Mixed up fresh /salt water during water change

Evi1Monkey · 08/25/2010, 11:16 AM

I'm not really to worried, but my girlfriend is...

55gallon tank, 3 chromis (not damsels), some cuc (skunk shrimp, turbos, hermits, sand starfish), around 10-15 lbs of rock, 1 1/2 or so in live sand... nothing special.

Last night I went to LFS and got 15 gals of water, 10 salt for the change, 5 fresh for topoff. Before change, salt was around 1.025 or so on my cheapo hydrometer, which according to the "not as close better LFS"'s refractometer mine reads high, so it is about where mine should rest at.

The lady at the "not so good but 20 minutes closer" LFS mixed up the water jugs, and I didn't catch it till my GF goes "why does the water look soapy as you're pouring it in?"... I reply "Oh, thats just freshwater mixing in with salt water... ..." and realized what had happened.

The water then measured around 1.014... Almost at the bottom of my meter. LFS was closed at that point, so I siphoned 5 gals out back into the jug it came from, and put the last 5 gals of salt water (checking it this time before putting it in) to replace what I had taken out... Turned everything back on, let it cycle for around 5 minutes, then it read around 1.022-1.023 range.

I'm not really panicking because the lights had been out for around 4 hours by that point, and it was only for a few minutes. When I woke up this morning the fish all ate, and everything looked fine.

Do you think everything will be ok? Was my reaction a good one? Anything else I could do to keep my fish from being stressed more from this?

davidtsx · 08/25/2010, 11:24 AM

Because you have damsels I wouldn't be to worried. You can flush them down the toilet and they would live, they are a very hardy fish. Your CUC is what I would be watching. Just keep and eye on the shrimp and star fish, but everything should be okay.

Evi1Monkey · 08/25/2010, 11:51 AM

Bah, brain fart, not damsels, chromis... but I don't think it will make a difference (fixed typo)

Mavrk · 08/25/2010, 11:57 AM

Chromis are a kind of damselfish...

You can freshwater dip a fish and have it be okay. I think you are fine.

08/25/2010, 11:16 AM	#1
Evi1Monkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 100	Mixed up fresh /salt water during water change I'm not really to worried, but my girlfriend is... 55gallon tank, 3 chromis (not damsels), some cuc (skunk shrimp, turbos, hermits, sand starfish), around 10-15 lbs of rock, 1 1/2 or so in live sand... nothing special. Last night I went to LFS and got 15 gals of water, 10 salt for the change, 5 fresh for topoff. Before change, salt was around 1.025 or so on my cheapo hydrometer, which according to the "not as close better LFS"'s refractometer mine reads high, so it is about where mine should rest at. The lady at the "not so good but 20 minutes closer" LFS mixed up the water jugs, and I didn't catch it till my GF goes "why does the water look soapy as you're pouring it in?"... I reply "Oh, thats just freshwater mixing in with salt water... ..." and realized what had happened. The water then measured around 1.014... Almost at the bottom of my meter. LFS was closed at that point, so I siphoned 5 gals out back into the jug it came from, and put the last 5 gals of salt water (checking it this time before putting it in) to replace what I had taken out... Turned everything back on, let it cycle for around 5 minutes, then it read around 1.022-1.023 range. I'm not really panicking because the lights had been out for around 4 hours by that point, and it was only for a few minutes. When I woke up this morning the fish all ate, and everything looked fine. Do you think everything will be ok? Was my reaction a good one? Anything else I could do to keep my fish from being stressed more from this? Last edited by Evi1Monkey; 08/25/2010 at 11:51 AM. Reason: Mixed up fish name

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08/25/2010, 11:24 AM	#2
davidtsx Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 272	Because you have damsels I wouldn't be to worried. You can flush them down the toilet and they would live, they are a very hardy fish. Your CUC is what I would be watching. Just keep and eye on the shrimp and star fish, but everything should be okay.

08/25/2010, 11:51 AM	#3
Evi1Monkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 100	Bah, brain fart, not damsels, chromis... but I don't think it will make a difference (fixed typo)

08/25/2010, 11:57 AM	#4
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	Chromis are a kind of damselfish... You can freshwater dip a fish and have it be okay. I think you are fine.