salt control

[Smonkey15]

is there anyway to have some kind of control of the salt from the water that evaporates. there is salt all over the top of my tank, sometimes it even drips over the side of the tank. its everywhere. most of the top is covered by glass but it still somehow sneaks through the cracks. anything i can do? one more thing, is it common for fish to be pale right when you turn the light on and then soon their color will be back to normal? thanks
steve

 

[MantisFreak]

I have NOT used this product. I can tell you nothing about it. Maybe someone else has.
My yellow tang and lawnmower blenny are both very pale at night.

 

[scuba_steve]

it sounds like to me ya have way way to many air bubbles causing the salt creep !!
are ya using an air stone for something ?¿?

 

[Smonkey15]

yea i'm using an air stone to make sure the water has enough oxygen. how else would i oxygenate the water without using airstones. or how could i control the bubbles so this doesn't happen?

 

[scuba_steve]

are you using some type of wet dry filter or even a skimmer ??? if so thats all ya need

 

[beachbumin]

if you have live rock get a skimmer or you can find the filters with a skimmer built in the top. that should help your salt problem!

 

[MantisFreak]

Good call SS---

I didn't even think about an airstone.

Do you use a protein skimmer? That oxygenates the water. So do powerheads, especially if one is disturbing the surface of the water. Do you get a film on the top of your water? If not, you are likely getting good gas exchange. Also what temperature do you keep your tank at. Higher temperatures lower the amount of dissolved oxygen.

 

[steve-s]

Airstones in a SW tank are unneccessary. Providing adequate surface aggitation with a PH will be all that is needed. Gas exchange occurs at the surface of the water, so when the water surface is "broken" by moving water, it oxygenates the water.

When using an airstone, only when the bubbles break the surface do they actually do anything. The amount they contribute is neglidgable and can easily be removed.

Cheers
Steve

 

[scuba_steve]

skip the skimmer built into a filter for sure !!! always go for a stand alone unit !!

 

[Smonkey15]

how does a skimmer help control salt creepage?

 

[Smonkey15]

by the way i do not have a skimmer. as far as a ph goes, do i need a big one? or can i get a little one since all i'd be using it for is a little water circulation and surface tension?

 

[MantisFreak]

Do you have a hang on tank filter?

IMO, the more circulation you have in your tank, the better.

 

[Smonkey15]

i have a hang on tank filter. still dont understand how a skimmer helps control salt.

 

[MantisFreak]

A skimmer doesn't control salt creep. However, it oxygenates the water VERY well as a byproduct of stripping the Dissolved Organic Compounds (and some people think Volatile Organic Compounds as well).

However, it doesn't cause air bubbles to pop at the top of your water like an airstone does. You would be able to get rid of your airstone. The lack of splashing will really lower the amount of salt creep. (And owning a skimmer is a great insurance policy IMO).

 

[medican]

As the skimmer adds very small air bubbles to do its job of trapping proteins and stuff, it also adds air into your water. This will let you take out the air stones and should give you good oxygenation in your tank. Keep in mind that you also need good surface agitation aswell for gas exchange and water movement in your tank to move the oxygen around most of the time done by power heads in your tank. In my 90 gal I have 3.....thinking of 4 not sure yet......
no airstones = no bubbles to mist out your salt = no salt creep.....

you will still get a little creep but I bet lots less

 

[medican]

As the skimmer adds very small air bubbles to do its job of trapping proteins and stuff, it also adds air into your water. This will let you take out the air stones and should give you good oxygenation in your tank. Keep in mind that you also need good surface agitation aswell for gas exchange and water movement in your tank to move the oxygen around most of the time done by power heads in your tank. In my 90 gal I have 3.....thinking of 4 not sure yet......
no airstones = no bubbles to mist out your salt = no salt creep.....

you will still get a little creep but I bet lots less