Salinity Levels

[pgol13]

Hi Everyone!

I set up a 75 gallon salt water tank a couple of weeks ago. It has an HOB filter, 3 wave-makers, a coral life skimmer, and a fluval heater. I have been trying to get my salinity up to 1.026 for the past week, but no matter how much salt I add it stays at 1.023-1.024.

I have waited for 3 days since the last time I added salt, to make sure I gave it enough time for the salt to dissolve. Any recommendations on what to do? Should I add more salt?

Thanks!

 

[leighton.bingham]

Why are you going for 1.026? If it’s stable then leave it. Also how are you mixed my it first? Like your process

 

[Sean Clark]

What are you using to measure the salinity and has it been calibrated reciently?

 

[ebushrow]

What are you using to test the water for salinity?

 

[pgol13]

Why are you going for 1.026? If it’s stable then leave it. Also how are you mixed my it first? Like your process

I read that 1.026 is a good level for reef tanks. At first I mixed my water in a 75 gallon container and when my refractometer read 1.023 I put the water in the tank because I had some salt water from the pet store with a salinity of 1.026 in the tank already. Now I'm stuck at 1.024 salinity. Ive tried to gradually add salt into the tank to raise the salinity, with the wave makers and heater on, but it still has not brought it up.

 

[pgol13]

What are you using to measure the salinity and has it been calibrated reciently?

refractometer and I did calibrate it before using it.

 

[mtraylor]

From the sounds of it. It sounds like a classic case of whatever your using to measure your salinity is not working properly. If you are adding salt and the reading is staying the same. This is your first sign and only sign that something is wrong with your device.

 

[pgol13]

From the sounds of it. It sounds like a classic case of whatever your using to measure your salinity is not working properly. If you are adding salt and the reading is staying the same. This is your first sign and only sign that something is wrong with your device.

I thought the same with my first refractometer, so I bought a new one. The new one gave me a different reading from my first one, however its been at 1.024 ever since I reached that salinity level.

 

[mtraylor]

I was thinking. Get yourself a refractometer and if you have one. Get some calibration fluid to make sure you are ok. Adding salt to anything and number staying the same doesn't make since unless you are adding very little.

 

[TokenReefer]

It never hurts to have multiple methods to check your salinity for times like this

 

[mtraylor]

I was adding salt to my mixing bucket the other day and the value kept staying the same after I added 2 of the cups I use and I said to myself. Something is wrong. I checked my refractometer and it was ok, then I noticed that the pump was off in my brute trash can and the salt was all at the bottom.

Plugged it up and dissolved all the salt and issue was resolved.