How To Measure Salt Level?

[gmcbee]

Hi folks!

I've got a 55 gal. community freshwater tank, and usually maintain salt at a 1 tablespoon/5 gal. level.
I have mollies, tetras, danios, platys, cories, etc. Everybody's happy!

While I was on vacation, my friend did a partial water change, but didn't add any salt to the new water.
The floating thermometer/hydrometer I use isn't sufficiently graduated to give me an accurate reading
of salinity. How can I check the salinity level, short of purchasing a more accurate instrument?
(My current hydrometer is graduated from 1.000 to 1.060.)

What specific gravity does 1 tablespoon/5 gal equate to?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Danno]

1 tablespoon in 5 gallons is nothing. That is miniscule. I wouldn't even bother measuring it out.

Why do you need to measure out the salt? I see that you have mollies but they can be fine in freshwater too.

 

[gmcbee]

1 tablespoon in 5 gallons is nothing. That is miniscule. I wouldn't even bother measuring it out.

Why do you need to measure out the salt? I see that you have mollies but they can be fine in freshwater too.

Hi Danno!

Yes, I know my mollies can tolerate either, but I'd read that they prefer a little salt.
So I guess I'll just add salt with my normal partial water changes (about 25% of the
water once a month) and eventually it'll be back to "normal"... Think that's ok?

 

[Danno]

Just make sure that your fish are all 'scaled' fish. Smooth skined fish don't like salt Looks like your good with your fish list though.

Salt can be added to the tank but it is normally added as a remedy to aid medications. Nothing wrong with adding it on a normal basis though

You might want to think about doing at least 15% of your water weekly depending on your filtration. What is your filter that you are runnign?

 

[gmcbee]

An Emperor 280, I change the filter once a month and usually put zeolite in the 2nd filter casing,
or charcoal if I'm out of zeolite.

EDIT: ps, I had some ammonia problems when I set up the tank a year ago, but tests
show ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are all ok these days. Is zeolite even necessary
at this point, or is it only a remedial measure? Thanks!

 

[Matty P]

Just make sure that your fish are all 'scaled' fish. Smooth skined fish don't like salt Looks like your good with your fish list though.

Most puffers like salt

 

[Danno]

All right you smart-alick

 

[Matty P]

lol

 

[PRW1988]

Hyrdometer

 

[Dorkhedeos]

1 tablespoon in 5 gallons is nothing. That is miniscule. I wouldn't even bother measuring it out.

Why do you need to measure out the salt? I see that you have mollies but they can be fine in freshwater too.

Hi Danno!

Yes, I know my mollies can tolerate either, but I'd read that they prefer a little salt.
So I guess I'll just add salt with my normal partial water changes (about 25% of the
water once a month) and eventually it'll be back to "normal"... Think that's ok?

well, even if they do prefer a little salt, your corys dont like salt. right now what you are doing is pissing off your corys (well, if you add anymore), and making your mollies pretty happy. i would suggest not to add salt so everybody can be normal happy.

 

[gmcbee]

Thanks for your replies, folks!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Your danio's and corys in particular won't be enjoying the salt, most types of tetras do not like it either- whether freshwater fish can tolerate salt or not depends on the levels naturally found in their natural habitat, for example fish which come from the Amazon tend not to handle salt well at all because the Amazon is practically devoid of salt after thousands of years worth of flooding etc.
So basically its not about whether a fish is "scaleless" or not, its about what sort of habitat it originates from in the wild and the salt levels found naturally occuring in its habitat that the fish have evolved to live with etc.

There is only one fish (your mollys) which could posibly benefet from any salt in their water (and even so there are many varieties of mollys, some more brackish or freshwater than others), the rest of the fish will be suffering from osmotic stress from the salt to varying degree's, so basically its not adviseable to treat the whole tank with salt all the time.
What be better would be to set up another tank for your mollys of at least 15gallons long and make that tank into a more salty tank with varieties of fish which like and thrive in brackish conditions like gobies etc .