The Puffer Forum

You will need a refractometer (or a hydrometer that measures low SG) to adjust your water change replacement water to the proper SG. If you do 50% water changes, this is quite easy.
When you take out 50% of your freshwater, adjust the SG of the water you are adding back to the tank to no higher than 1.004. That way the SG in your tank will be 1.002, when you are done the water change. You can, of course, raise the salinity slower than this, and certainly no faster, as to not crash your bio-filtration.

I still prefer the tablespoon method if you're starting from freshwater and aren't in any particular rush to achieve a particular SG. :p

Got my refractometer today. Very nice. I wasn't so sure until I realized you could "focus"..clubself ....I kept thinking, either I'm getting really old, or these youngins must have great eyes :40: I had a real good laugh. My hubby thought it was one of my finer blond moments. I'm at 1.003, think I'll keep it there one week longer. I tested my reef and my pinpoint seems to be in agreement with my refractometer. Was a good purchase over all! Puffers are doing well. Fat, eating, just adorable. Gave them a mussel today, it was a family event, everyone watched as they tore into it. Thanks all...pufferforum is the best!

Mussels are messy, stinky foods but the puffers really enjoy the meal. I usually feed them before water changes.

How's the ich treatment coming along?

Gee, thanks YBe. I ended up using Aquari-sol, the heat/salt treatment was just not working. They were getting more spots, and slowing down. I treated for 6 days, did some water changes, and so far, so good. Spots all gone. I kept up with the Melafix, no secondary infections so far. I have 3 tetras and two otos in the tank. They never caught the ich...

That is good news!

Phaedrus wrote:I still prefer the tablespoon method if you're starting from freshwater and aren't in any particular rush to achieve a particular SG. :p

For sure, slower never hurts!