Question for the wetskim water changers...

Hey guys... recentley I have been really turned on by wet skimming to do water changes in all my tanks.

I turn skimmer up so I take out alot of wet foam. Run over to the sinks and make up some new sw/ usually around 1.019-1.020ish and then sit back stir up the substrate and watch my tank. After couple hours or so I have removed around 5 gallons of water. I replace it with fresh made saltwater and off I go watching my tank. my sg is around 1.024/25.

1. Why when I wet skim do i pull out fresh water and not salt water?
2. How do you wetskim/waterchange?
3. Some say add the fresh saltwater first then wet skim to desired water level? (Wouldnt I salt creep?)

Anyway... interested in what you guys have to say?

 

the water that comes out the skimmer is pretty much all saltwater.

i think most people that use there skimmer for a water change have a skimmers with a hole in the cup they attach a hose to. the hose runs into a bucket.
im not quite sure i understand the last question

 

1. It is saltwater. If you lose water to evaporation that is freshwater but when wet skimming you are removing saltwater. That is why you can't top off in this situation with freshwater. If you did, your SG would drop very quickly.

2. I would do it just the way you are.

3. Why would you want to want to do this? You would spike the SG upwards substantially for several hours and then it would drop to a good level. Not only that, a lot of the water that is clean and brand new would have only been in the tank for several hours and now it's gone down the drain with the older water.

 

good point... I never thought it made sense to mix good water in with stuff im planning to change.

I have a hob skimmer with a hole and a gate valve. I can Measure how much skimate I get. Sometimes I leave it open and let if dump into a pail.