Water in QT tank dropped to 1.005

[Freed]

My brother checked on my tanks this week while I was in MI, bless his heart, but unfortunately when he topped off my 20 gallon QT tank he did turn the ball valve off to it but just not quite all the way. This allowed about 50 gallons of fresh water to empty into the 20 gallon tank over a 2 day period. When I got home today I noticed what happened and checked the salinity in the tank and it was at 1.005SG I have been taking water from the tank and then replacing with water with a salinity of 1.025

I have a colony of acan lords in there along with a newly acquired colony of yellow/purple duncans. The acans look pretty good but the duncans are totally closed up and really mad. How long should I take to raise the salinity back up to 1.025 where it was at on Wednesday before all this took place? Can anyone help? Thanks.

[Hypertek99]

I would do it slow. Do you have any air tubing??? Do a drip acclimation for a few hours until it's back up to the desire salinity

[Justin74]

I'd remove a gallon and slowly add a strong brew tonight and bring it up to 1.015 . Which is at a safer level of SW although obviously not ideal. Then later the next day slowly bring it up to 1.020, then again slowly over the course of 2 days bring it up to your 1.025. Its much safer to drop it down with salinty than it is to go up. Even my method may be a little too agressive, but Ive dropped it low in the past, not quite that low but to 1.016 and brought it back up to 1.024(where I kept it at the time) over the course of 2 days, they were pO'd that evening into the night but were almost business as usual the next day.


-Justin

[Freed]

Today at 1.016 the acans are looking fine but of course the duncans are turning to mush. :(

[Justin74]

Im sorry to hear that Freed :(


-Justin

[Hypertek99]

That sucks are they mush like in melting??? It's hard to come back once they start melting. But don't give up. Leave it alone and see if it comes back in a few days.

[Freed]

Yes they are melting around the outer edges but the inner areas are still in tact so far. I am at 1.020 and will stay here until at least tomorrow to see what happens. I've had coral in about 1.015 before with no effects so hopefully they will stop melting and bounce back. Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone.