Salinity Quesition

[fretfreak13]

Getting my first fish very soon. During my cycle, my tank water evaporated a little bit, so my HOB carbon filter (more using for surface disruption and flow, but I do put carbon in sometimes) was making bubbles. Big no-no, so I'm told. I bought about two gallons of distilled water and put it in the tank, being told that I didn't have to put more salt in the water because only the WATER evaportates and the SALT stays in the tank. Is that true? My salinity, which was a steady 2.025, is now at 1.023. I want corals, and I did have a hitch hiking button polyp in there but he's looking kind of crummy and not opening up (water paras are fine). How do I bring my salitniy back up to the desired level?

 

[mkroher]

Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3126457
being told that I didn't have to put more salt in the water because only the WATER evaportates and the SALT stays in the tank. Is that true?
yes
How do I bring my salitniy back up to the desired level?
By adding salt. Mix the salt first before adding to the tank. If you have no room in the tank to add more water, then take a gallon out to mix the salt in, then put the new mixture back in.
Add additional salt slowly so you don't over-shoot your target. Do a little at a time, and keep checking your salinity level.

 

[fretfreak13]

Any guestimate on how "slowly" I should start?

 

[cajonez]

I have read in many other posts that you don't want to bring the sg up too quickly. They suggested using mixed saltwater as a top-off until it gets up to where it should be. Depending on how fast your water evaporates it could take days.

 

[mkroher]

You shouldn't increase SG by more than .001 a day.
Without doing any calculations, I would just prepare a 5 gallon bucket at about 1.030
Change about 1 gallon, check the salinity. If it went up .001, do another water change tomorrow. If it didn't budge.. do another gallon.
And increase in salinity too fast is very stressful to fish and can result in osmotic shock, which is why it needs to be done slowly.
Are you using a refractometer? or a hydrometer?

 

[fretfreak13]

I am using a hydrometer, and I don't have any fish in there at all. Just hitch hikers, and one large feather duster that I put in. I have no more distilled water, and would have to be driven to the store by my parents to buy some. My question being, can I juts put it into the tank then?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by cajonez
http:///forum/post/3126476
They suggested using mixed saltwater as a top-off until it gets up to where it should be.
This is my suggestion as well. I do not recommend mixing extra strong saltwater because some of the trace elements become oversaturated and may precipitate.
Just let the extra fresh water evaporate and replace it with normal salinity water until the salinity is where you want it.
I wanted to mention that specific gravity (1.025) is affected quite a bit by temperature. Salinity (35ppt) is not. I only mention this because they are not the same measurement so mixing cold water to a specific gravity of 1.025 will not give you the salinity you want - 35ppt. It will be slightly low.
I also want to mention that swing-arm hydrometers are often inaccurate and should be compared to a calibrated refractometer or salinity meter every 6 months or so.

 

[fretfreak13]

OKi doki, I'll do that then. I'm in no extreem rush to get any more corals, I only have flourescent lighting.