Any precise/easy way to increase salinity?

piscivorous · 02/25/2010, 01:11 PM

My tank is cycling right now and I figure NOW is the time to figure out my equipment and maintenance routine. Currently I have a salinity level of 1.020. I have a 55 gallon tank with rock and about 10 gallons in the sump...but I figure the rock probably displaces that much in the tank...so if we assume I have about 55 gallons of water in the system, and I want to raise my salt level from 1.020 to 1.025 how best can I do that? Is there any way to easily and precisely do this, or is it just a matter of sprinkling a little salt into the tank here and there, waiting, and then checking the levels...and slowly doing this until my level is where I want it? It seems to me that there must be a more scientific approach to doing this......

aab3rd · 02/25/2010, 01:21 PM

piscivorous,

whatever you do, don't sprinkle salt into the tank. I would suggest making up a batch of salt water that is a little dense on the salt and SLOWLY do small water changes until your measurement is where you want it. It is best to have the salt water mixed for a couple of days before adding it.

I am sure you could formulate how much, etc. but that much math hurts my head.

good luck and happy reefing.

ChuckG · 02/25/2010, 01:28 PM

Stop topping off with fresh water and let it evaporate to the salinity you want. If you can't stop adding top of water because your sump would run dry then you can mix salt into your top off water. Once the salinity is where you want it, go back to using fresh water for top off.

This will take some number of days to go from 1.020 to 1.025 but is good practice at making adjustmentd to the tank slowly.

patsfan1130 · 02/25/2010, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonzalezcp

Stop topping off with fresh water and let it evaporate to the salinity you want. If you can't stop adding top of water because your sump would run dry then you can mix salt into your top off water. Once the salinity is where you want it, go back to using fresh water for top off.

This will take some number of days to go from 1.020 to 1.025 but is good practice at making adjustmentd to the tank slowly.

I agree. Top off with salt water slowly

Savas · 02/25/2010, 02:14 PM

I agree with both previous post, and personally use the method stated by gonz.

02/25/2010, 01:11 PM	#1
piscivorous Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Groton, N.Y. Posts: 801	Any precise/easy way to increase salinity? My tank is cycling right now and I figure NOW is the time to figure out my equipment and maintenance routine. Currently I have a salinity level of 1.020. I have a 55 gallon tank with rock and about 10 gallons in the sump...but I figure the rock probably displaces that much in the tank...so if we assume I have about 55 gallons of water in the system, and I want to raise my salt level from 1.020 to 1.025 how best can I do that? Is there any way to easily and precisely do this, or is it just a matter of sprinkling a little salt into the tank here and there, waiting, and then checking the levels...and slowly doing this until my level is where I want it? It seems to me that there must be a more scientific approach to doing this......

02/25/2010, 02:14 PM	#5
Savas Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maryland / St. Thomas once a month Posts: 764	I agree with both previous post, and personally use the method stated by gonz. __________________ If you can get your wife hooked into reef keeping, you can spend all the money you want! Current Tank Info: 24 gallon Aquapod Nanotuners 4.32 T-5 lighting upgrade; 24 gallon Aquapod with stock power compacts and actinic lighting; 12 gallon Aquapod with stock power compacts and actinic lighting.

02/25/2010, 01:21 PM	#2
aab3rd Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Oakland, TN Posts: 112	piscivorous, whatever you do, don't sprinkle salt into the tank. I would suggest making up a batch of salt water that is a little dense on the salt and SLOWLY do small water changes until your measurement is where you want it. It is best to have the salt water mixed for a couple of days before adding it. I am sure you could formulate how much, etc. but that much math hurts my head. good luck and happy reefing.

02/25/2010, 01:28 PM	#3
ChuckG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Batavia, Il Posts: 647	Stop topping off with fresh water and let it evaporate to the salinity you want. If you can't stop adding top of water because your sump would run dry then you can mix salt into your top off water. Once the salinity is where you want it, go back to using fresh water for top off. This will take some number of days to go from 1.020 to 1.025 but is good practice at making adjustmentd to the tank slowly.