How to Get The Right Salt Level for Your Green Spotted Puffers or Any Brackish Tank

Green spotted puffers CAN live in freshwater...but only for a short, miserable while. Puffers are in need of a brackish water habitat in order to be happy and healthy! And, lucky for us, adding the correct amount of salt for these little guys is easy!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Full Aquarium Setup (Tank, Gravel/Sand, Heater, Filter, Gravel Vac, Thermometer, etc)
• HYDROMETER
• MARINE SALT

1. 
    

   Decide whether your puffer is small (<2"), medium (2"-4"), or large (>4").

2. 
    
   This is obviously too high of a specific gravity for puffers, but it shows you what your reading will look like

   The salinity needs of your puffer should be approximately as follows:
   
   SIZE SPECIFIC GRAVITY
   Small 1.005-1.008
   Medium 1.010-1.015
   Large 1.018-1.022

3. 
    
   (This is the one I use)

   Purchase marine salt and a hydrometer at your local pet store. **Be sure to check** that the lowest specific gravity the hydrometer can read is at least 1.005 (or else you won't be able to get a reading for your brackish tank).

4. 
    
   Marine Salt

   Note that it takes one CUP of marine salt per 5 gallons of water to raise the specific gravity .005 . You can also just add about two to three TABLESPOONS of marine salt per gallon to your tank to get the salinity around 1.005, if that's easier (perfect for juvenile puffers). This is also a helpful way to know approximately how much to add when doing water changes. As the puffers grow, you will have to increase the amount per gallon.

5. To get an accurate reading after adding the salt to your aquarium, dip the hydrometer into the tank water so that it fills up almost completely. Gently flick the outside of the hydromter to get any air bubbles out to ensure an accurate reading. The arm of the hydrometer will lift due to the water's level of buoyancy and the tip of it will point to your tank water's specific gravity. You then can adjust your water accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• Always dilute the salt in water before putting it into the tank. Do not directly pour the salt into your tank--this could potentially be harmful to your puffers
• NOTE: if you need to DECREASE the salinity (specific gravity) of your water, simply siphon out some of the water and add fresh water (make sure to add water conditioner!)
• DO NOT ADD SALT to your tank when you are simply filling up what has evaporated. The SALT DOES NOT EVAPORATE, so if you add more water and salt, you will be raising the salt content of the water. No bueno.

[hellow99]

on 2/14/2009 Very well written piece. Salt water fish are more interesting - right? 5*

[dtwelloh]

on 2/8/2009 Great info here, lets hope more people use it. A well written article. I give it 5 stars as well as a recommendation.