Advice needed

[New2It]

I’m new to fish keeping but I have question and appreciate any advice. When I purchase water from my local shop (there is no other options in the area) I always find that the salinity is around 1.017 which I know is low.
My tank is at 1.026 as I add salt to the purchased water.

If I buy fine and/or coral and add them to my tank with the higher salinity. Is it likely to harm them?

Any thoughts or ideas of how I can tackle this?

 

[Fred2482]

Welcome! Corals are typically kept at your level. Of you buy fish kept by the lower levels, just ensure to acclimate them before throwing them in.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Short answer: You will need to test the salinity in the bag of what your are purchasing (fish or coral) and bring it up to your own tank’s salinity; 1.017 to 1.026 should be done very slowly.

 

[tharbin]

Welcome to R2R! You will need to acclimate your purchases as Fred2482 said.

 

[Jedi1199]

I’m new to fish keeping but I have question and appreciate any advice. When I purchase water from my local shop (there is no other options in the area) I always find that the salinity is around 1.017 which I know is low.
My tank is at 1.026 as I add salt to the purchased water.

If I buy fine and/or coral and add them to my tank with the higher salinity. Is it likely to harm them?

Any thoughts or ideas of how I can tackle this?

Would it be possible to buy plain RO water? Since you are adding your own salt anyway, I wonder if it would be cheaper and safer to buy plain RO water and make it yourself?

The corals should be fine with no acclimation. Just a quick 15 minute dip in whatever coral dip you use and pop them into the tank.

The fish should be acclimated to the higher salinity before being introduced to the tank. Follow standard acclimation practice and they should be fine.

Feel free to ask any questions you have, that is what we are here for.

Welcome to the Dark Side...

 

[Schraufabagel]

 

[Zach B]

Welcome :) Good advice above!

 

[JXNATC]

I’m new to fish keeping but I have question and appreciate any advice. When I purchase water from my local shop (there is no other options in the area) I always find that the salinity is around 1.017 which I know is low.
My tank is at 1.026 as I add salt to the purchased water.

If I buy fine and/or coral and add them to my tank with the higher salinity. Is it likely to harm them?

Any thoughts or ideas of how I can tackle this?

 

[shadow_k]

Welcome to R2R ! Yes as others said above test your purchase water and acclimate as so

 

[LuizW13]

I agree with Jedi1199, consider buying RODI water or investing in a RODI water filter and making everything yourself, since you're already doing half of that work anyway.

 

[Jedi1199]

If I understand correctly, it appears that you are buying water that your LFS is either making themselves or pulling directly from their own tanks. Personally, I am not comfortable with either of those options, and here is why:

First, you have no idea about the quality of their source water. They could be using tap water for all you know.

Second, if they are drawing saltwater directly from their running system, you have no idea what parasites, diseases, or medications you are getting.

It is a FAR safer, more economical and convenient to have your own RODI filter in your home. For a small tank, you can even get a unit that runs off a bathroom sink faucet. Collect what you need and put it away till next time.

DO not get lost in the myriad of options you will see when searching these units. ANY unit that makes 0 TDS water is fine.

 

[tharbin]

+1 on Jedi1199's advice. Even a small portable RODI unit like an RO Buddy will be better in the long run.

 

[New2It]

Welcome! Corals are typically kept at your level. Of you buy fish kept by the lower levels, just ensure to acclimate them before throwing them in.

Just how do I do that exactly? I have no idea how to acclimatise them

 

[JumboShrimp]

Simple: I open the bag with the new fish and drop in an air hose with an air stone. Now time is on my side. Lol! (If the room is cold, you can float the bag in your tank as well— use something like plastic laundry clips or potato chip bag clips to keep the bag from flopping over.)

Now over the course of time, take a little plastic cup’s worth of higher-salinity tank water and pour it in the fish bag. (If the fish bag salinity needs to be ‘lowered’ to match your tank water, dilute the bag water with fresh RO/DI water.) Check your bag water every 1/2 hour or so until you have a match to your tank.

Per your original post, raising salinity for a fish from 1.017 to 1.026, I wouldn’t do faster than over the course of half-a-day for a cheap damsel… some people might take a full day or more for a rare or expensive fish.

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Welcome to the forum.

Have you considered purchasing your own RODI system? I know its another expense but if there is one thing that is worth the money, this is it.

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R
An RODI unit is your life line, it is the foundation for all that follows.
Save a coral tomorrow, buy one today.

There are many options including buying used, buying a small unit or going all out on a big fancy unit.

They will all get you to the promise land.

Good luck.

 

[New2It]

Simple: I open the bag with the new fish and drop in an air hose with an air stone. Now time is on my side. Lol! (If the room is cold, you can float the bag in your tank as well— use something like plastic laundry clips or potato chip bag clips to keep the bag from flopping over.)

Now over the course of time, take a little plastic cup’s worth of higher-salinity tank water and pour it in the fish bag. (If the fish bag salinity needs to be ‘lowered’ to match your tank water, dilute the bag water with fresh RO/DI water.) Check your bag water every 1/2 hour or so until you have a match to your tank.

Per your original post, raising salinity for a fish from 1.017 to 1.026, I wouldn’t do faster than over the course of half-a-day for a cheap damsel… some people might take a full day or more for a rare or expensive fish.

 

[New2It]

That is so helpful thank you so much. Can I ask what the reason is for dropping the airstone in the bag is for. I am sorry to question, I just really want to succeed at this and I appreciate your help.

 

[New2It]

Would it be possible to buy plain RO water? Since you are adding your own salt anyway, I wonder if it would be cheaper and safer to buy plain RO water and make it yourself?

The corals should be fine with no acclimation. Just a quick 15 minute dip in whatever coral dip you use and pop them into the tank.

The fish should be acclimated to the higher salinity before being introduced to the tank. Follow standard acclimation practice and they should be fine.

Feel free to ask any questions you have, that is what we are here for.

Welcome to the Dark Side...

I am so sorry but I really do not know what

 

[New2It]

I’m sorry but I don’t know what standard acclimation practices are. I feel lost really. I’ve read books but nowhere did they cover how to do this. If you can help me I would appreciate it so much. My email is [email protected]