Salinity Problem

[Blackcoupe369]

My salinity is at 1.030. I slowly added an entire gallon of distilled water, the salinity didn’t even budge? I feel like a gallon is already two much to be adding to a 30 gallon tank. Should I be adding more?

 

[Geebs19]

What are you using to test?

 

[Blackcoupe369]

What are you using to test?

I just bought a brand new Refractometer

 

[Geebs19]

I just bought a brand new Refractometer

Just double checking was it calibrated?

 

[Blackcoupe369]

Just double checking was it calibrated?

Yes was calibrated

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Take more water out and save it. Add more distilled or rodi until u get 1.026. If u go lower add some of the saltwater back to system.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

U should have a secondary test to check for accuracy.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Yes was calibrated

How did you calibrate it?

Did you make a calibration solution?

 

[Blackcoupe369]

How did you calibrate it?

Did you make a calibration solution?

Yes it came with it. Was expensive, $100

 

[gbroadbridge]

Yes it came with it. Was expensive, $100

Okay, you may want to look at an article on how to make your own calibration solution in future.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

You may wish to check that your calibration is correct by comparing with another source.
Perhaps get your LFS to compare your device against their own water?

To lower salinity it is best to remove a quantity of water from the tank and replace with RODI (perhaps your ATO will do the top up for you).

You don't want to adjust too quickly as it could harm fish/coral.

 

[Spare time]

Yes it came with it. Was expensive, $100

Wait you spent $100 on a refractometer?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My salinity is at 1.030. I slowly added an entire gallon of distilled water, the salinity didn’t even budge? I feel like a gallon is already two much to be adding to a 30 gallon tank. Should I be adding more?

Calibrate and clean your tester. In a 30g, there should have been some drop although not significant.
You can also take a water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test for you and you will then know if yours is accurate or not

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wait you spent $100 on a refractometer?

May be a Milwaukee (gosh I hope so for that price)

 

[Gtinnel]

Adding a gallon of distilled water to a 30g tank will not make much of an overall difference to salinity and may not even be enough to show a change on your refractometer. The other issue is that you really need to remove some of the saltwater from the tank and replace it with fresh water. Just adding fresh water to the tank will only lower the salinity until that water evaporates back out. It’s more about removing the salt than “diluting” the salt with more water.

Just remember that changing salinity is best done slowly and here is a calculator that can help you tell how much water you will need to change to get the salinity where you want it.

Target Salinity Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Create a water-change schedule that can be used to reach a target salinity.

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[Spare time]

May be a Milwaukee (gosh I hope so for that price)

Ohhh that makes sense

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wait you spent $100 on a refractometer?

Good refractometers can be quite expensive. IMO, a lot of the problems that folks have with salinity in this hobby is because the devices most often used are to cheaply manufactured, and thus lack sufficient quality.

 

[Blackcoupe369]

Good refractometers can be quite expensive. IMO, a lot of the problems that folks have with salinity in this hobby is because the devices most often used are to cheaply manufactured, and thus lack sufficient quality.

It’s better to not cheap out to extinguish all of the future headaches

 

[Blackcoupe369]

Adding a gallon of distilled water to a 30g tank will not make much of an overall difference to salinity and may not even be enough to show a change on your refractometer. The other issue is that you really need to remove some of the saltwater from the tank and replace it with fresh water. Just adding fresh water to the tank will only lower the salinity until that water evaporates back out. It’s more about removing the salt than “diluting” the salt with more water.

Just remember that changing salinity is best done slowly and here is a calculator that can help you tell how much water you will need to change to get the salinity where you want it.

Target Salinity Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Create a water-change schedule that can be used to reach a target salinity.

www.hamzasreef.com

How much do you recommend I should take out and replace with freshwater?

 

[Troylee]

Good refractometers can be quite expensive. IMO, a lot of the problems that folks have with salinity in this hobby is because the devices most often used are to cheaply manufactured, and thus lack sufficient quality.

I use a plastic hydrometer still lol.. is it that accurate? Idk but it works for me! I just keep it at 1.026 no matter what the accuracy is.

 

[Spare time]

Good refractometers can be quite expensive. IMO, a lot of the problems that folks have with salinity in this hobby is because the devices most often used are to cheaply manufactured, and thus lack sufficient quality.

How would one know if one is better quality than another?