do now as far as the sharks and the salt?

[Pufferpunk]

Read the package of B-S. The bacteria needs the ammonia that fish produce, to feed on. Otherwise it will starve & die. Fish must be added at the same time.

I'd wait until you check your ammonia, nitrItes, NitrAtes for a week or so, before adding salt. then you can start raising the SG .002/week.

How big is the tank? Do you know how large these fish can get & that they really prefer to be in a school (5-6)?

[countrygirl4]

I followed the directions given to me by the people at the fish store. That was how they told me to do it. I waited the 24 hrs they said before adding the sharks in there, but they are in now and have been for a full day and then some. What about adding some of the aquari salt until I can add the marine mix? Right now I have zero salt in there at all, and in the other tank, I at least had that. Does it matter that there is none in there right now? I have a 55 gallon tank, and I have 2 sharks. Right now I just moved them from a 20 gallon tank. This tank should be big enough for a while for the 2 of them. When necessary, I will get a bigger one for them, but for now, I think they should be ok.

[Pufferpunk]

Yes, 2 of them should be fine for a while in there. You need to be testing for ammonia & nitrItes, before doing anything to disturb the bacteria. What SG did they come from?

[countrygirl4]

I have tested, and there are virtually no nitrites, and the nitrates I believe is still between 0-20 on the test strip. They came from freshwater w/ aquari salt in the store, then when I got them, I continued putting it in there. I just put in what it recommended on the box...I believe it was 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.

[Pufferpunk]

And the ammonia? NitrItes should be 0. Since you can't be sure the B-S was still viable after 24 hours of starving, you should keep testing all 3 for a week & if everything tests out fine (ammonia/nitrItes 0, nitrAtes <20), then start raising the SG .002/week--measuring with a low-range hydrometer. You really had no measureable ammounts of salt in their previous tank & you will need marine salt to make BW anyway.

[countrygirl4]

I don't know about the ammonia. The test strips I have check nitrate, nitrite, water hardness, alkalinity, and ph. I just tested again this morning, and nitrate is pretty close to 20 ppm, but still not at it. It appears to be raising each time I test it. The strips I have say that higher nitrites mean ammonia is present, so if that is true, there doesn't appear to be much, if any, in the water. The test strip shows between 0 and .5 ppm and closer to the zero side. I will keep testing it for a few more days. They have been in there since Saturday. So no salt in there is not stressing them then? They haven't really eaten since I put them in the new tank, which I mostly attribute to stress from the move, but is the lack of aquari salt a factor at all since it was in the other water?

[Pufferpunk]

Like I said, the amount of aquarium salt is immeasurable--close to what you have in your tank now. For example, you will be raising their salt eventually to marine conditions (1.020-23). It takes roughly aroound a cup of salt/5g, to raise the SGto 1.005. You have a looooon way to go to have that much salt in there.

BTW, I don't have much faith in test strips. I'd get a better kit, like the Master Test Kit, by Aquarium Pharmesuticals. You can buy it cheap from www.bigalsonline.com. Get a hydrometer from there too. In the meantime, just to be sure, have your LFS test for you.

[countrygirl4]

Ok, I have bought a hydrometer already, but I will get a better test kit, and I will also take my water to the fish store to get it checked out. I will wait for a week or so before adding any salt. I appreciate all of your help-I am new to the brackish thing, so your advice it very valuable to me. Thanks again.

[Pufferpunk]

No problem, I'm here to help you & your fishes! I'd take heed of any advice given to you from that LFS. They never even read the instructions on the Bio-Spira they are selling to their customers.

[countrygirl4]

I will remember that....I will make sure I read the directions myself from now on rather than only go by what they say. On a positive note, my sharks have been eating today, so things are looking up! :)

Have a great day and thanks again!