how do i get the reading on my hydrometer right?

Question

I have just set up a saltwater tank today and i put my hydrometer in the water and it read 1.018. how can i get it to the right level (1.020-1.0300)? also what do i add to it to get the level right? the pH kit also came with a carbonate hardness powder but i don't know what to use it for. could someone please help me??!!!

yeah, i'm going to have a seahorse and a few clowns so would they be ok between 1.020-1.026 or would it need to be more specific than that. yes, it is my first saltwater tank so im just getting used to things..

yeah, my pH is too high though, it's 8.4 and i can't get it down, and all i've done is add the salt earlier. how can i do this??

i'll try adding more salt, thanks for the help!

Answer 1

A reading of 1.018 means you don't have enough salt in the the water yet, but you're getting close. If you're keeping only fish, you want it between 1.020-1.026, but if you have invertebrates (snails, hermits, shrimp, starfish, crabs, corals, etc.) it should be 1.023-1.026. You should also take the reading with the hydrometer once the water in the tank is close to the correct temperature (75-80oF). Temperature affects how well the salt dissolves, and how much the water can hold. Once your water is around 70o or higher, if the reading is still low, add salt slowly until it reaches the level you need.

The carbonate hardness affects how well your pH will remain stable if an acid is added to the water. Not that you're planning to dump acid into your tank, but fish wastes tend to acidify the water somewhat, and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and animal respiration in the tank will also increase the acidity. An ideal pH for a marine tank would be 8.0-8.4. You might have trouble keeping it at that level unless your in an area with naturally high pH water. If you're is only about 7.8 or so, you might want to get kalkwasser (a white powder) to help bring the pH up. This is caustic and can burn if you get the powder on your skin and it gets wet, so be careful handling it. You'll need to mix it with water in a separate container (I use an old soda bottle) and only add small amounts (a capful) at a time.


ADDITION: Seahorses don't belong with clowns or most any other fish. Seahorses are slow swimmers that can't compete with faster fish for food, so by keeping them with most other fish, you're sentencing them to slow starvation.

Anywhere within the 1.020-1.026 range is okay for fish, but you don't want the level you have to change too rapidly or too often. Take the time to acclimate your fish when you first get them (http://www.fishlore.com/acclimating-tropicalfish.htm ) or the changes in water chemistry from what they're in and what's in your tank can stress or kill them. The same for water changes, or when water evaporates from your tank. I agree that seahorses aren't a good species for beginners, but the clowns are hardy, and more forgiving of mistakes. You might want to keep just these for a year to gain some saltwater experience, and if all goes well, then set up a separate tank for the seahorses. And it's a good idea to research their care before you get them (or any animal!). Here's a website with good seahorse care info: http://www.seahorse.org/

Answer 2

In order to get your specific gravity up, you need to add more salt water. Specific gravity for Seahorses should between 1.021 to 1.024. Clownfish will also be fine in this range, however, they aren't the best Seahorse tank mates, as they will often out-compete the Seahorses for food. If you are planning on staying in the marine hobby long-term, I would highly recommend investing in a refractometer to measure salinity. They are easily calibrated, and much more accurate than hydrometers, which loose their accuracy over time.

The pH kit is for buffering your water. It should include some instructions on proper dosing. Since your pH is on the high end, I would perform a water change to drop it some. 8.4 isn't bad for Clownfish, but the Seahorses would prefer pH in the 8.0-8.3 range.

After you get your water parameters where you want them, I would start out with the Clownfish. They are a hardy species for beginners. Once you feel comfortable keeping a marine tank, I would suggest further researching Seahorses, and providing them with their own tank. Unlike many popular marine fish, Seahorses are not found on the reefs, and therefore have much different requirements.

Respectfully

Answer 3

add more salt slowly until your at 1.023-1.026
If you put seahorses in with clowns your Seahorses WILL eventually STARVE to death.
Do some research on the fish that you wan't to keep BEFORE adding them to your tank.
Seahorses Are to be kept in a species ONLY tank (seahorses and Pipefish) and are NOT recommended for a Beginner. VERY HARD TO KEEP

Answer 4

You need to add more salt. SLOWLY until you reach about 1.023. I bought a hydrometer at petsmart and it was reading low, so I bought a better one from my local fish store and they were about .005 off from each other. So you might want to try that also. 1.018 is pretty low for it to be your hydrometer thought.

Answer 5

awww.... is it for ur fish tank? if it is.. it really doesn't matter if you cant get to the exact points... as long as you're within that range it is alryt!..