discouraged

[Dove]

I have read that once marine salt is added it doesn't evap or go anywhere. So how come when I do a water change and take a reading after my salinity is where its supposed to be, but a couple days later they don't read at all?
Also, my tank walls are slimey looking...
does this happen a lot with brackish?

 

[jetajockey]

When you remove water you are removing salt. It doesn't evaporate so you don't have to add salt with topoffs, but with water changes you do.

 

[Dove]

um think you missed the question...
I add the salt when I do a water change..what I am saying is immediately after the water change my salinity reads on my hydrometer...then a couple of days later it doesn't register on the hydrometer...and why so much slime white on the glass??? is this normal?

 

[jetajockey]

Oh ok. I don't know, I've never had that happen with mine, but I just use a cheap hydrometer also. I don't see where the salt would go, though. As far as slime goes, sounds like biofilm, but could have some algae growth also, I've seen some that is a nasty whitish brownish gunk.

 

[Dove]

when is the best time to take a salinity reading with the meter? before, after, waterchanges...or a few days?

 

[jetajockey]

With my brackish tank I just added a small amount of each day until I got the SG that I wanted. I could've calculated the amount of salt needed per water change but instead I just refilled the tank at WC and figured out again how much salt to add with the fresh water to get to that same SG again. Since I take out a set amount each time now (~40%) I already know how much salt I need to add when I do the WC, so I just measure it out, dilute it, and add it.