salinity advice please help.

Steven R · Jan 22, 2012

So i got my long awaited refract to day I calibrated it and to my surprise both of my tanks are running at 1.029 and I know this is bad my temp is between 80 and 81 on both systems. all my inhabitants seem happy and have been for sometime I am still getting good growth my RBT and my LTA are both ok and open. so i ws planing on just over the course of 3 weeks drop it down to 1.026. questions how bad is the high salt content for the system. and should i be worried about if the short period of time ( 3 weeks ) or should i drop it down over a month or so? thanks

returnofsid · Jan 22, 2012

I think, before making any changes, I'd calibrate your refractometer again, just to make sure. What are you calibrating it with? A lot of people calibrate with RO/DI water, which isn't accurate. I used to use RO/DI water and then I purchased calibration solution. My Refractometer, calibrated with RO/DI water, was off. Once you're sure that you're really sitting at 1.029, I'd fix it quicker than 3 weeks. I'd do some small water changes, with RO/DI water, over a few days, to bring it back down. Dropping from 1.029 to 1.026, over a few days, will do no harm at all.

-Logzor · Jan 22, 2012

Agreed. Make sure you let the calibration solution float in your tank before you calibrate, that solution and the water you plan on measuring need to be the same temperature.

returnofsid · Jan 22, 2012

Newer Refractometers aren't usually sensitive to temperature, like the older ones.

Steven R · Jan 22, 2012

-Logzor said:
Agreed. Make sure you let the calibration solution float in your tank before you calibrate, that solution and the water you plan on measuring need to be the same temperature.

I have been using RO/DI water to calibrate but i will take the advice of you guys with experience and switch over to solution. My plan of action after the advice you guys gave me is first since my water change is tomorrow I am going to mix my salt light i do a 15 percent change i do a change every Monday and the next few following days i will take out 1 or two gallons and replace with temp matched RO/DI water till it comes back down. thanks guys