first sw change..??

dreamer44

dreamer44

Member
I mixed my new salt water yesterday, planning on changing out 5g today. Its my first water change, and I want to know if the salinity in the newly mixed water has to be "exact" match to what is already in the tank?
I didn't change the water tonight like I planned because the sp. gravity is 1.024 in the tank, and 1.026 in the bucket of new water.
also my tank is between 80 and 80.5 degrees (without a heater) at any given time,,with lights running it will hit 82.5 after a few hours. My heater in my bucket of new salt water will only go to 78 degrees.....is this a prob? or can I change the water before the lights are on when its 80.5, adding the water thats 78degree's without worry.
Please let me know what I should do.
thanks again , and again, and again....i keep on bugging you guys!
dont mean to be a pain.
Lori
 
trigger11

trigger11

Member
Ideally you want to get the newly mixed water as close to tank conditions as possible. If the temp is within a few degrees that should be fine. You would probably be fine with the SG. Although since you have the SG a little higher in the mixed water compared to the tank you could always just add a little bit more freshwater to that to make it even. I would also check the alkalinity if you havent checked that.
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
There's no reason not to have the SG of the new water exactly the same, but it's not a really big deal as long as it's close, especially if you have a big tank. The best thing to do would be to add a little fresh water to the bucket to bring the SG down a bit. As for the temp, also not a big deal if you're careful to add the water slowly.
 
dreamer44

dreamer44

Member
Originally Posted by nietzsche
are you using a hydrometer or refractometer with ATC?
I believe its a refractometer, the kind you have to dip in and fill up,
I will add a bit more fresh water in the am, and let it sit a little while before checking/adding it to the tank.
thanks so much for your replies,
Lori
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by Dreamer44
I believe its a refractometer, the kind you have to dip in and fill up,
I will add a bit more fresh water in the am, and let it sit a little while before checking/adding it to the tank.
thanks so much for your replies,
Lori
What kind of a device are you using? It sounds like a hydrometer to me. Do you put it in the water and the arm swings to the reading or a glass one? Buy a refractometer from here for $39.99 you add a few drops to the lens and get a perfect reading. It even comes pre-calibrated so you don't have to mess with it at all. When you do a waterchange be sure to have the water as close as you can to the tank water. Check the PH as well. Be sure it is very close. The temp is not as much of an issue if you don't do the change quickly. The PH and SG are top priority.
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
I'd just like to say that I've used a hydrometer for over 10 years of saltwater fish keeping without any specific gravity-related problems. Don't feel like you have to rush out and spend $40 on a refractometer. If you want to fine, but it's not going to make or break you're tank, in my opinion.
 
dreamer44

dreamer44

Member
yes, your right, I looked at it after I got off line last night, its a hydrometer,
right now my tank is 79degrees, and the water is 78, so I think that would be fine. I think Im just going to check the salinity one last time, if its off too much I will add more top off water to the salt water, and take it from there, Ill let you know what happens, Im going to do a 3 gal change.
although the tank is a 24 gal nano, after the ls and lr went in there, dh said it took about 19 g to fill it the rest of the way, so I think 3 g will be plenty for a change.
wish me luck!
thank for all the help, I appreciate it
Lori
 
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