Rescue tank with low salt level

[Elvis164]

So I rescued a 60 gallon salt water aquarium from a friend of a friend today which was stocked with a clown fish, a blue tang, a butterfly fish, a blue damsel and another yellow fish I am yet to identify. I moved the aquarium fish and all the water about 15 minutes to my house. Cleaned the sand and added 20 lbs of new live sand. Got all the fish back in and added two cleaner shrimp and a few snails as recommended by my lfs which specializes in salt water. The fish for the most part seem to be doing ok except for the blue tang which wont come out from under a rock on her side. Within an hour both cleaner shrimp were dead and the snails look like they may be also. I tested the salt content and it is around 22 which as far as I can tell low. I am assuming that the fish were used to this and the new shrimp were not. Do I need to slowly raise the salt content so as not to shock the existing fish that were living in this water? Any help or recommendations would be appreciated as it's Sunday evening and my lfs is closed till tomorow and I am worried about the fish making it till then.


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[Flaxon-Waxon]

What are your levels testing at? A ton of different things could have happened here... How did you transfer everything over? Gonna need some more details before we can help...


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[jeffaquarius]

If you used the old salt water with 1.022 salinity just leave it that way for now. Im not sure how you acclimated the new invertebrates but it is a mistake adding them too soon. Using the old sand is a risk for spikes. Keep watch on ammonia and nitrite. Do pwc change whenever necessary.

 

[treemanone2003]

Being new to SW myself but still have some of the concept down, I agree more info is needed. When you say salt content is around 22, what did you test with and do you mean 1.022 and test with a hydrometer ? Do you have a liquid test kit that you can test the other parameters with ? With the
Tang hiding it may just be part of the trauma from moving and getting used to things. The loss of the others could be attributed to a lot of factors. How did you acclimate the new ones would be my first question.


To post pics (that would help some to help you) you need to be a member for 15 days and have a min of 15 posts. Perhaps a mod/admin can step in and override due to emergency circumstances to save what you have.

Following along and best of luck forward. My other advice would be come here with questions first because IMO/E, the LFS only wants to sell things to make money. Venture around enough here and you'll understand what I'm referring to.


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[BigRedsReefs10]

You can also use photobucket to upload pictures just paste the img URL between these [ IMG] [ /IMG]. On the salinity part do you mean 1.022 or 22 ppm?
Edit: I had to add a space between the [ and the I and / so it would show up, remove that space to attach the photos

 

[Elvis164]

Sorry I am new to this, the salt level is 1.016. A friend who helped me move it all tested the water with both a refractometer and a hydrometer. All water was transferred from existing aquarium along with a large amount of live rock, which was all transported in clean 5 gallon buckets. Washed and drained the existing sand as recommended by my lfs. Added 20 lbs of new live sand. I don't have any other testing results yet as I don't have a complete kit. Again this was a last minute move which had to be done today. I will try to get some pics. the fish are eating an seem ok. even the blue tang is out and swimming around at this point.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Slowly raise it with water changes that are at your desired salinity. I would probably do 2 gallon changes every other day or 3rd day of about 2-3 gallons until you get it up should work. Not to be a downer, but the blue tang needs a way bigger tank and I would re house it. They tend to get ich when in smaller tanks due to stress and that's not a fun way to start your new hobby.

Edit: a test kit and ro/di unit should be your next purchases IMO.

 

[Elvis164]

First thing in the morning I am heading to my lfs, which specializes in salt water installs and maintenance and picking up whatever I need. Unfortunately they were already closed today when i realized the problem and agin this was an emergency situation. Thanks for all the input

 

[Bectan01]

How did you acclimate the snails and shrimp?


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[Elvis164]

I did as recommended by my lfs, floated em in tank for 30 min. then started adding small amounts of my tank water into bag little by little. Then released into tank.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Inverts are extremely sensitive to changes in salinity so that would be my guess there without knowing your params. Drip acclimation is best IMO. Also please double check any advice given to you by an lfs, most will say anything to get a sale and push unnecessary supplements on you. No one on here will make a cent from giving you advice, the same can't be said about lfs

 

[Elvis164]

In my lfs's defense they did not know my salinity was low nor did I at the time. sent wife to store for sand and snails and she came back with the shrimp. Took some water there today. All my other levels seem normal. Just the low salinity. Gave me 10 gallons of sw to do a water change with today and said to do it again in a week until levels come up to normal.


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[BigRedsReefs10]

Don't do a 10 gal change. That will raise the salinity to fast. Refer to my above post #7

 

[Elvis164]

Thanks, am I taking your advice and raising the level slower. Got the protein skimmer working properly today. There was a clog in the end of the air tube by the intake. All fish look very healthy today and all ate as soon as i fed them. Thanks for everyones input. I'll post pics as soon as I'm allowed to.


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[jeffaquarius]

When you do a partial water change with higher salinity it is best to do it very slowly by using a "drip method" similar to acclimating new fish to tank. Get an air line tubing and make a loose knot and siphon the new saltwater which is at higher level before tightening to adjust the drip.

 

[54seaweed]

what I would suggest thats not rocket science ,
as the water evaporates add salt water rather than fresh
keep a close eye on your salinity till it hits the mark
test everyday before adding more salt water so it gets mixed in well
this way you dont add to much to fast

 

[jeffaquarius]

It may take a whole week before a five gallon evaporates. If you can wait that long then it's fine.

 

[54seaweed]

I meant as it evaporates fill it back up with the salt
not wait till all the water evaporates lol
it will slowly boost up the salinity little by little not to shock anything

 

[jeffaquarius]

Why wait for it to evaporate when you can just remove may be 2 gallons and then start the drip method right away with the higher salinity?

 

[Gvillboy]

Good luck! It seems everyone has given you some good advice already. I would just let the water evaporate and fill it back up with salt water. On top of that, of course your weekly water changes with a slightly higher salinity. This way you won't shock your animals.

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