I raised it all at once. I just took out half the FW and put SW in until the SG reached .012. I had not gotten the fish yet so I wasn't worried about having to acclimate anythingl. The plants I kept in there, java fern and water sprite, took the change well and are thriving in the brackish water. Ammonia- 0, nitrite- 0, nitrate- 40 a couple days ago, but I just added nitrazorb to my filter so it should be lower now. I don't know my ph.