Need Tips For 75 Gallon Tank

[Heisenberg430]

Setup: Fish with dry rock

I just started my first saltwater tank (bought it second-hand) and poured the saltwater in last night. I am getting a low salinity reading on my hydrometer, just underneath the red zone. How can I up the salinity level? Second, is there a way to tell if beneficial bacteria is growing? I put some cycling stuff in the tank.

I haven’t kept fish in about 7 years until now and this my first time doing saltwater and using aquatics forums. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tony_097]

Get a refractometer as a hydrometer is unreliable. Quick question are you using rodI water?

 

[Heisenberg430]

Get a refractometer as a hydrometer is unreliable. Quick question are you using rodI water?

No, I used tap water with coniditoner.

 

[Tony_097]

I also suggest getting a rodI as using tap water is generally unsafe in a marine aquarium and will cause algae and headaches.

 

[Jesterrace]

Setup: Fish with dry rock

I just started my first saltwater tank (bought it second-hand) and poured the saltwater in last night. I am getting a low salinity reading on my hydrometer, just underneath the red zone. How can I up the salinity level? Second, is there a way to tell if beneficial bacteria is growing? I put some cycling stuff in the tank.

I haven’t kept fish in about 7 years until now and this my first time doing saltwater and using aquatics forums. Thanks in advance!

Before going any further I strongly suggest looking at this video. Unfortunately Freshwater teaches you many bad habits that you will need to unlearn going forward:

 

[AZL]

Hey, I'm a noob as well but working some stuff out. I've had puffers in marine for a few months now and literally just set up a reef tank with sump at work. Do you have live rock? Even if you're not doing reef it maintains a stable bacteria culture and come with good clean up crew. that would be a FOWLR tank, fish only with live rock. If you want to chat with someone just getting set up as well always happy to natter