How quickly...

Snprhed · Mar 31, 2012

So I bought a floating hydrometer. They are never supposed to need calibration.... Well I was running my system at 1.021 but said that was 1.025. Its been there for several months. I have noticed in the last several weeks my colors looked washed. I also had some recession on a couple of peices. So any way how quickly can I bring it up?

pumarjr · Mar 31, 2012

There is no quick way to do it correctly, best way tho is to perform a diluted water change, if your tank is at temp and the salinity is 1.025(normal btw) and you want to take it to hypo salinity at 1.021, if said fantasy tank is let's say umm... fill in the blanks here, umm, 40 gal? Maybe try 5 gal @ 1.012.

Snprhed · Mar 31, 2012

The other way. The faulty hydrometer was telling me it was 1.025, when in reality it was 1.021. I have it up to 1.022 now. It seems like I recall reading that you have to take lots more time bring salinity down than up. But I couldnt find anything while doing my searches.

KSzegi · Mar 31, 2012

I don't know the real answer to how quickly you can do it but ..... my opinion, for what it's worth, lol ...... is that it's been running at hypo levels for several months - why take a chance and bring it up too quickly? If it were me I would use salt water for the top off and raise it over the course of a few days ..... or if you're sump is big enough you could just let the evaporation raise the salinity and when it is where you want it, do a water change and bring your sump level back where you like to run it and turn the ato back on....

Mike&Terry · Mar 31, 2012

Snprhed said:
... It seems like I recall reading that you have to take lots more time bring salinity down than up. But I couldnt find anything while doing my searches.

Actually, it is just the opposite as available O2 decreases with higher salinity.

KSzegi said:
I don't know the real answer to how quickly you can do it but ..... my opinion, for what it's worth, lol ...... is that it's been running at hypo levels for several months - why take a chance and bring it up too quickly? If it were me I would use salt water for the top off and raise it over the course of a few days ..... or if you're sump is big enough you could just let the evaporation raise the salinity and when it is where you want it, do a water change and bring your sump level back where you like to run it and turn the ato back on....

I agree.