New 55gal. HELP!

[Justin0329]

Hi all! I need help.I am starting my first FOWLR. I have dechlorinated water and "live sand" along with a few pieces of "live rock" (just to get started). Hoewver, I purchased and added "Instant Ocean" to my tank today. By following the directions on the back it stated to add 1/2 cup per gallon of water so I added a total of 27.5 cups to the water being a 55 gal tank. Now, I wait! 30 minutes after adding the salt to the tank (straight to the tank since there is nothing in there) and testing my specific gravity it reads almost off the chart. Too much salt! Is it possibly that all the salt hasn't dissolved and that if I wait longer it will read more accurately? Is there a calibration step I am missing with my "Coralife deep six hydrometer"? I don't know what I may have done wrong. I'd hate to find out that I wasted a large amount of salt and that I have to drain water to add freshwater to my tank. Any advise?

 

[ChiTownTy]

Be more precise. Dis you mix the salt with water in buckets before adding it to the tank? What's your flow rate?

And am I understanding correctly when you said you put 27 cups of some biological bacteria to a new tank set up? Why? How many bottles did you buy? I have no idea the dosing rate on that stuff, it's not necessary in my opinion. But that sounds like a little overkill

 

[Justin0329]

I have 2 750gph wavemakers for circulation. As far as the 27.5 cups, I am referring to salt mix. Instant Ocean is the brand. Right now I am feeling like an idiot and that I added WAY too much salt to my tank. I added it straight to the tank as it states that adding it to the tank isn't a problem if there isn't and animals in the tank. However, I still feel like an absolute idiot right now. 27.5 cups of salt mix sounds to me like way too much!!!!! As far as biological bacteria, no. I havent added anything like that to my tank.

 

[Justin0329]

Any other suggestions?

 

[Sergie]

If it really is too high, take some water out and add some fresh water until your specific gravity is correct.

 

[Pirate-of-the-Caribbean]

We just added a salt mix to a new 55 gallon. Purchased a bag of salt and I'd say it was 20+ cups. Didn't take a standard gravity reading for about three days... the water was very cloudy for a couple days so we didn't do any readings. Also depending on how you put the water in the tank there may be some sand clouding up in the water that is screwing up your std grav reading. I'd wait until the water clears up and take another reading but don'd just take it from me I am new at this hobby too!

 

[greaver83]

Your readings are high because you don't have 55 gallons of water because you have live sand and rock taking up that volume to some water changes without salt til you get back to normal levels also thump your hydrometer and make sure no bubbles are on the arm

 

[greaver83]

And it is labeled as a 55 gallon but in reality its more like 53 gallons always mix your salt in a large container and allow it to mix over night with a power head and heater tempature can also throw off sg readings with a hydrometer

 

[abbly]

True about the displacement . I have a 48 fowlr and when I do pwcs I use an old 5 gallon instant ocean bucket and I put 2.5 cups of instant ocean per 5 gallons and it comes out perfectly.

 

[Justin0329]

Thank you all very much. I didn't take into consideration the displacement of the sand and rocks. It is a little cloudy still but it has settled a lot over night. How long should it take for the salt yo completely dissolve?

 

[greaver83]

I would turn the heat up to like 86 and set the powerheads low to kick up any salt laying in the bottom it may never all dissolved but I dunno worth a shot

 

[Pirate-of-the-Caribbean]

It took ours several days before clearing up when it was first started I was beginning to get worried then it cleared and the tests were good showing everything was working.