# my first salt water tank and I need help please



## JonnyB (Jul 17, 2010)

I have a 75g saltwater with 60lbs of live sand at the bottom, two medium sized live rocks, and some fake plants and stuff for hiding places, I am currently using a Fluval 305 and a Tetra hang over for 30-60g but I am about to buy another Fluval 305 and get rid of the Tetra for my filters, and I have a shatter proof submersible heater for a 75g tank. In my tank I have 6 hermit crabs and a sally light foot crab and a black and white stripped Damsel, I had a domino Damsel but I have no clue where it went to....it might have died 

I'm using regular tap water with chlor-out and Ph downer to make it safe but from reading the forums would reverse osmosis water be better? I have the bucket of sea salt and some special blend of something that is supposed to make cleaning the tank less often and it smells horrible. I also have the quick dip test strips for the water and two hydrometers....but dont know how to read them or what they mean...I know it has to do with the salinity of the water and it has to be between 1.024-1.026 but what is with the other little numbers from 28-38 going up along side the salinity?

Also my nitrates are high and I did a 25% water change with regular water and teh chlor-out and Ph downer because my salinity was too high and they are still high....how do I fix it?


ANY help would be greatly appreciated


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## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

Yes R/O water would be great and would probably help with your nitrate problem as well.
You want the water to be between 1.023 to 1.025 in salinity. I don't know about the other numbers. 
If your salinity is too high all you do is suck saltwater out and add freshwater in.


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## JonnyB (Jul 17, 2010)

ohhh cool cool thanks


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

JonnyB said:


> I have a 75g saltwater with 60lbs of live sand at the bottom, two medium sized live rocks, and some fake plants and stuff for hiding places, I am currently using a Fluval 305 and a Tetra hang over for 30-60g but I am about to buy another Fluval 305 and get rid of the Tetra for my filters, and I have a shatter proof submersible heater for a 75g tank. In my tank I have 6 hermit crabs and a sally light foot crab and a black and white stripped Damsel, I had a domino Damsel but I have no clue where it went to....it might have died *unforunately damsels are not the best fish to add as this single damsel will dominate the entire tank if you don't get very aggressive tankmates *
> 
> I'm using regular tap water with chlor-out and Ph downer *whoever told you to do this you should probably avoid, pH down would do nothing to make your tap water safer, and would actually do damage as far as your salts buffering capacity, RO water would be much better*.to make it safe but from reading the forums would reverse osmosis water be better? I have the bucket of sea salt and some special blend of something that is supposed to make cleaning the tank less often and it smells horrible*snake oil I would assume... dispose of it*. I also have the quick dip test strips for the water and two hydrometers....but dont know how to read them or what they mean...I know it has to do with the salinity of the water and it has to be between 1.024-1.026 but what is with the other little numbers from 28-38 going up along side the salinity? *yes*
> 
> ...


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## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

JonnyB said:


> ...but what is with the other little numbers from 28-38 going up along side the salinity?


Those numbers are another measurement system in which to measure salinity and indicate Parts Per Thousand/PPT. Reading specific gravity is perhaps more widely used so the PPT can be ignored.

You may want to invest in a refractometer, they're usually more accurate than hydrometers and can be calibrated.



JonnyB said:


> Also my nitrates are high...


How high are your nitrates? You may want to consider adding more live rock as well as transition to RO/DI water as previously mentioned.


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