salt level

[Insert]

I took over a tank from a buddy that wasn't taking care of it. Its a 20 gallon and after everything was settled I checked lvls and was surprised to see 1.032. I did a little cleaning and about a 20% water change and added more RO then Salt water. Checked it a little later and was down to 1.029. My question is how soon should I go a head and do another water change to get it to where I need it?>

[thegrun]

I would lower your salinity 0.001 a day ubntil you get it down to 1.026

[Drew11]

To help avoid rapid salinity swings, the saltwater that you are freshly mixing should be you're desired salinity. So if you want it at 1.026, new salt water should be mixed up at 1.026 and that will slowly bring it down to the desired level without going lower or higher. For example, try not to mix up your new saltwater at like 1.020 and hope that it brings it down to the correct levels. Hope that makes sense and helps.

[thegrun]

It would take a very long time (actually forever if you take it to the extreme levels of accuracy with the salinity readings) to lower the salinity back to 1.026 with just water changes using water at a 1.026 salinity. I would remove a half gallon of saltwater each day and replace it with freash RO/DI water. This should drop your salinity 0.001 per day, well within the safety margin of both fish and corals.

[Drew11]

There is just less room for error by adding it at 1.026. and I don't think it would take THAT long considering its only a 20g tank.

[ganjero]

What are you using to measure specific gravity? The 1.032 SG may be a false value if you are using a common hobby hydrometer that has not been compared to a refractometer.

To lower the SG I agree with thegrun's comment.

[thegrun]

There is just less room for error by adding it at 1.026. and I don't think it would take THAT long considering its only a 20g tank.

After 4 weeks if you made 10% water changes you would be less than half way there.

[Insert]

I am currently using a cheap hydrometer, but ordered a refractometer that should come in next week. All I have is 3 fish and live rock oh and 3 snails. All is well little green algae but nothing to freak out about. Did a water test this morning after a 20 % change and it was around 1.028 with hydrometer so I might do one more change and see what it reads till I get refractometer in. Thoughts?

[ganjero]

I am currently using a cheap hydrometer, but ordered a refractometer that should come in next week. All I have is 3 fish and live rock oh and 3 snails. All is well little green algae but nothing to freak out about. Did a water test this morning after a 20 % change and it was around 1.028 with hydrometer so I might do one more change and see what it reads till I get refractometer in. Thoughts?

If the inhabitants seem to be doing ok I would stop there and wait for the refractometer. I have had hydrometers that are 10+ points off.

[Insert]

Just got my refractometer in and got a reading of 1.030. I'll take thegrun's advice and pull out a half gallon a day till I can get it where I need. Also checked my stand by salt water and its at 1.025. But all my critters are looking happy.

[melvinakshay]

cant he just use the drip method to slowly bring down salinity ?

[thegrun]

I have never heard or seen any study that suggests increased salinity would speed up the cycle. I would suspect the opposite; any increase above the salinity of natural sea water would slow down the cycle.

[ReEfErAdDiCt86]

Remove small amounts of salt water and replace it with the same amount of freshwater. Do this slowly over several days until you reach the desired salinity level. No need to make this complicated.

[melvinakshay]

I have never heard or seen any study that suggests increased salinity would speed up the cycle. I would suspect the opposite; any increase above the salinity of natural sea water would slow down the cycle.

:lol: I edited the post.. I thought that he was cycling the tank and had no livestock in it. :bigeyes:

I don't really remember where I read that - but when I got my tank and was cycling it I do remember reading stuff

http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

[thegrun]

That's a good article, but I to clarify for other readers I do not see any mention of elevated salinity levels speeding up the bacteria growth.