| In the early days of keeping a marine or saltwater | | | | saltwater. This water is collected from the ocean, |
| aquarium you had to go to the ocean to get water. | | | | purified and bottled. This water is more expensive |
| Now, years later, questions arise; where do you get | | | | than dry salt mixes but the manufacturers claim |
| the salt to make saltwater for the fish? Do you just | | | | many benefits from using their water. |
| add a salt mix to water? If so how do I know if I | | | | 4. The final and most exciting way to get saltwater |
| mixed the salt correctly? Then you hear rumors that | | | | is to move near an ocean and go off shore to collect |
| keeping the saltwater level in your aquarium is | | | | all the water you need. |
| difficult. Let us look into the world of salt for creating | | | | Most of us will go to our local pet and aquarium store |
| a healthy environment where fish will thrive. | | | | to purchase saltwater for our aquariums. Whichever |
| Rest assured that you no longer have to drive to the | | | | form of saltwater you choose before you add any |
| ocean to get saltwater. You can go to most pet and | | | | saltwater to your aquarium always test it. |
| aquarium stores and purchase salt for your aquarium | | | | The first test should be to measure the specific |
| in either a dry salt mix form or premixed ready to | | | | gravity or amount of salt in the water. You want to |
| use water. There are four different ways to | | | | ensure the salt content is correct; specific gravity |
| purchase saltwater for your aquarium. | | | | should be between 1.019 and 1.025. Test the specific |
| | | | gravity with a hydrometer. One popular hydrometer |
| 1. The most popular is to purchase dry, premixed salt | | | | style is a plastic box with a floating swing-arm. As |
| in a box, plastic bag or bucket. Just follow the | | | | you fill the plastic box with saltwater the swing-arm |
| directions on the label and add the recommended | | | | floats and points to a scale which tells you how much |
| amount of salt to tap, RO, DI or distilled water. | | | | salt is in the water. If you are reading too high on |
| 2. Another popular way to purchase salt for your | | | | the scale add more water, if too low add more salt |
| aquarium is to buy premixed saltwater. Many pet and | | | | mix. Hydrometers are easy to use and they make |
| aquarium stores mix large quantities of saltwater in | | | | testing saltwater a breeze. |
| vats so that consumers (you) can purchase it by | | | | Once the salt level is correct ensure your pH, |
| bringing containers (usually holding 5 gallons) to fill. | | | | ammonia and nitrite levels are also where they should |
| Most stores use purified water such as reverse | | | | be. One final thought: salt never evaporates, so |
| osmosis or de-ionized water to mix with the sea salt | | | | anytime the water in your aquarium drops due to |
| mix. Purified water removes many unwanted | | | | evaporation, add plain water (without salt added) to |
| pollutants from the water. | | | | fill your aquarium back up. |
| 3. One of the newest methods is to buy bottled | | | | |