Help Raising Salinity

RyanMcLaughlin · 02/04/2008, 06:12 PM

I have a 100 gallon tank and the salinity is 1.019 right now. I need to raise it and was wondering how to go about it. I assume it is through PWC. I was just wondering how high the salinity should be in the new water to get it up enough and how fast should I raise it? My crabs and snail seem to be fine right now along with my clown. Its not an emergency.

phenom5 · 02/04/2008, 06:14 PM

Top off with SW instead of FW until you reach the desired SG.

RyanMcLaughlin · 02/04/2008, 06:20 PM

How long should I do it though? Like would it be too fast if it got up to 1.023 in a week or should it take a few weeks or a month?

phenom5 · 02/04/2008, 06:42 PM

A few weeks would be fine.

Aquarist007 · 02/04/2008, 06:50 PM

how did the salinity get that low and how are you measuring it---seems like an error in calculating

RyanMcLaughlin · 02/04/2008, 07:00 PM

Its a hydrometer, swing arm style. I cant afford a refractometer right now. I dont know how it lowered. It was at 1.021 when after the last PWC. It seems to get lower everytime I top the tank off with water. Actually though I guess it could be from removing one of my filters and not putting the sw back in just freshwater and also w/ my skimmer which removed about 10 - 15 gallons so that could have dropped it.

LovinDaReef · 02/04/2008, 07:27 PM

I raise it by adding salt to my top offs. Not sure if I'm suppose to gradually raise it or just do it all at once.

Norward · 02/04/2008, 08:12 PM

I have slowly raised the SG by pulling out water from the tank, mixing in salt and pouring back in. If you fish and inverts are not distressed, I wouldn't be in a hurry. Just add saltwater to your top offs or be sure to go a little "heavy" on the salt when you do water changes.

Aquarist007 · 02/04/2008, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RyanMcLaughlin
Its a hydrometer, swing arm style. I cant afford a refractometer right now. I dont know how it lowered. It was at 1.021 when after the last PWC. It seems to get lower everytime I top the tank off with water. Actually though I guess it could be from removing one of my filters and not putting the sw back in just freshwater and also w/ my skimmer which removed about 10 - 15 gallons so that could have dropped it.

that would be exactly right---5 gal would lower it about .002 each time

.019 is not that low to worry about--most LFS keep their inverts and .018 and their fish much lower

the key is to move it up slowly--it would do it in your top ups--use .026 salinity instead of just r/0 water

pnyxxpress · 02/04/2008, 08:55 PM

What is the best target salinity?

AquaReeferMan · 02/04/2008, 10:32 PM

I keep mine between 1.025-1.026. I would just let evaporation takes its course. Then top off with saltwater.

Aquarist007 · 02/04/2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pnyxxpress
What is the best target salinity?

.o24-.026 but the prefered on this site is .026

FishFace28 · 02/04/2008, 10:49 PM

Hydrometers are notoriously bad about reading low. You should have your LFS check your specific gravity with a refractometer. I get pre-mixed RO from my LFS. They use a refractometer and mix to 1.024, but it only reads 1.020 on my hydrometer. You may not be as low as you think you are.

02/04/2008, 06:12 PM	#1
RyanMcLaughlin Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 982	Help Raising Salinity I have a 100 gallon tank and the salinity is 1.019 right now. I need to raise it and was wondering how to go about it. I assume it is through PWC. I was just wondering how high the salinity should be in the new water to get it up enough and how fast should I raise it? My crabs and snail seem to be fine right now along with my clown. Its not an emergency.

02/04/2008, 06:14 PM	#2
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	Top off with SW instead of FW until you reach the desired SG. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

02/04/2008, 06:42 PM	#4
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	A few weeks would be fine. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

02/04/2008, 06:50 PM	#5
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	how did the salinity get that low and how are you measuring it---seems like an error in calculating __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

02/04/2008, 07:00 PM	#6
RyanMcLaughlin Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 982	Its a hydrometer, swing arm style. I cant afford a refractometer right now. I dont know how it lowered. It was at 1.021 when after the last PWC. It seems to get lower everytime I top the tank off with water. Actually though I guess it could be from removing one of my filters and not putting the sw back in just freshwater and also w/ my skimmer which removed about 10 - 15 gallons so that could have dropped it. Last edited by RyanMcLaughlin; 02/04/2008 at 07:06 PM.

02/04/2008, 06:20 PM	#3
RyanMcLaughlin Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anaheim Posts: 982	How long should I do it though? Like would it be too fast if it got up to 1.023 in a week or should it take a few weeks or a month?

02/04/2008, 07:27 PM	#7
LovinDaReef Moved On Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 267	I raise it by adding salt to my top offs. Not sure if I'm suppose to gradually raise it or just do it all at once.

02/04/2008, 08:12 PM	#8
Norward Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Little Rock Posts: 407	I have slowly raised the SG by pulling out water from the tank, mixing in salt and pouring back in. If you fish and inverts are not distressed, I wouldn't be in a hurry. Just add saltwater to your top offs or be sure to go a little "heavy" on the salt when you do water changes.

02/04/2008, 08:55 PM	#10
pnyxxpress Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Valle Mines, Mo Posts: 77	What is the best target salinity?

02/04/2008, 10:32 PM	#11
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I keep mine between 1.025-1.026. I would just let evaporation takes its course. Then top off with saltwater. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

02/04/2008, 10:49 PM	#13
FishFace28 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Little Rock, AR Posts: 109	Hydrometers are notoriously bad about reading low. You should have your LFS check your specific gravity with a refractometer. I get pre-mixed RO from my LFS. They use a refractometer and mix to 1.024, but it only reads 1.020 on my hydrometer. You may not be as low as you think you are.