55 Gallon Brackish beginner. Need some help on basic ideas.

[p9h9f8]

So I recently got a 55 gallon tank. I currently have it filled and cycled. Now I am planning on keeping Mollies Swordtails and possibly guppies in the middle level of the tank and some Violet Gobies for the bottom. I currently have 2 mollies in there and they are doing swimmingly also 2 Violet Gobies.

Now I have yet to start the process of building up the salinity. Mostly because I have the tank planted currently with Anacharis and a banana plant and I was hoping to get them acclimated first before adding salt. Now I was thinking doing 25% of the salinity that I am trying to achieve and then do 25% each week before achieving the required level of salinity for the Gobies.

Now my question is, is this a good idea? Or should I aim to meet the desired salinity right away or do it in a larger degree then just 25% each week.

[smaug]

First you need a refractometer to do this accurately,of course you also need marine salt. 1.005 is what you are looking for. simply remove a 3 gallons of your water add back in 3 gallons of water that you have adjusted to 1.005 using roughly 3 tbsp of sea salt per gallon. {that varies}.It will take awhile to build up to 1.005 in the main tank nut thats fine,just check the main tank everytime you do this.Also make sure to do your top offs with fw for evaporation as the salt stays the water goes.

[p9h9f8]

Alright I plan on getting Hydrometer in the days to come. I have seen that the instant Ocean hydrometer can read levels as low as the 1.005 now are there any that are meant for recording the lower levels or even possibly a cheap digital version for increased accuracy? I know that I don't need the salinity perfect as in the wild it will fluctuate with the changing of the tides.

Also could you recommend any sort of other plants that with tolerant these lower levels of salinity? I kinda what a nice little jungle for all the mollies and swordtails I plan to have. The anacharis I have is doing alright I purchased some Flourish Iron for them because I got a handful of free ones that were slightly browning. But the browning ones are still producing nice healthy bright green buds.

Edit: Should I trim the browned bits of Anacharis back?

[smaug]

The hydrometers are temperature dependant for there readings. No it does not need to be perfect but I recomend a refracometer for simple ease of use. I know nothing about growing plants in bw.

[Charlemagne712]

Ive tried keeping BW plants before, in a lab, under ideal conditions, with the help of a marine botanist, and it just didnt work for me. I have a green thumb with terestrial and FW plants, but i just couldnt get the BW to grow for me. The lab i was at did have a very large grow op, but they kept their plants outside in direct sunlight, with water pumped directly from the marsh into the races. i just got fake plants and "planted" them in wood in my BW tank, makes them look realistic and brings the wood to life so to speak, win/win

[Lady Hobbs]

Do plants grow in a brackish? I don't know how plants would handle the salt.

Just found this.
http://www.brighthub.com/parenting/household-pets/articles/111018.aspx

[Charlemagne712]

there is a very short list of plants that can handle it, marsh grass and mangroves are generally what comes to mind

The hydrometers are temperature dependant for there readings. No it does not need to be perfect but I recomend a refracometer for simple ease of use. I know nothing about growing plants in bw.

Follow this advice, invest in a refractometer. Its what we used in lab, way more dependable and acurate than a hydrometer, they cost a little more but will last you for years instead of a couple months, and an added bonus is whenever your friends are over you can pull it out and say, hold on i need to do a water test, and it makes you look like a scientist :P

[dr kenneth noisewater]

hey the refractometer is cool. if you dont have very much money, the instant ocean hydrometer seems to work well for me. i keep a brackish tank. but a small amount of marine salt in all of my tanks. it really works for me. (even planted and snail tanks)