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just about to set up my first marine tank and don't know the proper water to salt ratio to mix. I want to specific gravity of 1.019 for dwarf seahorses. Any help? dang instant ocean container offers no help.

Why do you want the salinity so low?

"Specific gravity - 1.021 to 1.024" per seahorse.org, which is pretty much the authority on seahorse care.

You basically just keep mixing the water and testing it with your hydrometer/refractometer untill its where you want it. There is no formula for mixing salt. Water temperature also has an effect on salinity.

thanks. i picked 1.019 because the seahorse.org folks said it was best for dwarf seahorses, which is what I'm getting.

Last edited by apologeticus at 06-Oct-2004 14:56

I see, that was just in their general info. I figured if there were any kept in a lower range, it would have said.

Mixing SW is basically trial and error, untill you figure out what works for you in particular.

great! I'll try my hand at it right now!! thanks again for the help

It can depend on the salt you are using, but as a rough guide, I use about 4 (smallish) cup fulls for a 25l bucket (er, what's that 6-7 gal?) to get nearly 1.024, I then use my refractometer to get it right. Try and measure it like that, in cups for a bucket of water when mixing it and see how it works out. Remember, it's easier to put too little in then add more than get more fresh water (which normally means tipping some away and wasting the salt, and/or getting more RO water).
Don't forget to make sure the water is well airated, put either a powerhead or maybe an air pump/stone. And it can take a little while for the salt to mix, so don't test it straight away, leave it a good 10-15 minutes before checking (until it's clear and there's no salt at the bottom). It's also good to leave the water mixing (With the powerhead or air pump) for a good few hours before putting it in (not needed so much if the tank is empty and it's the first lot of water going in). I generally make up water the day or two before a water change. Oh and if there are animals in the tank, make sure you try to get the temperature fairly close to the tank water.

I would agree with Lil_Mikey. Its all trial and error in my experiance. I would suggest mixing less salt first, then adding more later. Nothing frustrates me more than having too much salt and having to add more water.
I keep my tank at 1.022 and have no problems. I mix 1 gallon of water in a 2 gallon bucket and get the level I need. Once that is accomplished I put it into a larger bucket with a heater. That way everything is mixed at the same level. It can be time consuming. Every salt mix is different. I use coralife and it says to put a half cup per gallon. That puts my specific gravity to 1.024 which is too high. So, its all about experience the first time.