Want To Turn Brackish

[Genesis]

i need to create brackish water for my red-clawed crabs

its a 10 gallon

how much of what salt do i use?

 

[nmonks]

The short answer is around 5 to 10 grammes of salt per litre, for a specific gravity (or SG) of ~ 1.003 to 1.006. Since there's about 3.75 litres to the gallon, you can do the math yourself.

I have a programme called 'Brack Calc' that you can download from my web pages. It has some simple sliders for switching between percentage salinity, specific gravity, and weights of salt per litre. You might find it useful.

http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/aquaria/aquaria.html

However, note that once you open a box of salt, it absorbs water, and over time just going by weight becomes unreliable. You really need a tool called a hydrometer, which measures SG. You can get these from any good fish shop, and the basic models cost about the same as a tub of fish food. The Brackish Aquarium FAQ tells you more.

http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/aquaria/brackfaqpart2.html

Cheers,

Neale

[quote name=''genesis' post='1031487' date='Jan 10 2006, 03:19 PM']
i need to create brackish water for my red-clawed crabs

its a 10 gallon

how much of what salt do i use?
[/quote]

 

[demonmagus]

The short answer is around 5 to 10 grammes of salt per litre, for a specific gravity (or SG) of ~ 1.003 to 1.006. Since there's about 3.75 litres to the gallon, you can do the math yourself.

I think its 4.5 litres to each US gallon

 

[nmonks]

Nope. It's 3.75 litres to the US gallon, but 4.5 litres to the Imperial (British) gallon. But a litre is a litre is a litre, wherever you are.

Another good reason why everyone should use the metric system!

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon

Cheers,

Neale

I think its 4.5 litres to each US gallon

 

[Genesis]

doesnt matter about how much salt gets depleted really, as these crabs can be kept in freshwater anyway

 

[penguinpimp1990]

they can be kept in FW but do better in brackish

 

[nmonks]

What do you mean by "depleted"? Depleted means "used up", and salt isn't used up in an aquarium or by the fish. At least, not in any measurable way.

Sure, these crabs will survive in hard freshwater, but they live longer in slightly brackish and only breed in brackish. Check this out...

http/aquahoito.info/sesarma/index.html

How cute are the baby crabs, eh?

Neale

[quote name=''genesis' post='1032593' date='Jan 11 2006, 01:52 PM']
doesnt matter about how much salt gets depleted really, as these crabs can be kept in freshwater anyway
[/quote]

 

[penguinpimp1990]

i think he means dissolved..........

 

[dreworz5]

i thought he meant like during each water change.

 

[Little Fish]

http/aquahoito.info/sesarma/index.html

How cute are the baby crabs, eh?

Neale

Wow! Someone can actually breed crabs? The only aquatic animal I'm able to breed are snails and guppies I know, I know, they breed themselves so it doesn't count.

 

[Genesis]

so i need 37.5 grams of salt in my 10gal?

 

[nmonks]

The maths is very simple.

Let's say you're doing 5 grammes per litre (approx. SG 1.003)
10 imp. gall = 45 litres

At a rate of 5 grammes per litre you would need to add:
5 g x 45 litre = 225 grammes per 45 litre tank

If you were simply changing one 10 litre bucket of water:
5 g x 10 litre = 50 grammes per 10 litre bucket

At a higher salinity, say, 10 g per litre, SG 1.006, you would do:
10 g x 45 litre = 450 grammes per 45 litre tank
10 g x 10 litre = 100 grammes per 10 litre bucket

Ever wonder why you learned maths at school? Here's your answer... to make up brackish water properly!

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Genesis]

just reading my copy of PFK and saw you in it suprised me, i was thinking "Hey! i know a Neale Monks...."