Raising salinity - how much, how fast???

fishgirl1 · 08/08/2006, 06:20 AM

I was reading another post and found that my salinity of 1.022 is probably too low. I have 3 damselfish, 3 hermit crabs, and 3 turbo snails. They all seem to be doing fine. My question is....what should my salinity be and how to I go about raising it? I don't know how far I can raise it at one time and how I will know how much it will raise?

Thanks for any help!

DannyXL · 08/08/2006, 06:26 AM

Hey. I started the same way when I went from a FOWLR to my reef. I was at 1.022, and when I did water changes I just mixed a higher salinity say 1.025, then the next water change I started making 1.026 (I'm at 1.025 now) and I was doing the water changes once a week. You can also use 1.025 or 1.026 water to top off your system until you get to your desired salinity. I think the more experienced reefers here in the forum can definately guide you, but this worked well for me without incident to any of my livestock.

kraze3 · 08/08/2006, 07:06 AM

DannyXL's method will work just fine. When I did my hypo I riased my salinity about .002 a day until I got it to 1.026.

Andrew · 08/08/2006, 07:52 AM

I drip my new water into the tank. Never had a problem with high salt but after my fish are done with hypo, I have to raise the SG back to 1.025 over 4-5 days. So I just mix up a bucket of high salt water and put an airline hose on it with a valve and drip that water into the tank right by a powerhead. So far I drip about a drop a second to 2 drops a second and that brings back up the salt. Pretty simple because all you have to do is fill up the bucket and make sure the tank's not overflowing.

Kiel'thalin · 08/08/2006, 10:01 AM

For information purposes you are not talking about salinity, you guys are talking about Specific Gravity (SG). There is a difference, the salinity (ideally 34-36) if affected by the temperature of the tank, but most Hydometers are calibrated at 78Â°, if they are calibrated at all. If you keep your tank around that temp you should be fine using your meter. Other than that I would question my readings until you can get a good standard. Good luck.

fishgirl1 · 08/08/2006, 11:33 AM

Thanks for all the input. I am using one of the cheap gauges to measure specific gravity. I am so new at this and have so much to learn...... My tank is at around 80 degrees so I don't even know if I can use the gauge I have! What should I use instead that would be accurate????

Thanks!

Kiel'thalin · 08/08/2006, 12:50 PM

Well, I can't really can not explain it without going into too much detail, but tempature, air bubbles, salt accumulation on your gauge are just some factors that will effect your reading. I was just trying to point out that Salinity is not Specific Gravity and some meters are not calibrated correctly and might give you a faulty reading. I think there is a walkthough on how to caibrate a hydrometer somewhere. Anyone?

08/08/2006, 06:20 AM	#1
fishgirl1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ohio Posts: 46	Raising salinity - how much, how fast??? I was reading another post and found that my salinity of 1.022 is probably too low. I have 3 damselfish, 3 hermit crabs, and 3 turbo snails. They all seem to be doing fine. My question is....what should my salinity be and how to I go about raising it? I don't know how far I can raise it at one time and how I will know how much it will raise? Thanks for any help!

08/08/2006, 06:26 AM	#2
DannyXL Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 31	Hey. I started the same way when I went from a FOWLR to my reef. I was at 1.022, and when I did water changes I just mixed a higher salinity say 1.025, then the next water change I started making 1.026 (I'm at 1.025 now) and I was doing the water changes once a week. You can also use 1.025 or 1.026 water to top off your system until you get to your desired salinity. I think the more experienced reefers here in the forum can definately guide you, but this worked well for me without incident to any of my livestock.

08/08/2006, 07:06 AM	#3
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	DannyXL's method will work just fine. When I did my hypo I riased my salinity about .002 a day until I got it to 1.026.

08/08/2006, 07:52 AM	#4
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	I drip my new water into the tank. Never had a problem with high salt but after my fish are done with hypo, I have to raise the SG back to 1.025 over 4-5 days. So I just mix up a bucket of high salt water and put an airline hose on it with a valve and drip that water into the tank right by a powerhead. So far I drip about a drop a second to 2 drops a second and that brings back up the salt. Pretty simple because all you have to do is fill up the bucket and make sure the tank's not overflowing.

08/08/2006, 10:01 AM	#5
Kiel'thalin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Albany, Georgia Posts: 575	For information purposes you are not talking about salinity, you guys are talking about Specific Gravity (SG). There is a difference, the salinity (ideally 34-36) if affected by the temperature of the tank, but most Hydometers are calibrated at 78Â°, if they are calibrated at all. If you keep your tank around that temp you should be fine using your meter. Other than that I would question my readings until you can get a good standard. Good luck.

08/08/2006, 11:33 AM	#6
fishgirl1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ohio Posts: 46	Thanks for all the input. I am using one of the cheap gauges to measure specific gravity. I am so new at this and have so much to learn...... My tank is at around 80 degrees so I don't even know if I can use the gauge I have! What should I use instead that would be accurate???? Thanks!

08/08/2006, 12:50 PM	#7
Kiel'thalin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Albany, Georgia Posts: 575	Well, I can't really can not explain it without going into too much detail, but tempature, air bubbles, salt accumulation on your gauge are just some factors that will effect your reading. I was just trying to point out that Salinity is not Specific Gravity and some meters are not calibrated correctly and might give you a faulty reading. I think there is a walkthough on how to caibrate a hydrometer somewhere. Anyone?