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Top off water

post #1 of 7
2/17/12 at 12:39pm
Thread Starter 

I don't understand that when you top off saltwater you add freshwater. It seems like it would lower the salinity. That's it, could someone elaborate

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post #2 of 7
2/17/12 at 12:49pm

Salt does not evaporate.....so when the "water" does the salinity actually rises......

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post #3 of 7
2/17/12 at 1:13pm

yep the salt is "heavier" so to speak than the water so when the water evaporates the salt stays in! Thus the salt level will rise....to counter this, u must top off daily if not twice a day to keep the salt level stable and at one set point!

HTHs

-devin

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post #4 of 7
2/17/12 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 


Oh, so if you do not top off your water your salinity will get higher?
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer View Post

Salt does not evaporate.....so when the "water" does the salinity actually rises......



 

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post #5 of 7
2/17/12 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks you two

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post #6 of 7
2/17/12 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilclowns View Post


Oh, so if you do not top off your water your salinity will get higher?
 



 



Exactly.  Some tanks evaporate faster than others.  It depends on the heat and humidity in your home, what kind of lighting you have on your tank, if you have fans blowing across the water surface, etc.

 

For example, my 110g used to evap a gallon a day under t5 and PC lights.  My 37g tank used to go through 5 gallons every two weeks when I used PC bulbs.  When I switched to MH lights, my 37g evaporation jumped to almost a gallon per day.  Once I added a chiller on that tank, my evap has dropped to less than 5 gallons per three weeks.

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post #7 of 7
2/18/12 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 

All right thanks, I shall start to do that

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