low salinity during cycle

[ReefJunkie28]

checked my salinity was at 1.024. now it’s at 1.020 how do i raise it? beginning of cycle day 1. tested 24 hours after tank was running

 

[vetteguy53081]

Raise it gradually adding water At 1.026and retesting each 12-24 hrs
What instrument are you using to test salinity ?

 

[ReefJunkie28]

Raise it gradually adding water At 1.026and retesting each 12-24 hrs
What instrument are you using to test salinity ?

refractometer the one with the sight glass. it’s silver

 

[vetteguy53081]

refractometer the one with the sight glass. it’s silver

Just assure its calibrated

 

[bjc451]

If you watch the dr Tim’s YouTube at Macna. You can build bacteria better at lower salinity faster

 

[Cell]

If there is no livestock, why must he raise it gradually?

 

[ReefJunkie28]

If there is no livestock, why must he raise it gradually?

what I’m wondering, idk what to do. leave it for a bit or like... yeah idk

 

[mrbluewildcats]

I'd leave it alone. Don't do any water changes and I wouldn't even bother testing for 3 or 4 days if you started with 3-5 ppm ammonia. Add more ammonia if it drops to zero, then nitrites should begin to be present. Once you get a nitrate reading, you're cycled. At that point you can raise the salinity by replacing evaporated water with saltwater instead of RODI water if you want, that will give you a gradual increase though not really necessary with no livestock, but it's an easy way and you have to add water anyway.

 

[bjc451]

Some people use cheaper salt for the cycle. Since most people change 100% of the water anyway

 

[BeejReef]

Are you running a sump and an automatic top off?

Most likely just the salt giving a different reading hours after the initial mix. Mine usually tests right on, then 12 hours later I may have to adjust the salt bin up just a touch.

If you are already running a sump and an ato, make sure you've taped a fill-to line on your sump and that the level in your sump and DT remain stable. Lots of potential quirks in new tank plumbing that can lead to the ATO overfilling and dropping your salinity. No real concern to you atm, but best to get it sorted now, if that's the case.

 

[Cell]

Assuming no livestock, I would double check salinity and if still low, add salt directly to the tank until it's where I want it.

 

[ReefJunkie28]

Are you running a sump and an automatic top off?

Most likely just the salt giving a different reading hours after the initial mix. Mine usually tests right on, then 12 hours later I may have to adjust the salt bin up just a touch.

If you are already running a sump and an ato, make sure you've taped a fill-to line on your sump and that the level in your sump and DT remain stable. Lots of potential quirks in new tank plumbing that can lead to the ATO overfilling and dropping your salinity. No real concern to you atm, but best to get it sorted now, if that's the case.

no to ato. I’m still in my cycle. it’s an AIO tank: sump is in the back

 

[ReefJunkie28]

I'd leave it alone. Don't do any water changes and I wouldn't even bother testing for 3 or 4 days if you started with 3-5 ppm ammonia. Add more ammonia if it drops to zero, then nitrites should begin to be present. Once you get a nitrate reading, you're cycled. At that point you can raise the salinity by replacing evaporated water with saltwater instead of RODI water if you want, that will give you a gradual increase though not really necessary with no livestock, but it's an easy way and you have to add water anyway.

yeah my ammonia was 0 last night so I put a shrimp in

 

[ReefJunkie28]

Assuming no livestock, I would double check salinity and if still low, add salt directly to the tank until it's where I want it.

yeah no livestock. day 2 of cycle now

 

[W1ngz]

My first thought with a new reefer and a new tank with salinity "problems" is testing error. Just one of many bumps on the learning curve. There's other possibilities like over-filling with topoff water and such, but this seems most likely.

-make sure your refractometer is calibrated with 35ppt calibration fluid. Some of them need to be checked as much as weekly for accuracy. Some will argue that calibration is done with RODI, but scientific instruments should always be calibrated as close to the expected test results as possible.

-make sure you are cleaning your dropper and lens with RODI water after use and before a test, and to flush both with tank water before taking a sample. It doesn't take much dried salt water to mess up the salt concentration in 3 drops of water.

 

[ReefJunkie28]

My first thought with a new reefer and a new tank with salinity "problems" is testing error. Just one of many bumps on the learning curve. There's other possibilities like over-filling with topoff water and such, but this seems most likely.

-make sure your refractometer is calibrated with 35ppt calibration fluid. Some of them need to be checked as much as weekly for accuracy. Some will argue that calibration is done with RODI, but scientific instruments should always be calibrated as close to the expected test results as possible.

-make sure you are cleaning your dropper and lens with RODI water after use and before a test, and to flush both with tank water before taking a sample. It doesn't take much dried salt water to mess up the salt concentration in 3 drops of water.

yeah I know that... my guess is calibration error. I gotta get some fluid and recalibrate it.

 

[brian2kgt]

I would leave it be and raise it after the cycle is complete. Like bjc451 said, Dr. Tim Hovanec actually recommends a salinity around 1.015 during the cycle. He says the bacteria will multiply faster because they are using less energy to maintain cell shape and can put more energy into dividing. I highly recommend to anyone who is interested to learn more about the science of the cycle or how to speed up the cycle to watch his MACNA 2019 presentation. You can skip to about the 12 minute mark if you want to see the stuff about salinity.

 

[krbnsol]

^ this. Plus you dont have livestock so it doesnt really matter. Get the cycle running well first....then fix the salinity.

 

[ReefJunkie28]

just a quick little update on anyone who is following. my salinity raised to 1.024 overnight. glass was foggy so I cleaned it off with my aquarium brush. re-tested 24 hours later. and it’s back to 1.024 where I had it before. didn’t do anything, just re-tested.