Can I add more water while cycling my tank?

thakki · 08/07/2014, 03:38 PM

Hello,

Its been 7+ days since I started my tank and I see the water level has gone down a bit...i don't have a canopy or a glass top (can't find one for a 75 gallon bow front tank anywhere...any suggestions?)...is it okay for me to fill it up with few gallons so that my HOB skimmer doesn't make much noise (water fall) while my tank is still cycling?

TigeBell · 08/07/2014, 03:45 PM

Yes, just add ro/di water not saltwater.

kurt_n · 08/07/2014, 03:45 PM

Yup... totally fine to top-off (with ro/di water... not saltwater) during the cycle. It's good practice!

I know there's probably different opinions, but I wouldn't be running a skimmer during the cycle. It'll be stripping some of the stuff out of the water that you're trying to use to keep the cycle going. Clean water is not the goal during the cycle.

thakki · 08/07/2014, 03:49 PM

Wouldn't the salinity of the water in the tank go down if we add just the RODI water instead of saltwater? Whats the importance of adding only RoDI water?

Sk8r · 08/07/2014, 04:03 PM

Salt never evaporates. Only H20 does. Replace the lost H20 and the salt will remain the same. If you DIDN'T constantly replace the lost H20 your tank would become salty as the Dead Sea, and finally just a white crust on the bottom.

The equipment you need to handle this is an ATO or autotopoff. Search 'ATO marine tank' or check our sponsors. You'll need a bucket to hold ro/di water (if you don't have a ro/di filter of your own, you need that too!) and a pump to deliver water from the bucket when the ATO switches it on. The ATO will switch it off when the water is at level.

This is how you keep your salinity constant and your fish and critters happy. Having a second one for your quarantine tank is a real good idea.

jeffberg1941 · 08/07/2014, 07:14 PM

i gotta tell you, i've been topping off with my rodi, and the salinity has dropped from my reading 2 weeks prior. was-1.024, now-1.020. so, i'm not so sure about the salt physically still in the tank. am i missing something?
30 gal, hanging canister w/add on bio ball chamber, protein skimmer, just cuc. 2 weeks after cycle finished. no fish yet.

Xavibear · 08/07/2014, 08:39 PM

How much & how often are you topping off? Small amounts daily is best. You need to try to match your evaporation rate or get an ato.

F4talreeefer · 08/07/2014, 09:35 PM

You could be loosing some salt to salt creep if you have any forming. Don't see it being that drastic of a change though... on another note are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer? If. Refractometer try checking calibration. If not buy one off of Amazon for 25 bucks or so. They are much more reliable.

kurt_n · 08/07/2014, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffberg1941

i gotta tell you, i've been topping off with my rodi, and the salinity has dropped from my reading 2 weeks prior. was-1.024, now-1.020. so, i'm not so sure about the salt physically still in the tank...

Believe what you want, but the salt doesn't evaporate. More than likely, you're seeing inaccuracy in the salinity measurement.

Having come back from a 2 week vacation where my housesitter didn't quite keep up with topping off (granted... it was hotter than normal in my house), I can definitely tell you that salinity will increase if you don't top off enough.

FDdragon · 08/08/2014, 06:27 AM

yup. the salt doesn't evaporate. If you are getting low readings and you testing it correctly then i would guess you are adding too much water.

before you add the water test the salinity. you should see it higher than normal. if you get lower readings then there is something wrong. not sure why this would happen or if it is even possible. If the readings are higher than normal (which it should be) then you are probably adding too much freshwater which is causing your low salinity.

Lucky Lefty · 08/08/2014, 09:10 AM

If you are topping off more than is evaporating by eyeing it up, that may be the culprit Jeff. I have marked 2 lines on my sump box, one for the lowest level of water I want for my protein skimmer, and the second line is my max fill line. At my last water change, I started at the max fill line, and about every two days I'll top off with rodi back to the max fill line.

I've checked my salinity with a refractometer several times and it has stayed spot on at 1.024, and my water change was a few weeks back.

I am also accumulating a small, but decent amount of salt creep so it doesn't seem that has effected the level too much, if at all.

TigeBell · 08/08/2014, 09:19 AM

If:
1) your skimmer is going crazy
2) you are dumping tons of water out from it because it is filling the cup, and
3) replacing that water with only ro/di water

your salinity will also be reduced. There are a number of reason why you could be losing salinity but one of those reason's is not because salt evaporates. $.02

jeffberg1941 · 08/08/2014, 04:48 PM

that's it then, tigebell. thanks. my skimmer cup has been filling up quick. so topping off every other day with ro/di water is the problem. how do i remedy this issue?
btw i am using a refractometer and it has been very accurate for me from the get go.

Crooked Reef · 08/08/2014, 05:15 PM

You could try replacing the same amount from your skimmer with saltwater. Also remember any water you remove for testing, even a small amount a day, will add up and can lower salinity over time.

blackcell · 08/11/2014, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffberg1941

that's it then, tigebell. thanks. my skimmer cup has been filling up quick. so topping off every other day with ro/di water is the problem. how do i remedy this issue?
btw i am using a refractometer and it has been very accurate for me from the get go.

Your water level for the skimmer might be too high, should ranging from 6-7inch. Try to raise height by placing something underneath the skimmer, make sure it's secure.. Once the water mature, try adjusting the skimmer setting and fine tune it along the way.. Don't forget to remove the height support in a later stage.

Check this video out. Hope it helps

http://youtu.be/p6_t5ziZ3vU

firemountain · 08/12/2014, 06:56 AM

If you find that you are losing a bit salt, and your readings are accurate, you can either increase your water change solutions SG slightly, or add a VERY WEAK salt mix to your ATO.

