Surfactant

[aberfitch]

Hi baby girl.

How long have you had opae ula shrimp? I didnt know you had these. How are they doing, do you have any pictures of the tanks up.. I would love to see.

[badflash]

No need to be gentle with MTS. I've brough them up to full sea water like this (as taught by Mustafa).
1/3 sea water. Wait until they move around and feed. 2/3 sea water. Wait until they move around and feed. Put them in full sea water. Total transition takes under a week.

You can do the same thing with Olive Nerites.

[aberfitch]

I just realied something. I have been squeezing the filter out of a fresh water aquarium to seed the filer in the brakish water aquarium. I guess the bacteria is just dying since the new tank has salt in it. Is my theory right? If so I will just wait it out... The amonia is really getting high so it should be peaking soon.

[Baby_Girl]

I have been squeezing the filter out of a fresh water aquarium to seed the filer in the brakish water aquarium. I guess the bacteria is just dying since the new tank has salt in it. Is my theory right?

yeah, that is more than likely just killing the bacteria because from what I understand, you need to change only 2-3 ppt salinity every week if you want to preserve the biological filter. In actuality, even with that slow change some nitrifying bacteria ARE dying and the species are slowly transitioning between FW and saltwater types. The transition is just so slow that one shouldn't notice any blips in the cycle.

I don't actually have the opae ula yet. Again, I'm too poor to afford a new shrimp colony at the moment. I've just been planning this for months and months, so have had plenty of time to work out all the details in my head

[badflash]

Go to your local LFS and ask for a handull of gravel out of one of their saltwater tanks. That is the easiest way to seed a new salt water aquarium.

[aberfitch]

Good point badflash. I have heard so many people say this but it never clicked. I always disregard it becasue I am thinking in my head I have plenty of bacteria. it didnt dawn on me that it was FW bacteria. I am going to the LFS today and will ask to get some grave. Thanks!

[Baby_Girl]

that's if you trust your local store to be clean and free of diseases/parasites...
Just something for you to consider.

I personally would prefer to do the work myself to ensure it's safe. But I tend to be obsessive about the cleanliness and health of my tanks