How do you add salt to an aqarium during water changes?

[toyocuda]

I just did my partial water change to bring down the nitrites in my tank. When i put the new water in the tank and checked the salinity of the water instead of it being 1.020 and 1.024 it was 1.018. Now what do i do to put more salt into the tank? i tried adding more salt but it seems to be to saturated and just drops to the bottom of the tank instead of mixing with the water.
please get back to me, Thanks

 

[jonp]

If there is anything alive in the tank, you do not want to mix the salt into the tank. When making your next water change water, add salt to that and mix it with a powerhead for about 20 hours. Check the SG and make sure it's a little higher then what your DT is. Over time you'll slowly increase the SG and won't hurt the living things in your tank (if any).

 

[robdog696]

Originally Posted by toyocuda
http:///forum/post/2665890
I just did my partial water change to bring down the nitrites in my tank. When i put the new water in the tank and checked the salinity of the water instead of it being 1.020 and 1.024 it was 1.018. Now what do i do to put more salt into the tank? i tried adding more salt but it seems to be to saturated and just drops to the bottom of the tank instead of mixing with the water.
please get back to me, Thanks
JonP is exactly right. I just wanted to add a couple personal comments. I killed a fish by adding salt directly to the aquarium. So don't try to bust that myth. LOL! I already did, and failed. And I buy my saltwater premixed from my LFS in 5 gallon jugs. This way I do not have to fuss with the mess or wait a day for the salt to mix. I keep a jug of RO and a jug of salt next to my aquarium so I can balance salinity by adding water as soon as I see a change. Don't make drastic changes in salinity. Fish cannot handle it. Raise it slowly over a few days and then you should only need to make small adjustments in the future.

 

[toyocuda]

Ok sounds good but my big concern is how much do i mix in lets say a 1gal bucket? like as in table spoons? .... and believe it or not everything is still alive... for now....

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by toyocuda
http:///forum/post/2665957
Ok sounds good but my big concern is how much do i mix in lets say a 1gal bucket? like as in table spoons? .... and believe it or not everything is still alive... for now....
About 1/2 cup per gallon, read the bag. Then test it before adding it and adjust the salinity to match.

 

[toyocuda]

ok, thanks guys

 

[gmann1139]

If you need to up the salinity without doing a WC, pull out a couple gallons of your current water, mix salt in that until its hypersaline, somewhere in the 1.030 range, then add it back to the tank.

 

[srfisher17]

Now that the salt mixing question has been well answered; any idea why you still have nitrites? Did you mean nitrates, maybe? Nitrites are deadly, nitrates aren't (at least to fish).If it is nitrite: Are you still in the cycle process? What livestock do you have?

 

[toyocuda]

My nitrites were getting high and i know they are toxic to fish and i was told to bring the levels down you have to do a water change every once in while. I only have live rock, 1 clown fish, and 3 blue legged hermit crabs at the moment

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by toyocuda
http:///forum/post/2667513
My nitrites were getting high and i know they are toxic to fish and i was told to bring the levels down you have to do a water change every once in while. I only have live rock, 1 clown fish, and 3 blue legged hermit crabs at the moment
If you have enough LR, water flow or another filter holding media for a biological filter; nitrItes should never be a problem.(assuming you've fully cycled.) If nitrItes keep showing up, something is wrong. If you have an ongoing nitrIte problem, ammonia will be present at some times as well. Water changes are recommended for nitrAte reduction, bacteria in your bio-filter should take care of nitrIte before it is even measurable.