Best way to raise salinity

[jamesonwhiskey]

Hi, my tank had a crash a little while back and I'm slowly getting it back to life but my salinity it rather low at 1.021. I never add salt directly to the tank but I'm wondering if I can add it directly into the sump... it would be so much easier than taking water out, adding salt to it and putting it back or.

Also... how fast can I raise it, my goal is to get it up to 1.025 for my corals.

Right now I'm measuring with the cheap plastic salinity measurer but my PinPoint Monitor should be here Friday.

 

[richardhmc]

Hi welcome to manhattan reefs!

First off, good thing you are getting a monitor instead of a plastic hydrometer. Those things are VERY unreliable.

I would be careful since you might not be sure exactly as to what your salinity is.

Instead of adding salt directly to your tank, take out water, make new salt water that has the salinity of say 1.025. There is no need to jump the salinity in my opinion. As long as your corals seem fine, a slow and steady increase is good.

I've had my salinity overshoot up to 1.030 and over due to salt mixing mistakes and my corals were fine.

Assuming that you have a 54 gallon tank, judging by your signature, it doesn't take much to shoot up the salinity.

 

[E.intheC]

first, great screen name. second, I agree with the above.. just take it slow. You'll do more harm than good trying to raise it quickly. Each time you perform a water change, do it with higher salinity water than before (depending on how large the water change is..)

 

[Imbarrie]

If your livestock appears healthy I wouldn't do anything. As water evaporates your tank will become more saline. Just top off with salt water and you will gradually achieve the correct level.


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[akma]

My skimmer causes my salinity to drop over time. So I just topoff with saltwater accordingly.

 

[guarda]

+1 imbarrie. Safest way for many reasons.

 

[BZOFIQ]

If your livestock appears healthy I wouldn't do anything. As water evaporates your tank will become more saline. Just top off with salt water and you will gradually achieve the correct level.


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That may work great and allows for very gradual raise in salinity. Great suggestion.

 

[BZOFIQ]

If your livestock appears healthy I wouldn't do anything. As water evaporates your tank will become more saline. Just top off with salt water and you will gradually achieve the correct level.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

That may work great and allows for very gradual raise in salinity. Great suggestion.

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

Everything seems ok but my corals don't open all the way... my other levels:

PH: 8.4
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate = 0
KH = 10, Calcium 380 (trying to raise this too)

So
I figure my salt is the only thing really off..

 

[guarda]

On the other hand, on the many occasions that I screw up mixing salt and need to raise it faster than it evaporates, I mix it a notch higher and simply add small amounts to the sump.

 

[Imbarrie]

I lose about 5 gallons per week in a 100 gallon system. That will fluctuate the salinity quite a bit.


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[Vic8361]

If your livestock appears healthy I wouldn't do anything. As water evaporates your tank will become more saline. Just top off with salt water and you will gradually achieve the correct level.


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This is exactly what I would do.
Vic

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

I don't really have much evaporation my tank and sump are all pretty tight lids. I doubled the salt in the last change and I'm up to 1.022.

 

[Imbarrie]

You should open one of those for air transfer at the surface. Tight fitting lids prevent gas exchange and can lead to lower O2 levels.
May be fine if everything is healthy but could help lead to a crash.


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