Salinity 1.035!!!

[SeaDøøby]

I used to use a hydrometer on my tank, which reads 1.020, but recently I got a refractometer and it reads 1.035. I calibrated it using 35 ppt solution and calibrated it to the 35 ppt line. I'm not sure what to trust. How would I safely bring the salinity down? All of my fish and corals are doing fine except for a bubble coral that recently had a polyp bailout.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Best bet is to calibrate again. Also if you know anyone nearby, see if they can bring their hydrometer and test with theirs and see what they get.

 

[tbrown]

Take a sample of your water to a LFS. Have them verify the reading. Hydrometers are known to be inaccurate. You can also check RO water with the refractometer and see if it's reading high...

 

[PeterC99]

Check using RODI water. Should read zero.

 

[Bryson.bobby]

If nothing seems out of the ordinary, I'd just slowly lower the salinity. Maybe try borrowing a friends or LFS's refractometer first though.

 

[SeaDøøby]

Thank you for the quick responses. I will test it using RO water and test it at the lfs.

 

[Postullio]

Depending on ur tank size, take a small amount of tank water out and replace it with rodi water and keep testing untill it reads 1.025 on the refrac. As long as its calibrated correctly that is

 

[SeaDøøby]

I'm not sure if I calibrated it correctly which is why the lfs might be the safest option, but if the salinity is high my tank is a 55 gallon. How much water would I take out and how much RO water would I put in?

 

[tbrown]

I'm not sure if I calibrated it correctly which is why the lfs might be the safest option, but if the salinity is high my tank is a 55 gallon. How much water would I take out and how much RO water would I put in?

You'd want to do it slowly. Too fast and you can shock your inverts and possibly fish.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening,

I agree with all, go really slow. Don’t panic. Unless you just did a big water change it has probably been there for a bit of time. I have run up to .037 in error before I caught it with no issues. It is harder on fish due to reduced O2 levels. something else may have affected the coral.

Have you checked you other numbers? I would do that.

 

[Shirak]

I'm not sure if I calibrated it correctly which is why the lfs might be the safest option, but if the salinity is high my tank is a 55 gallon. How much water would I take out and how much RO water would I put in?

If you calibrated it to 35ppt refractometer solution and it is reading 35ppt on the scale when you check it, then it is calibrated correctly. Just make sure you are using refractometer solution and not conductivity solution.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

If you calibrated it to 35ppt refractometer solution and it is reading 35ppt on the scale when you check it, then it is calibrated correctly. Just make sure you are using refractometer solution and not conductivity solution.

Good point. To be sure, are you not crossing ppt and Sg?

 

[SeaDøøby]

No, I'm not mixing ppt and sg up (sg is like 1.026 while ppt is 35) and I'm using continuum reagents refractometer calibration standard.

My parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Calcium: 490ppm
Magnesium: off the chart
dKH: 10.2 dKH
Phosphate: 0ppm

 

[davidcalgary29]

I used to use a hydrometer on my tank, which reads 1.020, but recently I got a refractometer and it reads 1.035.

Ah, but what type of refractometer did you get? I bought one for beer by mistake and raised salinity to 1.035 in error. My Kenya Tree literally disintegrated over the course of an hour (the only coral in there), and I lost a couple of snails, so I'd wager that if your inhabitants are fine, your salinity isn't as high as you'd think...and you might want to wait to confirm salinity before altering it downward.

 

[SeaDøøby]

I am pretty sure I got the right type of refractometer. My lfs has them behind the register, so they had to give it to me. Hopefully, they didn't give me one for beer. The most sensitive invertebrate that I have is a brittle sea star unless a pistol shrimp or hermit crabs are more sensitive.

 

[Shirak]

I am pretty sure I got the right type of refractometer. My lfs has them behind the register, so they had to give it to me. Hopefully, they didn't give me one for beer. The most sensitive invertebrate that I have is a brittle sea star unless a pistol shrimp or hermit crabs are more sensitive.

Tank inhabitants may not show any issues if it happened gradually.. until it stresses them beyond their ability to handle it. In your other thread you mentioned over 10 alk, Ca around 500 and Mg off the test chart with 1.020 salinity. Not possible IMO at that salinity unless dosing all of those, which I don’t think you are? Whenever I hear of high levels I always ask about salinity. High levels across several elements is a good indication of high salinity since they are tied together.
sounds like the correct refractometer and calibration solution so I think it’s reasonably safe to go with your current reading, but probably wouldn’t hurt to have LFS check salinity just to verify first to make sure you are using the refractometer correctly

 

[SeaDøøby]

I haven't dosed recently, so I will have my salinity tested by my lfs today. Thank you for the help!

 

[rockdiver]

If... if I am reading this op right the PPT is 35 and the SG is 1.26.
That is correct. 35ppt is 1.26
I see nothing wrong it is just slightly higher the 1.25 and with the ok range
I would just put small amount of ro/di water in to bring it down to 1.25 or 1.24.
Depending on what you have 1.20 is kinda low imo
I keep mine there. 1.25
Or am I reading this all wrong and been doing my sg all wrong for years

 

[SeaDøøby]

1.020 sg is low and that was what I was trying to fix but when I used a refractometer is reads 1.035 sg, so it's pretty confusing. When my lfs opens I'll see if I calibrated it right and have it get tested there.

 

[Shirak]

If... if I am reading this op right the PPT is 35 and the SG is 1.26.
That is correct. 35ppt is 1.26
I see nothing wrong it is just slightly higher the 1.25 and with the ok range
I would just put small amount of ro/di water in to bring it down to 1.25 or 1.24.
Depending on what you have 1.20 is kinda low imo
I keep mine there. 1.25
Or am I reading this all wrong and been doing my sg all wrong for years

Yes 35ppt is 1.026 sg. OP stated he was at 1.035 though