Safest way to raise SG.

[gee_lo]

Hello friends!

I am trying to raise my SG in my new reef tank. It is currently at 1.021, and I have been told that it is too low.

What is the SG that you folks reccomend? I run my 60 gallon system at 78 -79 degrees, and have a leather, torch, and an open brain corals - as well as a tang, clown,and cardinal fish.

I see that 1.024 seems to be a reccomended value. (or 1.025)

And most importantly, what is the safest way to raise the SG without shocking the organisms? I figure add higher SG saltwater during water changes will work, but whats the highest SG I can add at once, and by how much and at what itervals.

I change 5 gallons a week, if that is a acceptable amount to start raising the SG with. But i can change more if necessary.


Thanks
Angelo

 

[Anonymous]

I would add salt to your make-up water. Say 2 cups of salt added to 1 gallon of fresh water. Then add this slowly over a couple of days while checking the SG. Continue until you reach your new level.

1.024-1.025 should be fine IMHO.

Louey

 

[Carpentersreef]

You could also stop adding top-off water and keep all future water change water at your new 1.024/5 level.
Start adding top-off water again when your salinity is where you want it.

Mitch

 

[reefland]

I would add salt to your make-up water. Say 2 cups of salt added to 1 gallon of fresh water. Then add this slowly over a couple of days while checking the SG. Continue until you reach your new level.

I think this is to highly concentrated and you might run into something precip'n out of solution. 3 cups (heaping or so) makes 5 gallons of water pretty darn close to NSW levels. To put 2 cups into a gallon of water might have issues.

I would suggest you just make your salt water the way you normally would, and just top off the tank with that a few days to bring up your SG.

 

[Anonymous]

I think this is to highly concentrated and you might run into something precip'n out of solution. 3 cups (heaping or so) makes 5 gallons of water pretty darn close to NSW levels. To put 2 cups into a gallon of water might have issues.

Well, it depends on your tank size and how quickly the highly concentrated salt water is added My tank is a 75 and evaporates about a 1/2 gallon a day. So it takes two days for the salt to be added. If I wanted to increase my SG from 1.021 to 1.025 I would have to do the 2-cup method a couple of times to reach the 1.025 goal. It's been awhile since I have done this so I can't rememeber if it took 4 cups or 6?

2 cups of salt really doesn't have that much of an impact on a 75 G with sump and refugium.

Louey

 

[gee_lo]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I have 2 reservoirs....1 for fresh top-off water. And the other for mixed salt water( right next to it) . I guess all I will do is stick the intake of my dosing pump in my saltwater reservoir for a couple of days.

I wonder how long it will take to raise my 1.021 water to 1.024 if I will be topping of with 1.024 water at a rate of 2.5 gallons a day? Any brainy number crunchers out there?

Thanks again for your help!

Angelo

 

[rayjay]

Wow! I can't tell you how long it will take to bring up the level but my brain tells me that topping off 2 1/2 gallons of make up water per day for what you described as a 60g system is a he_l of a lot of evaporation, and it won't take long topping up that quantity. I only replace a little over 5 gallons of limewater for over 550 gallons of tanks each night.

 

[Keith A]

a tang in a 60 gallon???

i'm surprised the tang police haven't been to your house yet..

 

[JohnD]

Keith,

I think they are on a west coast swing right now, but you are right. They will be back!!

 

[wombat1]

I wonder how long it will take to raise my 1.021 water to 1.024 if I will be topping of with 1.024 water at a rate of 2.5 gallons a day? Any brainy number crunchers out there?

I'm sure someone could figure this out for you, but why not just test it frequently?? BTW, I keep my tanks at 1.026 and 80 F. I would add 1.021 or even 1.015 water as your topoff. This will make the conversion slower, especially if you're losing that much water every day.
Rayjay wrote:

I only replace a little over 5 gallons of limewater for over 550 gallons of tanks each night.

A larger system will have a smaller evaporation rate per gallon because of the decreased surface area per volume. I lose a gallon a day in my 40.