how to topoff tank?

[guitarded]

what is the proper way to top off a SW tank? do u folks keep a batch of mixed saltwater around to top off or do u top off with fresh water?

 

[klam]

Top off with fresh water.
Water evaporates and the salt stays so you want to add fresh water to keep the salinity consistent.

Oh, it's always good to have mixed salt water handy just in case you have to do an emergency water change.

 

[malkore]

exactly what Klam said...top-offs are freshwater, preferably R/O water, so salinity, hardness, etc...isn't altered.

But you do tend to keep a batch of saltwater mixed 2-3 days in advance of a water change.

 

[guitarded]

very good... thank you

 

[fishfreek]

Alot of us topoff with RO water also.

 

[WarOrks15]

i dump it in the sump so it mixes with that water before it is sent out to the main tank. i think it might be a little better one the fish and inverts.

 

[srgetz]

Alot of us topoff with RO water also

Same here...curious, do you buffer the RO? I do, I find my RO ph really low like 7.7

 

[Anemoneman]

7.7 is a litle on the high side for RO water. The water should be pure H2O with a pH of 7. Don't add anything to the make up water. Just pour it in. Best method is an auto top off where the water is added slowly to avoid disturbances in the water parameters.

 

[klam]

I love the auto-top off. Makes my life a little easier knowing my salinity is more consistent. I currently own a top-off that uses a float switch but it doesn't have a failover. I'm thinking about getting the Tunze Osmolator Universal top-off because it has 2 failovers.

 

[malkore]

Yeah, R/O water should be almost a perfect 7.0pH, with no hardness/alkalinity.

 

[guitarded]

the SW hobby is way more involved than FW! ok, so i will now add an RO unit to my list.

btw, just a side... guitarists have a acronym for their hobby addiction. it is called GAS (guitar aquisition syndrom). believe me, it is every bit as addicting as the SW aquarium hobby (spelled - angry wives). hmm... so would this be called SWAS?