How to lower salinity?

[clownaround4giggles]

Is the only way to add more and more Rodi or is there a simpler way? My salinity is really high yet everything seems to be fine so idk I’d like to lower it just in case

 

[herozero]

Don’t add, replace. Salt water out fresh water in. Small changes not huge jumps in salinity. What is your salinity now?

 

[William Chiavetta]

Is the only way to add more and more Rodi or is there a simpler way? My salinity is really high yet everything seems to be fine so idk I’d like to lower it just in case

How high? I would recommend just adding more RO/DI not that hard.

 

[mattrob]

Adding RODI is the way I would do it, if there is anything in the tank do it slowly, if not just go for it making sure to mix it well before testing again

 

[William Chiavetta]

Don’t add, replace. Salt water out fresh water in.

I think he meant add fresh RODI water. not adding anymore salt. I could be wrong but idk

 

[herozero]

I think he meant add fresh RODI water. not adding anymore salt. I could be wrong but idk

Not sure why everyone keeps saying add, it’s not add it’s REPLACE. If you want to lower your salinity, and assuming you maintain the same water heights in sump/tank, remove water from your system and add fresh RO/DI water. Do it in small amounts, not more than say .002SG equivalent.

 

[William Chiavetta]

Not sure why everyone keeps saying add, it’s not add it’s REPLACE. If you want to lower your salinity, and assuming you maintain the same water heights in sump/tank, remove water from your system and add fresh RO/DI water. Do it in small amounts, not more than say .002SG equivalent.

Oh just didn't get what u were saying. You are correct but I'm guessing this is what he meant. But +1 to the small amounts

 

[clownaround4giggles]

How high? I would recommend just adding more RO/DI not that hard.

1.033

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Not sure why everyone keeps saying add, it’s not add it’s REPLACE. If you want to lower your salinity, and assuming you maintain the same water heights in sump/tank, remove water from your system and add fresh RO/DI water. Do it in small amounts, not more than say .002SG equivalent.

Yep. I think people are getting confused with evaporation.

1.033

Check to make sure no evaporation has occurred, if it has, top off the necessary amount of RODI water. If you see your water levels are the same, then replace tank water for RODI. Do you have livestock in the tank?

 

[William Chiavetta]

1.033

WOW yes try to lower that as quickly and safely as possible

 

[Pistondog]

Remove 1% of tank volume and replace with fresh water either via ato or manually every day. Check salinity every week until you are at 1.026 s.g.
It should take about 19 days from 1.033sg.

Edit 19 not 27 days

 

[clownaround4giggles]

Yep. I think people are getting confused with evaporation.



Check to make sure no evaporation has occurred, if it has, top off the necessary amount of RODI water. If you see your water levels are the same, then replace tank water for RODI. Do you have livestock in the tank?

yes it’s a pretty stocked tank (fluval Evo 13.5)

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

yes it’s a pretty stocked tank (fluval Evo 13.5)

Then do not ever let the salinity get this high again.

 

[clownaround4giggles]

Then do not ever let the salinity get this high again.

I know it happened suddenly after a water change, but idk how

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I know it happened suddenly after a water change, but idk how

I expect your new saltwater was mixed to a high salinity. Before changing anything, be sure your tank measurement is correct... properly calibrate whatever instrument you use and test again.

 

[TokenReefer]

Did a quick calc here for you - https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/SaltwaterDilution.php - estimated 10 gal (could be less; you should calculate your real volume). To go from 1.033 sg to 1.026 sg you'd remove 1.12 cups of tank water, then add 1.12 cups of fresh RODI water to dilute. Pretty easy to correct in a small tank; this will be a big shift though so I would do a little today; run the calculator again tomorrow based on current salinity; wait a day, run it again based on that days salinity, until you get back in range. Don't move more than 0.003 in a day I think is a rough est for max

edit: oh and do this for sure ^^ calibrate

 

[GARRIGA]

Don’t forget to add Part C of balling to balance ions. My one issue with most two part solutions.

 

[clownaround4giggles]

Don’t forget to add Part C of balling to balance ions. My one issue with most two part solutions.

???

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

???

Backing up, how do you supplement calcium and alkalinity, if at all?

 

[GARRIGA]

Backing up, how do you supplement calcium and alkalinity, if at all?

Thought someone had mentioned that and I was just commenting on the imbalance with trace. Perhaps I should have stated to practice the balling method to solve the dilution of salinity by exchanging tank water with fresh.