I added like 3 cups of 1.018 salt water to my 5 gallon ATO. With my evap. Rate at like 1/4 to 1/2 gallon a day...the increase will be slow, and not affect your fish. Mind you I am not running Kalk in my ATO, so it's fine.

I have read that a lot of guys here have added weak salt mix to their ATO to raise their tanks salt level and like it because it's a gradual increase.

08/07/2014, 03:38 PM	#1
thakki Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Northern VA Posts: 85	Can I add more water while cycling my tank? Hello, Its been 7+ days since I started my tank and I see the water level has gone down a bit...i don't have a canopy or a glass top (can't find one for a 75 gallon bow front tank anywhere...any suggestions?)...is it okay for me to fill it up with few gallons so that my HOB skimmer doesn't make much noise (water fall) while my tank is still cycling?

08/07/2014, 03:45 PM	#2
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	Yes, just add ro/di water not saltwater. __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

08/07/2014, 04:03 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Salt never evaporates. Only H20 does. Replace the lost H20 and the salt will remain the same. If you DIDN'T constantly replace the lost H20 your tank would become salty as the Dead Sea, and finally just a white crust on the bottom. The equipment you need to handle this is an ATO or autotopoff. Search 'ATO marine tank' or check our sponsors. You'll need a bucket to hold ro/di water (if you don't have a ro/di filter of your own, you need that too!) and a pump to deliver water from the bucket when the ATO switches it on. The ATO will switch it off when the water is at level. This is how you keep your salinity constant and your fish and critters happy. Having a second one for your quarantine tank is a real good idea. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/07/2014, 08:39 PM	#7
Xavibear Crazy Prophet Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 1,008	How much & how often are you topping off? Small amounts daily is best. You need to try to match your evaporation rate or get an ato. __________________ 36g bowfront Current Tank Info: Pair of Occellaris clowns, Royal gramma, Yellow Watchman Goby/Tiger Pistol Shrimp, Blue tuxedo urchin, Fire shrimp, Trochus snails, Cerith snails, Nassarius snails, Ricordea mushroom, Kenya tree, Acan brain & Frogspawn

08/08/2014, 09:10 AM	#11
Lucky Lefty Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 790	If you are topping off more than is evaporating by eyeing it up, that may be the culprit Jeff. I have marked 2 lines on my sump box, one for the lowest level of water I want for my protein skimmer, and the second line is my max fill line. At my last water change, I started at the max fill line, and about every two days I'll top off with rodi back to the max fill line. I've checked my salinity with a refractometer several times and it has stayed spot on at 1.024, and my water change was a few weeks back. I am also accumulating a small, but decent amount of salt creep so it doesn't seem that has effected the level too much, if at all. __________________ 150g NJ Current Tank Info: est.5/9/14

08/07/2014, 03:45 PM	#3
kurt_n Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WA Posts: 2,592	Yup... totally fine to top-off (with ro/di water... not saltwater) during the cycle. It's good practice! I know there's probably different opinions, but I wouldn't be running a skimmer during the cycle. It'll be stripping some of the stuff out of the water that you're trying to use to keep the cycle going. Clean water is not the goal during the cycle.

08/07/2014, 03:49 PM	#4
thakki Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Northern VA Posts: 85	Wouldn't the salinity of the water in the tank go down if we add just the RODI water instead of saltwater? Whats the importance of adding only RoDI water?

08/07/2014, 07:14 PM	#6
jeffberg1941 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 31	i gotta tell you, i've been topping off with my rodi, and the salinity has dropped from my reading 2 weeks prior. was-1.024, now-1.020. so, i'm not so sure about the salt physically still in the tank. am i missing something? 30 gal, hanging canister w/add on bio ball chamber, protein skimmer, just cuc. 2 weeks after cycle finished. no fish yet.

08/07/2014, 09:35 PM	#8
F4talreeefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Stickney Il Posts: 57	You could be loosing some salt to salt creep if you have any forming. Don't see it being that drastic of a change though... on another note are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer? If. Refractometer try checking calibration. If not buy one off of Amazon for 25 bucks or so. They are much more reliable.

08/08/2014, 06:27 AM	#10
FDdragon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 85	yup. the salt doesn't evaporate. If you are getting low readings and you testing it correctly then i would guess you are adding too much water. before you add the water test the salinity. you should see it higher than normal. if you get lower readings then there is something wrong. not sure why this would happen or if it is even possible. If the readings are higher than normal (which it should be) then you are probably adding too much freshwater which is causing your low salinity.

08/08/2014, 09:19 AM	#12
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	If: 1) your skimmer is going crazy 2) you are dumping tons of water out from it because it is filling the cup, and 3) replacing that water with only ro/di water your salinity will also be reduced. There are a number of reason why you could be losing salinity but one of those reason's is not because salt evaporates. $.02 __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

08/08/2014, 04:48 PM	#13
jeffberg1941 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 31	that's it then, tigebell. thanks. my skimmer cup has been filling up quick. so topping off every other day with ro/di water is the problem. how do i remedy this issue? btw i am using a refractometer and it has been very accurate for me from the get go.

08/08/2014, 05:15 PM	#14
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	You could try replacing the same amount from your skimmer with saltwater. Also remember any water you remove for testing, even a small amount a day, will add up and can lower salinity over time. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

08/12/2014, 06:56 AM	#16
firemountain Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 1,033	If you find that you are losing a bit salt, and your readings are accurate, you can either increase your water change solutions SG slightly, or add a VERY WEAK salt mix to your ATO. I added like 3 cups of 1.018 salt water to my 5 gallon ATO. With my evap. Rate at like 1/4 to 1/2 gallon a day...the increase will be slow, and not affect your fish. Mind you I am not running Kalk in my ATO, so it's fine. I have read that a lot of guys here have added weak salt mix to their ATO to raise their tanks salt level and like it because it's a gradual increase.