Best way to raise salinity (1.021)

Jmunk · 09/29/2014, 11:47 PM

My current salinity is at 1.021.

Funny thing is, about four months ago it was at 1.025 and I didn't even bother to check, I did my water changes and made sure it was around 1.025 but somehow it got low, fast.

I don't use an ATO so could that be a possible reason? I pour RODI water in the sump once a day.

My question is, how do I go about safely raising the salinity? I use 5 gallon jugs for top off water, so if I put some salt in there, I can't really put a powerhead in there to mix it up. Any ideas?

iceet · 09/30/2014, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmunk

My current salinity is at 1.021.

Funny thing is, about four months ago it was at 1.025 and I didn't even bother to check, I did my water changes and made sure it was around 1.025 but somehow it got low, fast.

I don't use an ATO so could that be a possible reason? I pour RODI water in the sump once a day.

My question is, how do I go about safely raising the salinity? I use 5 gallon jugs for top off water, so if I put some salt in there, I can't really put a powerhead in there to mix it up. Any ideas?

You can use a small power head or pump in a 5 gallon jug. Just don't fill it to the top and if you have a lid put it on. Better yet get a 30 gallon or larger brute container. It will only be around $25 and it will save you so much time and energy. I used to be like you and recently got a 32 gallon brute container. I drilled a small hole in it, installed a float valve, then connected my RO/DI unit to it. The float valve prevents floods from happening if I forget to turn off the RO/DI.

I had a hypo salinity problem recently as well. This is what I did. I would do water changes with water that had a salinity of about 0.003 higher than my DT water and kept doing my regular water changes. Better not to shock your livestock with rapid changes to your salinity.

joshbbert · 09/30/2014, 04:22 AM

I use gallon jugs as well and dont use an ato I marked the water line on my tank where its supposed to be and fill it daily to the line and my salinity stays the same. Fill the jugs 3/4 with super salty water cap it and shake the crap out of it or make the water in a bucket first then fill it till you get the desired salinity. Works for me hope it helps

toothybugs · 09/30/2014, 06:40 AM

This can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be.

1) Add a little salt to your top-off water and let it happen.

or

2) Take a 1/2-1gal jug, fill it halfway with sump water, add a couple tbsp salt, shake it to mix, and pour it back in to your sump, anywhere but the last chamber. Repeat daily until your salinity is where you want it to be. (Test the salinity before mixing up the jug.)

Don't make it hard, this is really a matter of adding salt to water and slowly adding it, one way or another, to the system. Easy.

Mark9 · 09/30/2014, 11:14 AM

When I needed to up my salinity a bit, I just added about 1/3 a gallon freshly mixed SW to my tank every day until I hit the 1.026.
Evaporation did the rest.
Was easier than adding to my ATO container and potentially overshooting the mark.

09/29/2014, 11:47 PM	#1
Jmunk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 686	Best way to raise salinity (1.021) My current salinity is at 1.021. Funny thing is, about four months ago it was at 1.025 and I didn't even bother to check, I did my water changes and made sure it was around 1.025 but somehow it got low, fast. I don't use an ATO so could that be a possible reason? I pour RODI water in the sump once a day. My question is, how do I go about safely raising the salinity? I use 5 gallon jugs for top off water, so if I put some salt in there, I can't really put a powerhead in there to mix it up. Any ideas?

09/30/2014, 04:22 AM	#3
joshbbert Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: arizona Posts: 50	I use gallon jugs as well and dont use an ato I marked the water line on my tank where its supposed to be and fill it daily to the line and my salinity stays the same. Fill the jugs 3/4 with super salty water cap it and shake the crap out of it or make the water in a bucket first then fill it till you get the desired salinity. Works for me hope it helps

09/30/2014, 06:40 AM	#4
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	This can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be. 1) Add a little salt to your top-off water and let it happen. or 2) Take a 1/2-1gal jug, fill it halfway with sump water, add a couple tbsp salt, shake it to mix, and pour it back in to your sump, anywhere but the last chamber. Repeat daily until your salinity is where you want it to be. (Test the salinity before mixing up the jug.) Don't make it hard, this is really a matter of adding salt to water and slowly adding it, one way or another, to the system. Easy.

09/30/2014, 11:14 AM	#5
Mark9 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Atlanta Posts: 2,497	When I needed to up my salinity a bit, I just added about 1/3 a gallon freshly mixed SW to my tank every day until I hit the 1.026. Evaporation did the rest. Was easier than adding to my ATO container and potentially overshooting the mark.