Topping off my salt tank

[method0075]

I have a 10 gallon that is running well and very healthy... However over the past week I have lost about 1 gallon in water. I checked the salt level in the water and everything is in balance.

I want to remove about 2 more gallons and replace with fresh water... When I add the new water do I add the salt mix also or do I just put fresh water in? This is the first time for me and I`m new to the game so any advice will help. My water parameters are in good range but I heard that water changes are crucial to salt water tank survival.

 

[MYTY1705]

Top off the lost gallon of water with fresh waer. Then you can take out what you want to do a water change.

Remember if you take it out replcae with salt water.
If nature takes it out replace with fresh.

 

[malkore]

Exactly. If you are performing a water change, you use new saltwater.
If you are replacing evaporation, you use fresh, un-salted water, because only water evaporates, the salt stays behind, and your salinity increases.

 

[method0075]

My salinity has not gone up so Im going to take out 2 gallons of salt and replace the rest with fresh... I`ll check the salinity and go from there. My concern is that it`s a nano 10g and smaller tanks are less forgiving.

 

[Flsprophet2]

If you take out 2 gallons of saltwater out of your tank, and replace it with freshwater you will have a significant salintiy drop especially in a 10g.

 

[midiman]

Sounds like you need to get a new hydrometer, or whatever you're using to measure SG. YOu lost a gallon of water out of 10 (prob more like 9) without any change in SG??? Seems hard to believe.

 

[phishead]

Staandard swing arm hydrometers are not so accurate. If you lose half a gallon in the ten it is significantly changing the SG. It is difficult to see on the hydrometer.

Are you trying to decrease the salinity?

When adding salt water do not forget to let it mix for 24 hours with a powerhead. That is something I learned recently, and I may have lost fish because of it.

 

[malkore]

Losing a gallon to evaporation in a 10gallon tank should increase salinity by roughly 10%

And you're right, it's a lot easier to change water chemistry too quickly in a small/nano tank, vs. a large setup.