Water Question?

[edawgm]

This might sound like a dumb question but it’s something that just popped into my head. So as for water with evaporation and adding water to replace it, what is the effect in water quality IE salinity? Is it just the water itself that evaporates and as it evaporates leaves the salt in the tank? Adding more water just equals everything back out?

I did a water change 2 days ago and actually made the new water a little higher salinity than the tank water. Before the change tank salinity was 1.023 and the changing water was at 1.026. This morning when I double checked the tank it was showing 1.020. Why would this happen? I don't understand what happened. I am trying to raise the level of my tank. Anyone have any insight as to what could have happened? I use a glass hydrometer to check not a floating swing arm.

[Bill S]

Unless it's lost via "salt creep", evaporation is distilled water - no salt. If everything is as you said, what you have said happened, can't happen.

[caferacermike]

Off the wall question but are you temperature compensating for the reading? I know most hydrometers have a set temp to test water at, is there any chance your water was different temps?

[MattK]

Do you have an ATO (auto top off)? I use the swing arm type hydrometer and I know the temperature effects my readings but I'm not sure how it would effect the glass ones.

[edawgm]

Now that I think about it, I really wasn't paying attention to the temp when I had done the water change. But I did have a heater in the new water for about 2 hours or so while everything mixed. I guess that could have been my problem is not accounting for the temp. Or are glass hydrometer effected by temp.? I have a swing arm type hydrometer but I know for a fact that it is way off the mark, I just haven't taken the time to get it cal.

Do you have an ATO (auto top off)?

No I don't at this time. I have just been adding water every two days