Water Salinity level and Micro algae

[Jim177y]

Hi everyone,

Two questions for the experts..

Can i check with you all, why is my tank water salinity level kept increasing despite being only topping up distilled water ??

Originally it was 1.014. my tank is 3 gallons, i took out 1/3 of it volume and top up with distilled water. I measure the salinity level with hydrometer; it shows 1.0125 but one week later it suddenly shoot up to 1.0145 which baffles me.

Ever since i added Chaetomorpha macro algae, i have realised that when ever i on the led cool white lights for algae growth for 2 hrs per day , there are bubbles popping up everywhere like Oxygen. is this normal ??

Oh forgot to intro.. I'm Jimmy from Singapore, have been a shrimp keeper for 9 years but I'm new to this forum. Nice to meet u all

[Paulzie67]

Hi Jimmy,
How long has your tank been set up?
IF your Salinity rapidly jumped up, Id guess either, your hydrometer was stuck or you had undissolved salt somewhere? But sounds like a lot of water to remove to drop so little. check it a few more times.
I keep mine at 1.010 to 1.014 at most... but just replacing a little Distilled or filtered is usually enough to drop mine back down to 1.010. Granted, mine are only 1 gallon containers, but still only takes about 1 inch or so of water... not even a cup full

Bubbles on your algae is good. It means it's alive and producing Oxygen.

[Jim177y]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your response. my tank was set up 4 months back as an upgrade from 1/2 gallon tank 8 years ago. There is nothing faulty on the hydrometer so that leaves with undissolved salt ? 2nd round i took out another another 1/3 of its volume and top up with distilled water and finally it dip down to 1.013. I monitor for another 2 weeks and it maintain at the same salinity.

Another question i would like to ask is how to increase the success rate for berried shrimp to hatch ? the last round i had a berried with about 14 eggs but as time goes by the eggs gradually until only 4 eggs were successfully hatch to shrimp larvae. I did not over feed; i did not top up or do any water change; i on my led lights 2 hrs per day; i did not disturb or stress my shrimps in any form during the berried period.

Hopefully i can get some effective answers from all shrimp experts, thanks in advance.