My water level is too low I have no saltwater all stores are closed and I have no salt mix and my corals don't look too good. I took a gallon of fresh didtiled water and colested all the salt around the rim of the tank and placed it in the gallon container. And pored 75 percent of it in the tank. The pump is over powering the intake flow. Can I take Tavel sea salt and mix it with fresh distiled water and pours it in tank. Also I have no way of testing salt. No salt tester. Help plez what do I do
need help instantly Verry important
- Thread starter Kwater
- Start date
Keaton
Reefing newb
How low is it? If it's low b/c you haven't been topping off then you would want to add fresh water as the salt is left behind in the evaporation process. I'm not too sure about the Table salt though.
cthegame
Reef enthusiast
What is your current salinity?
messiah023
Reefing newb
Don't use table salt.
Keaton has a point which you may not know.
When water evaporates, ONLY the freshwater evaporates....the salt stays in the tank.
This means your top-offs should ONLY be freshwater.
If you are topping off with saltwater, it's a good assumption that your salinity is too high.
If you don't have something to measure salinity, I would suggest picking one up. You can get a cheap refractometer from F&S.
If your salinity gets too high, your fish, corals and inverts will show signs of not doing well.
Another thing to check is your water temp. As your water level decreases, your lights will heat up the water faster. If your temps are spiking, you could also be showing bad signs in the tank.
Let us know...
Keaton has a point which you may not know.
When water evaporates, ONLY the freshwater evaporates....the salt stays in the tank.
This means your top-offs should ONLY be freshwater.
If you are topping off with saltwater, it's a good assumption that your salinity is too high.
If you don't have something to measure salinity, I would suggest picking one up. You can get a cheap refractometer from F&S.
If your salinity gets too high, your fish, corals and inverts will show signs of not doing well.
Another thing to check is your water temp. As your water level decreases, your lights will heat up the water faster. If your temps are spiking, you could also be showing bad signs in the tank.
Let us know...
cgoodman381
can i put whtever i want?
If your current salinity is pretty high, or even mid level youll be fine to just throw some distilled water in. And also what keaton said... have you been topping off with salt or distilled?
DONT USE TABLE SALT!
DONT USE TABLE SALT!
yote
In Memoriam
Table salt= near instant death for every thing in the tank.
Pay attention to the above posters,they're all right.
Pay attention to the above posters,they're all right.
Oscarsdad608
Reef enthusiast
You have to have a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the level of salt in the water or you will kill everything in your tank eventually.
Oscarsdad608
Reef enthusiast
You need to beable to check it at home to keep up on your top off. Stability is key with everything in this hobby, starting with salinity and temp.
yote
In Memoriam
You cant count on getting your salinity tested at a LFS.
Are you mixing your own water or using pre-mixed from the store? Do they use a refractometer or hydrometer to test salinity?
Are you mixing your own water or using pre-mixed from the store? Do they use a refractometer or hydrometer to test salinity?
daugherty
part time reefer
you need to have your own way to check the salinity a hydrometer os only 8 dollars
Bifferwine
I am a girl
You never answered an important question though -- when you top off evaporated water, do you use saltwater or freshwater?
cthegame
Reef enthusiast
and what is your current salinity reading?
RyanG
Reef enthusiast
If they are charging $100 for a refractometer then you need to find a new fish store! 30-50 bucks tops! Oh yeah go buy one too!
daugherty
part time reefer
that is one peice of equiptment that is a must have even if you buy premixed water you never know wat you are getting unless you can test it yourself.
d.french
Reef enthusiast
if you keep adding saltwater your introuble
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=REFRACT-HD&Category_Code=Hydrometer
this is what you need most websites sell this brand for 80 bucks, i have this one and it is really heavy solid made not plastic and its 50 bucks.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=REFRACT-HD&Category_Code=Hydrometer
this is what you need most websites sell this brand for 80 bucks, i have this one and it is really heavy solid made not plastic and its 50 bucks.
d.french
Reef enthusiast
anyone spending as much money as we do on reef tanks and equipment should not use hydrometers, they can go bad. I found out hard way do yourself and fish/coral a favor and order one.
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
Yeah, I know my hydrometer is bad..it's off by .002-.003....I thought my salt was at .024-.025 (still high) but when I brought some in my lfs, they tested w/ their refractometer, and it was actually at .027. I'm about to dilute it now.
