Salinity while cycling question. (First time sw tank)

[Ettercap]

Hello all. Im on Day 5 of setting up my new tank. I had the original plan of not doing anything for the first 14 days and letting it possibly self-start a cycle with the live sand and then starting clown fish cycling (per the instructions/recommendations of my LFS) but instead I decided to start a Dr Tims cycle.

My question is mainly about salinity. The tank salinity is at 26ppt and measuring the SW directly from my LFS, it measured at 30ppt. Following Dr Tims video, I should be attempting to hit 20ppt. But, I dumped in some live bacteria all ready so I am not sure if I just wasted a bottle or not if I dump out 5g tank water with some RODI?
Question#1 - Should I just suck it up and dump out tank water to get 20ppt even though I absent-mindedly added live bacteria to it?
Question#2 - I measured 30ppt from a different jug of LFS SW but measuring the tank... it is around 26ppt. Is it normal for it to lower in salinity?

I recently purchased a RODI system and some Tropic Marin Pro salt but its not going to get here for another couple of weeks. What is the best way to raise salinity inside of the tank? Im assuming just added salt to an all ready existing 30ppt 5g jug? Do I average out the salinity numbers and just create a batch of salinity that is much higher? For example, add a batch of 40ppt salinity and then add it to the tank until it gets to 35ppt? Does it have to be 35ppt after the cycle for clown fish or can I start out with a lower salinity tank until I add corals?
NOTE: Im measuring with an ATC Refractometer and I used 35ppt testing solution to calibrate it.
Testing is the following:
Day 1 - not taken
Day 2 - PH=8 NH3=.5 NO2=0
Day 3 - PH=8 NH3=1 NO2=0
Day 4 - PH=8 NH3=1 NO2=.25 Added Bio-Spira
Day 5 - PH=8 NH3=.5 NO2=.25 Added Dr Tims one-and-only. Currently waiting on the ammonium chloride from amz.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I usually just top off with salt water to raise my salinity. The salt will get more concentrated as water evaporates.
26 ppt is pretty low, I would increase it before adding fish.

I’m not familiar with cycling a tank at low salinity. I’ve always aimed for 35 ppt.
If you can get some rock and/or sand from an established tank, things will stabilize much faster. Keep your photoperiod to 8 hours and run your lights at a low power setting initially.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Ettercap]

I’m not familiar with cycling a tank at low salinity. I’ve always aimed for 35 ppt.

It has something to do with allowing bacteria to grow faster due to salinity tolerance. Here is a reef2reef link that explains what the video said.

I usually just top off with salt water to raise my salinity. The salt will get more concentrated as water evaporates.
26 ppt is pretty low, I would increase it before adding fish.

I do plan to bring it back up to 35ppt but after I finish the cycle.

 

[Buckster]

IMO if my salinity was low then I would take out some of the water and try to mix a concentrated amount of salt into it and add it back in to the main display. You might have to try this several times until your overall salinity raises to your desired level. This way you don't lose the added bacteria.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO if my salinity was low then I would take out some of the water and try to mix a concentrated amount of salt into it and add it back in to the main display. You might have to try this several times until your overall salinity raises to your desired level. This way you don't lose the added bacteria.

Trying to make hypersaline seawater is often not a good idea because some things are already near or even above saturation and may precipitate.

replacing evaporated water with new salt water is almost always the best way to proceed.

 

[EricR]

I think the OP was actually asking about LOWERING salinity from 26 ppt to 20 ppt for cycling with bottled bacteria,,, FYI.
*never heard of that but I see the link with the rationale

 

[Ettercap]

replacing evaporated water with new salt water is almost always the best way to proceed.

To fully understand, even though my LFS is giving me saltwater at 30ppt... I should only replace the tank saltwater with 30ppt and it will raise to 35ppt eventually? Or just take the LFS 30ppt saltwater, add some salt into it to 35ppt and then remove water from the tank to add in the new 35ppt water to raise the overall salinity?
At some point, I will need to raise the salinity to 35ppt but since this subject presented a new question, I thought I would take the opportunity to ask what is the best way to raise salinity when the time comes?

I think the OP was actually asking about LOWERING salinity from 26 ppt to 20 ppt for cycling with bottled bacteria,,, FYI.
*never heard of that but I see the link with the rationale

Correct. My original intention of the question was to find the recommended method of lowering salinity to 20ppt due to the instructions/recommendations of Dr Tims One and Only cycling process. The three items of recommendation are:
1. Raise temp to 84-85f/28-29c
2. Lower salinity to 20ppt
3. Dont disturb substrate and only take water from the top.

 

[EricR]

If nothing's in the tank, you can obviously lower salinity quickly by just replacing some of the tank salt water with RO/DI water.
*If you've already added the bacteria and concerned how well it can handle rapid drops without population reduction, that I can't answer (((but I'd haphazardly "guess" that it'd be no big deal))).

Long-term, once you get your water up to 35 ppt and start doing water changes, you'll definitely want your new water at 35 ppt (or whatever your preferred normal salinity is) prior to water change (to avoid down/up swings).

You could do that by adding any marine salt mix to your LFS saltwater (in container outside the tank) but, at that point, you'd be better off buying saltwater already at your desired salinity or better yet, buy RO/DI water and marine salt and mix your own (cheaper and better control).

 

[X-37B]

I think the video will just confuse people, imo. Nothing good happens in this hobby by trying to speed up the process.
Get your SG up to your desired level of 35 and run your cycle.

 

[Rmckoy]

I agree with above .
start with your salinity where you want it . And cycle the system with rocks , sand and ammonia source from which ever way you plan on cycling .
IMO I would not add any fish from the start as there are many other humane ways to cycle a system .

 

[Ettercap]

If nothing's in the tank, you can obviously lower salinity quickly by just replacing some of the tank salt water with RO/DI water.
*If you've already added the bacteria and concerned how well it can handle rapid drops without population reduction, that I can't answer (((but I'd haphazardly "guess" that it'd be no big deal))).

Nothing is in the tank so I hear you on this one.

You could do that by adding any marine salt mix to your LFS saltwater (in container outside the tank) but, at that point, you'd be better off buying saltwater already at your desired salinity or better yet, buy RO/DI water and marine salt and mix your own (cheaper and better control).

Ok. This is where I "thought" it would be best to "over salinity" (if thats even a proper term) to reach the desired 35ppt but I can definitely do this before I get fish in. In regards to the RODI... I did purchase a RODI system and am currently waiting for the RODI and salt to arrive. It will probably take a week or some.

I think the video will just confuse people, imo. Nothing good happens in this hobby by trying to speed up the process.
Get your SG up to your desired level of 35 and run your cycle.

I really do understand your point BUT I also feel its a "more modern" way to approach cycling any fish tank. Instead of using the older method (which still works obviously but takes more time) of using the 'rotting' shrimp/food style. Using a quicker method of adding in bacteria and NH4CI is beneficial and then adding a couple of clowns to literally have a "second cycle." It will allow the newer saltwater tank owner the ability to have something in the tank and its practically a "fish-in" cycling method that is also tried-and-true! But thats just my opinion... not an excuse to put a fish into the tank.