Things You'll Need
- Bucket
- Dechlorinator
- Marine salt
- Hydrometer
- Mixing spoon
Instructions
Fill the bucket with distilled freshwater and add the appropriate dosage of dechlorinator to remove any harmful chemicals. The dechlorinator comes as liquid droplets and the proper dosage is on the packaging.
Pour the proper dosage of marine salt into the water. This depends on how much water the bucket holds. MarineLand recommends 5 ounces of salt per gallon of water, using their Instant Ocean line of marine salts, but other brands may vary.
Mix the salt vigorously with a mixing spoon until it dissolves. You can optionally toss in an aerator, which can be an air stone connected to an air pump, into the bucket to help with the mixing process.
Measure the specific gravity of the water using a hydrometer. Most hydrometers contain beakers that are filled with the water. A floating needle in the device points to markers on the beaker that indicate the specific gravity, or salinity. You ideally want the water to be between 1.002ppt, or parts per trillion, and 1.020ppt, depending on what sea life is in the tank.
Adjust the specific gravity by either mixing in more salt or diluting it with freshwater. Pour the water into the tank when finished.