Measuring Needed Salt Amount

[twodaend]

I was wondering how do you determine the amount of salt you need to use for mixing. I am using Reef Crystals and it says to use 1/2 cup per gallon. This is supposed to result in a SG of 1.021. Is this the correct way to do so.

If I want to get and SG of 1.025 I guessing I should use a little more, so 3/4 of a cup per gallon. I currently have my 20L setup with about 15 gallons of RO/DI water (rocks will be added at the end of the week). I'm ready to add the salt, I'm just not sure.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

you need a refractometer or hydrometer to chreck the sg. don't just go by 1/2 cup per gal.

 

[twodaend]

I have the blue refractometer, I just wanted to make sure I was using the correct amount. I did not want to use too little and have to add much more and wait 24hrs to retest and I did not want to add too much and have to figure out a way to bring it down, not to mention retest again.

Just wanted to get close with the amount I add so that I'm not too far off in either direction.

 

[old salty]

1/2 cup of salt per gallon gets you in the range of where you need to be. Use the refractometer to assist you in getting it perfect.

 

[poppin_fresh]

You dont need to wait 24 hours to test. As long as its mixed well, you can wait as little as a couple minutes to test again. If its low, add some salt. If its high, add some more water (preferebly RO/DI) mix well and check again.

You dont need to wait more than a 1/2 hour or so of mixing water to use it. Just make sure its well mixed and at the correct temperature. A powerhead and small heater can make for fairly quick changes of smaller amounts.

 

[Ritten]

I agree with poppin fresh, a small powerhead will assist you in mixing the salt and oxygenating the water.

 

[dynomight]

I use the smallest aquaclear powerhead (100gph) with a bubble hose attached to it with a rubberband since RO/DI water has a very low PH before you add salt. The powerhead sits at the bottom and the bubbles help churn the top.

 

[twodaend]

Ok, I added some to my tank, but I may have added a little to fast. There is some salt sitting at the bottom. I tried to pour the salt in directly in the stream of my powerhead. I have to Koralia #1's in my 20L.

 

[poppin_fresh]

Is this tank empty at the moment? You wont want to add salt directly to a tank with stuff in it. Thats where the premixing comes in.

 

[XSiVE]

3/4 a cup per gallon is going to put you WAY over your mark.. lol.. somewhere around 1.035.. just take it slow.. it's easier to add small amounts of salt to raise the sg than it is to dump some of the water to add more RO/DI to lower it..

 

[an411]

Just try and stir that salt up if its sitting on the bottom hopefully you don't have sand in there yet so the salt doesn't sit on that making it hard to stir up the salt. I poured my salt directly into my tank it took a couple days till it all dissolved. Will never do that again

 

[JOZEFEK]

3 cup per 5 gal 1.025ppm

 

[voodude]

I use Reef Crystals also ... I use 1 cup to 2gal R/DI, 7 1/2 cup to 15gal RO/DI and it comes out 1.025 every time ... I drop a pump in the bucket, let it run a while, stir up the sediment and let it run anywhere from an hour to most of the day. It's the only measurement I can always count on !!! (water gallonage and measuring cup amount are about as exact as you can get them). Both tanks are always 1.025 (about 3/4gal topoff per day).

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

do not add salt to the tank. mix it up first in a seperate container then add as needed.