Low salinity killed my toadstool?

[marlinman]

Didnt know that refractometer can change so always make sure its calibrated before use. Learned it the hard way so salinity went down to around 1.019 and hovered around 1.020 a few days and killed my pulsating xenia(melted) and my toadstool used to have a good plume of green grass comin out of its head and for the last 5 days I havent seen em, still looks white touched it and smelled my hands and it doesnt stink, small dark spots developing near base, is it too far gone to be saved? Top is changin color a very tiny bit

 

[marlinman]

oh and SAL-1.023, ph-8.1, no amnnia, nitrite, nitrate, calc 320 and goin up slowly now was low around 250

 

[Bigdaddy]

I just had this happen to me my tank is slowly recovering i only lost a few zoas and a nice size frogspawn so far mine went down to 1 .018 due to ato getting messed up , also i have heard the calibration fluid can go bad not sure how true that is but just something to be aware of maybe someone can clarify that , i hope all recovers for you it sucks when stuf f like this happens

 

[marlinman]

yea seems hes just gone dormant i hope

 

[Decalf]

Although its real nice to have a refractometer its a electronic device subject to many types of falures as all electronics are. IMO you should also have a hydrometer to get a second opion. It may not be spot on accurate but if your hydrometer says 1.025 and your refrac reads 1.019 you can start asking questions. You should really have a back up test kit for every electronic device you test with and on occasion take a dup reading to make sure nothing is a fowl

 

[dsmhero]

Although its real nice to have a refractometer its a electronic device subject to many types of falures as all electronics are. IMO you should also have a hydrometer to get a second opion. It may not be spot on accurate but if your hydrometer says 1.025 and your refrac reads 1.019 you can start asking questions. You should really have a back up test kit for every electronic device you test with and on occasion take a dup reading to make sure nothing is a fowl

Most refractometers are not digital. I would never trust a hydrometer, I threw mine out the second I got my refractometer. My hydro was reading 1.025 when in reality the tank was 1.023, they are inherently inaccurate.

 

[cdness]

I have a floating hydrometer and a refractometer. The floating one stays in the sump and has a green band where it is good. If it gets out of the green band I'll know there is an issue. My test readings are taken with my refractometer and have been spot on for years. Calibrated once and never had to change it. Every time I add the calibration solution it reads like it should.

 

[marlinman]

nvmnd it lives!!

 

[Chameleon]

hydrometers also vary with temp...adds to inaccuracy

 

[arch85]

hm … interesting. Some of my corals have started wilting, so I wonder salinity is the issue on my tank too. Thankfully my LFS calibrates the refractometers for free, so I'll give that a shot