75g brackish tank -- need help finishing setup

[radlin]

I've been doing a lot of research but am still a little in the woods on specifics. I purchased a 75g tank, two 30-60 gal Whisper power filters and two 170GPH power heads. I have about 1.5-2" of sand which has finally settled after two days. I've been reading set-up instructions on multiple websites and I think I've already made my first mistake, I didn't mix the salt with the water when putting it in the tank. Is the best way to get the salt in the water to remove a bucket of water, add salt then pour it back into the tank? I already put the water conditioner in the tank.
Secondly, when it comes to the fish... I've read some other threads that talk about figure 8 puffers cohabiting with BB Gobies. I like some different rainbow fish, are they compatible with the puffer? I really wanted to do a SW tank but I don't feel comfortable enough to go to a full SW and my 10g FW tank is becoming dull. My main desire is to have colorful fish like a SW tank but stay brackish for now.
If anyone has any suggestions or pointers for a brackish novice, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!

 

[travelerjp98]

There are plenty of options for easy-to-care for fish in SW...... There's nothing to be scared about it!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///t/389755/75g-brackish-tank-need-help-finishing-setup#post_3446646
There are plenty of options for easy-to-care for fish in SW...... There's nothing to be scared about it!
Wow...I second that opionion 100%....The amount of salt placed in the water determines the SG (specific gravity or saltiness) and you mark the tank with a piece of tape and keep the water at that level. Salt does not evaporate, only the water does. So you replace the evaporated water with fresh reverse osmoses water (that is called top off)...it would be the same with brackish water...you just maintain the same SG the same exact way. The ONLY difference would the fish you can keep.
You might as well go full saltwater and get the pretty fish you want from the get go.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Agreed with Flower and Traveler. Nothing scary about it. Same principles of saltwater apply to brackish water. Just a little bit more water flow...

 

[smallreef]

+1 here too..
the only difference that you will need to get used to is that stocking the tank in salt vs. fresh is not measured in the length of fish.. its in the measured by the bioload a fish causes vs the water movement..

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by smallreef http:///t/389755/75g-brackish-tank-need-help-finishing-setup#post_3446790
+1 here too..
the only difference that you will need to get used to is that stocking the tank in salt vs. fresh is not measured in the length of fish.. its in the measured by the bioload a fish causes vs the water movement..
LOL...what that scary statement is saying is that saltwater fish can not be crammed into the tank and stocked like a freahwater tank. SW fish are territorial and must have thier space, so fewer fish are allowed in a single tank. SW is also heavier than freahwater so it doesn't have the oxygen...power heads are needed to create a water current in the tank, and circulate the air. The wave is the life of the ocean, and your saltwater fish tank.

 

[smallreef]

I didnt think it was scary??? I guess I just didnt phrase it right,,, sometimes I get stuck on the linguistics and how something is said vice the way i should say it, lol