How to convert from FW to BW?

[fballguy]

I have a few questions here, they probably have been asked before but I can't seem to find anything.

1. How do I add salt? Straight to the water or mix it outside the tank then add during a water change?

2. How long should it take to convert to low end brackish of 1.005? How much salt do I add each time I increase?

3. Is there a special kind of filter for brackish or will my filters for FW work?

4. Besides a meter to measure salinity, is there any other equipment I need?

 

[jm1212]

1. you should put the marine salt in with your new water change water

2. about a month, depening on how salty the water is you put in

3. from my experience with FW, BW, and SW, most filters ill work on all three (HOB filters)

4. you mgiht need a different test kit

 

[plah831]

DO NOT add salt directly to the tank with fish in it. The salt can burn their skin if it touches them. Always mix it in a separate container until the grains are completely dissolved, then add that to your tank.

Yes, you might need different test kits, as some are freshwater only. I believe most API tests are good in both salt or fresh, so brackish would work just fine. You'll have to refer to your specific kits, though.

 

[Stefanie]

This is how I did it. I am not sure if this is the best way, but it worked for me:

Tank was FW. With the first 50% waterchange I premixed marine salt in the new water to 1.002 so that the end result in the tank would be roughly 1.001.
Then with the next 50% waterchange a week later I premixed water to 1.003 resulting in roughly 1.002. The next one was 1.004 premixed and so on.

As for filtration I have a RFUG filter over aragonite substrate and another HOB filter for mechanical filtration.

Some test kits are indeed only fresh water, but even if they are for both fresh and salt they often use a different color scale.

 

[fballguy]

Thanks for the help! My test kit is for fresh and salt, so which color scale do I use, the FW or SW?