A few questions

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Shikkapow

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Dec 12, 2002
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I have a 55 gallon brackish tank stocked with 3 archers, 3 mollies,4 glass fish, a spotted green puffer, and a crawfish.
I have a continuious problem with brown algae, and an on again off again problem with green slime (only way to describe it) algae.

I try to keep the nitrates below 30 ppm, but nothing I do will help with the algae. I dont want to use chemicals if possible, but is there any other way to combat the algae?
I am trying, with marginal success, to grow java fern and java moss in the tank to steal the nitrates, but they are not doing too well. Is there any other type of plant that will do well in a brack tank?
What kind of snails will live in a brackish tank, that are big enough to avoid being a snack for the puffer? I have a breeding tank (my 20 gallon fresh) stocked with malaysian trumpets that I use for feeding the puff, and they dont live long enough to do a thing..

any help is appreciated..
 

Pufferpunk

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Trumpet snails are the worst kind of snail to feed a puffer. Their shells are very hard & will break their teeth.

I have the same problem with all my puffer tanks. I think it is caused by their messy eating. How ofter do you do water changes? Do you clean the gravel? I just scrape the glass at every water change & bleach the ornaments a few times a year.

I'm afraid your crawfish may become pufferfood at some time. I feed my GS whole ones (dead).
 

Shikkapow

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Thanks for the info on the trumpets, I found that out through other sources today also.. I have a bunch of other thin shelled snails that he crushes right through. ill limit it to them.

I am quite lazy and was looking for another route than manual scubbing :D :D
oh well if thats what it takes then thats what it takes..
I do a 20% change every 10 dys or so, gravel vac (crushed coral) at every change ( the tank is messy with the archers and puffer)

the crawfish is 4 times the size of the puffer, if he gets hungry and tries to snack on the crawfish, im going to be out a puff :(

thanks for the info.. know anyting about plants?
 

Pufferpunk

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There anen't too many that can stand BW. I think just java fern & moss.
 

Pufferpunk

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They're about 5" now & very round. they are living with a new Ceylon roomate about 3" They were really freaking out whan I added him. They actually seemed afraid of him. :eek: Everyone seems to be getting along fine now.
 

Sharyl C

Mola and Me
Depending on your lighting - mangroves would be a good possibility for nitrate removers.

you may also want to check the nitrates in your source water. unless you are using r/o water to mix clean saltwater up - your water changes maybe doing little to lower your NO3.
 

Shikkapow

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Dec 12, 2002
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Originally posted by Pufferpunk
They're about 5" now & very round. they are living with a new Ceylon roomate about 3"
5"!!!!!?? WOW . I have had one for 6-8 months now and he is only 1.5" and hasnt grown a bit 'cept ROUNDER of course :D he hasn't grown a bit lenghtwise..


Sharyl., my tap is 0 nitrate reading ( 3 seperate tests during different seasons) and it seems to drop my nitrates significantly. r/o is expensive here and not worth the hassle/cash. I was just loking for some type of plant to steal nitrates from the algae

what type of lighting/setup do you need for mangroves? they need direct sunlight correct?
 

Pufferpunk

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They were about 2" when I bought them about 8 monthe sgo. What are you feeding yours?
 

Shikkapow

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Mostly blood worms ( biggest staple of his diet) weekly mix up of frozen brine shrimp(im afraid of diseases from the live ones) , weekly dosage of ghost shrimp, crickets ( he steals them from the archers) the occasional meal worm (stolen from the chameleon's dinner) and every other day some pond snails out of my fresh tank ( no more trumpets..Thanks for the tip) and he does eat some flakes that I feed to the mollies

oh and he gets "fin tip of Mollie" :D about once every other week
he never stops eating and is in a perpetual state of looking like a golfball
 
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