How can i grow mangroves in a mudskipper tank? And how do I set up the tank? 10 points for best answer!?

Question

So i'm planning on turning my 30 gallon tank (36"long, 14"wide and 16" tall) aquarium into a mudskipper tank (if i can locate then in melbourne, australia, any ideas?). I'm planning:

Substrate: Mix of a fine coral sand (to buffer pH and hardness, this is also a very fine coral sand not sharp or anything, that will be mised with normal aquarium gravel (probably a whitish one) to give the substrate a soild base to build with and finally just some play sand from a hardware shop (i assume it's aquarium safe)

Water: Obviously i'm aiming for harder more alkaline (pH about 8), will the crushed coral sand help this? I know it has to be brackish and this is one thing i'll really need to work on because i'm not sure how it works

Stocking: For the 30 gallon i'm planning on getting about 3 mudskippers, depending on the size of the species i can locate

Set Up: So there will be about half the tank with the sand side with no water and this will slope off into the water. There will hopefully be a mangrove that will have bits of drift wood and rock lying about for territory etc.

Plants: The major decoration i want is a live mangrove. So i'm not sure where i can get them from though and how to grow them. I was wondering if i found one of the little seeds of a mangrove on a beach locally (victoria, australia) and planted it with the leaf poking out of the snad mix if it would work, also how do you fertilise a plant like this? I've raed that adding epsom salts helps with the plants magnesium needs, does this chagne pH or hardness?

Filter: I have a internal power filter that i will modify so that it has a spray bar that squits out the water really gently so it doesn't kick up the sand?

Heating: I assume an average heater for a tank is fine. I might down grade because i have quite a big one and i'm sure it doesn't need to be huge if i'm not heating as much water. Also i guess that the air temperature needs to be much the same to the water temperature. So can this be achieved by getting some type of pad heater that would go to something like a tree frog enclosure that you stick on the outside of the tank?

Thanks

Answer 1

Substrate - if you use play sand, be sure to wash it VERY thoroughly as it will be very dirty. You can use a bucket and hose to flush it and move the sand around with your hands. The debris will float up and you pour it off. You need to wash it at least 10 times, I'd imagine.



Water - Yes, the coral sand will help with keeping the tank more alkaline.



Stocking - 3 should be a fine number.



Plants - probably will have best success buying small saplings that have already been started through a nursery. Here is a web page that discusses growing mangroves in an aquarium with mudskippers: http://toptropicals.com/html/aqua/plants/mangrove/mangrove_eng.htm



They also have a book on the subject, which can be located on their catalog page: http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/store/store.cgi?group=aqua



This site is a Florida, USA site as mangroves are indigenous there. You've probably got something in your local area as well.



Filter - your power filter is going to have to have an extension tube for the take-up since the water level will be so low. Also, this will put strain on the pump. I'd set up an undergravel filter, with some kind and diffuser to spray the return water. This would also help with raising humidity in the tank.



Heating - I'd go with one of those totally submersible models (doesn't have to be very big). That along with the light source will most likely provide enough heat in the tank.



Sounds really cool! I set up a 100 gallon tank kind of like this once, but for archer fish. Was really interesting.

Answer 2

well the weight of the tank on the stand will keep it weighed down to the stand so it would just tip over and fall, but if you ran into the stand it may cause the whole thing to fall over. i would put it on the stand you have for now, but later on invest in a stand that is a bit bigger so the tank wont tip over, you can get actual aquarium stands for a 30 gallon between 60-300 US dollars depending on brand, color, store, ETC. i hope i was some help

Answer 3

If you are trying to find somewhere to buy mud skippers you could try www.eBay.co.uk I saw some on there the other day but I'm not sure if they deliver to Australia or if they would be allowed from England into Australia sorry I can't help more but good luck sounds great