Salinity level WAY too high

[JosephM]

So I’ve been using a refractometer to get my salinity at 1.025. I was testing my brothers water with his hydrometer and they were way off from each other. I looked up what I could be doing wrong to find out my refractometer was made for beer and wine. So I ordered the Milwaukee digital refractometer and it came in today. My salinity level is at 1.038!! And I just put live rock in today. Should I take a bunch of the water out and replace with straight RO water or do this gradually?? I’m kinda freaking out cuz I don’t wanna kill all that new life on my live rock

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Is there any livestock in there?

 

[JosephM]

A bunch of hitchhikers... live rock from KP

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I wouldn’t do half.
how big is your tank?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Take it out and replace with RO will work. Don't do this too quickly as it may be a bad shock in itself. Hitchhikers on live rock may be shocked or die but atleast its not $1000s in coral and fish.

 

[JosephM]

I’m kinda confused now. I zero it out with distilled water. Test with calibration fluid (1.025) and it read 1.026, did this all again read 1.027... why is this expensive tester reading off right out of the box

 

[JosephM]

I wouldn’t do half.
how big is your tank?

I didn’t mean half literally but about 40 gal system. Was gonna do 12 gallons

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Why do you think your tester is off?

 

[rtparty]

A high salinity will flush out the hitch hikers so that isn't a bad thing really. But it needs to be kept pretty short. I would lower it quickly if it were me and pull out all the hitch hikers you don't want

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Yeah, I'd just bring it up to the right level. How long has it been the wrong salinity? If it was a long time, whatever was in there is likely dead.

 

[JosephM]

Yeah, I'd just bring it up to the right level. How long has it been the wrong salinity? If it was a long time, whatever was in there is likely dead.

About 5 hrs now

 

[JosephM]

Why do you think your tester is off?

I don’t even know at this point. 3 testers all reading something different.

 

[Jib]

I’m kinda confused now. I zero it out with distilled water. Test with calibration fluid (1.025) and it read 1.026, did this all again read 1.027... why is this expensive tester reading off right out of the box

Don't calibrate with distilled water. Use saltwater that you know the salinity of. You can make your own solution with table salt or buy calibration solution.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’m kinda confused now. I zero it out with distilled water. Test with calibration fluid (1.025) and it read 1.026, did this all again read 1.027... why is this expensive tester reading off right out of the box

Figure out an accurate reading before making drastic changes!

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I don’t even know at this point. 3 testers all reading something different.

I would trust the digital. You can make a solution per the directions on your salt and test that before reacting.

 

[JosephM]

I would trust the digital. You can make a solution per the directions on your salt and test that before reacting.

It doesn’t have a calibration button though, only zero it out using distilled. But I’ll make up a solution real quick to test that.

 

[rtparty]

I’m kinda confused now. I zero it out with distilled water. Test with calibration fluid (1.025) and it read 1.026, did this all again read 1.027... why is this expensive tester reading off right out of the box

The Milwaukee has a .002 margin of error and it is common to have the 1.025 fluid they send read 1.027. There was a small issue but just zero it with the distilled water and you are good to go. Don't worry what it reads the 1.025 fluid at. Calibrate with the distilled water at 0 and test your water

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I’m kinda confused now. I zero it out with distilled water. Test with calibration fluid (1.025) and it read 1.026, did this all again read 1.027... why is this expensive tester reading off right out of the box

All refractos should be calibrated with the calibration solution before first use.

The calibration fluid bottle should be floated in the tank for a bit, unless you have a temp calibrated refracto.

Once your refracto is calibrated with the solution, test the tank.

When in doubt, carry a sample to the lfs for a second set of testing.

 

[JosephM]

All refractos should be calibrated with the calibration solution before first use.

The calibration fluid bottle should be floated in the tank for a bit, unless you have a temp calibrated refracto.

Once your refracto is calibrated with the solution, test the tank.

When in doubt, carry a sample to the lfs for a second set of testing.

The digital one is temp calibrated. Refractometer is supposedly for beer and wine and other threads said those won’t work

 

[JosephM]

Correct me if my math is wrong. IO sea salt. 1/2 cup for 1 gallon so 1/2 tablespoon for 1 cup?