First time to fill it up.

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Barnes

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
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5
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hooker,ok
This is the first time to use sea salt. I am confused about it because the bag said it is good for 50 gals and my tank is 55 but my hydrometer shows 1.030. Its been two days and it looks like the salt is sticking to the bottom and the sides. Can anyone tell me whats up.
 
an ideal reading would be around 1.021(OK for fish) - 1.025. Take some salt water out and replace with fresh water to get your salinity down. You should have power heads in your tank for circulation and that should also help mix your salt up. Remember that water evaporates and the salt stays behind raising your salinity, so top-off with fresh water(no salt) to keep the salinity stable.

Since you have nothing alive in the tank, this would be the only time it is OK to add salt to the tank for mixing. In the future it is best to pre-mix the salt water in a seperate container with a powerhead or airstone. Do not mix the salt in your tank once you have added rock, sand, livestock. Salt water should be mixed for at least 24hrs before adding to the tank for proper aeration. Also newly mixed salt water can burn the fishes gills.
 
Are Hydrometers usally accurate?Could the bags labeled wrong? I didnt us the chlorine remover stuff.Would that have anything to do with it.
 
Do you have a substrate? Is the tank filled all the way to the top? The tank may be a 55 gallon tank, but you may have less than 50 gallons of water in there.
 
I noticed with my salt mix that I used less than what they told me to. Start with a little less than they tell you as you can always add more later. If you are worried about your hydrometer take some water to your lfs and get them to test it.
 
:D I read and did the same exact thing the first time I mix SW! Are you using oceanic seat salt mix?Id leave it alone for a couple more days then test again.as already stated the salinity needs to be between 1.021 and 1.025 do you have a heater yet? Cause you need to test it at a certain temp.Add a rubbermaid tub to your equipment list, I use it to mix the SW adding and testing until I get the right salinity.Welcome to AA!! there allot of knowledge here. do a search "mixing saltwater" good luck!
 
I used Instant Ocean. The temperature is set at 72. I dont have a tank near me to test it with. Is there another way?
 
Turn up your temp to 78 and more will dissolve.

Also, get a refractometer. you can pick one up from drsfostersmith.com for around $40

hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate.

Give it some time to mix. In a couple days if it's still too salty, take out 4.5 gal and keep it in a bucket for a future water change. you can add some RO to the bucket and the tank to get the salinity right in each.
 
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