How much salt to raise gravity .05

[GreenMachine]

I have been cycling two tanks (new to me) 14g bio cube and 75g. The bio cube has been cycling for 3 weeks and the 75g for 2 (used distilled for the cube since it didn't take much and waited on a rodi system for the 75g). I've been using a hydrometer and it is very bad about getting tiny bubbles on the needle when I fill it so I purchased a refractometer today. The cube measured 1.024 and the 75g measured 1.020. I am fish less cycling so I see no reason not to just add more salt to get it up (searched and found people recommended just topping off with salt water till it increases but I would think that would only be for tanks containing live stock). I am guessing my system has around 80 gallons in it counting the sump. It has about 90 lbs of rock and 60 or so lbs of sand so it's not a full 75g in the tank.

Anyone know how much to add per gallon to increase salinity .05 and how long after adding it would one be able to get an accurate reading?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Just do your daily top off's with 1.026 mix instead of RODI water and it will slowly raise the SG. Otherwise you'll have to do a big wc with the higher SG mix. This is if you're going to be doing a reef, if not mix the water to the sg you wish to end up for the top off water

 

[gottalikesharks]

If you do not want to just use salt water for your top offs until the sg gets where you want it, you can download a free app called Aqua planner pro, has a calculator in it.

 

[Member No. 1]

No fish or corals, just dump a little salt in near a high flow area wait an hour or so, recheck, repeat till you are where you want to be.

 

[toothybugs]

I would pull a 5 of water, add half the salt required to bring it up to 1.026, let it circulate for a half hour, re-check and repeat as needed. You realistically should be okay to add a LOT of salt to your system without harm (my math says 37.5 is needed, assuming an actual 75 gallons of water in the system) so long as its dissolved fully first. Also, you really don't need to let mixed water sit for 24 hours after the salt is mixed in if you choose to do it that way.