Salinity question...
- Thread starter Haroldeez
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cracker
5000 Club Member
Hi Harold , Long shot I realize . Only thing I can think of, is there is a leak somewhere & topping off or an ATO is refilling with fresh water ?
Is it a significant drop?
What are You using to test for salinity ?
Happen all the time?
Is it a significant drop?
What are You using to test for salinity ?
Happen all the time?
GoldeneyeRet
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No, it is not normal. Salinity cannot drop unless you are adding freshwater or removing salt.
Do you have an ato? Are you skimming very wet?
A good way to raise it is to just top off evaporation with saltwater until it is the salinity you want.
Do you have an ato? Are you skimming very wet?
A good way to raise it is to just top off evaporation with saltwater until it is the salinity you want.
Haroldeez
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And I’m using a high quality refractometer
Hemmdog
10K Club member
How often are you dumping your skimmer cup?
Hemmdog
10K Club member
Yea you have a leak 100% then. Check for salt creep around your plumbing and around the tank.
Haroldeez
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There’s no leaks, no salt creep anywhere either. I am getting a lot of evaporation so there is a lot of freshwater getting put back in. I lose well over a gallon a day in evaporation. But a have an ATO keeping up with it
Haroldeez
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Wouldn’t I notice a leak? I mean there is just the ever slightest bit of creep where the return soft pipe hooks onto the pipe barb. And I mean very slight amount of creep in 6 weeks of running
00Barracuda00
Active Member
Salt gets left behind when your tank water evaporates, raising your salinity. If your salinity is dropping at the same rate to which your water is evaporating, this is indicative of a leak or some incredibly rapid/dense salt creep.
Do you have a lid on the tank? I noticed that the first few days after I installed mine, the netting got almost completely crusted over. I doubt it was enough to change the salinity in my tank, but I'm trying to find all the angles here.
In my opinion, this is where most forums fail. The obvious answer here, is leak. This will be the majority of the answers you'll get here too. But reality is often misleading, and yet more complicated. In the immediate sense, I'd say to check all your seams and other pipe fittings and any slow drips and minor leaks. Once that's eliminated, we can really get in to some crazy conspiracy theories!
Do you have a lid on the tank? I noticed that the first few days after I installed mine, the netting got almost completely crusted over. I doubt it was enough to change the salinity in my tank, but I'm trying to find all the angles here.
In my opinion, this is where most forums fail. The obvious answer here, is leak. This will be the majority of the answers you'll get here too. But reality is often misleading, and yet more complicated. In the immediate sense, I'd say to check all your seams and other pipe fittings and any slow drips and minor leaks. Once that's eliminated, we can really get in to some crazy conspiracy theories!
Haroldeez
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No lid it’s a Waterbox. No leaks either. This tank has no leaks. It’s actually still super clean I have no salt creep anywhere. I have an ATO unit keeping up with Evan but I am also loosing what seems to me a massive amount in evap. If I’m being honest with myself it’s gotta be a gallon and a half within 24 hours. Maybe I should slightly mix my ATO water?? I put 2 gallons of full strength in my ATO last night and the salinity already shot up 4 PPMSalt gets left behind when your tank water evaporates, raising your salinity. If your salinity is dropping at the same rate to which your water is evaporating, this is indicative of a leak or some incredibly rapid/dense salt creep.
Do you have a lid on the tank? I noticed that the first few days after I installed mine, the netting got almost completely crusted over. I doubt it was enough to change the salinity in my tank, but I'm trying to find all the angles here.
In my opinion, this is where most forums fail. The obvious answer here, is leak. This will be the majority of the answers you'll get here too. But reality is often misleading, and yet more complicated. In the immediate sense, I'd say to check all your seams and other pipe fittings and any slow drips and minor leaks. Once that's eliminated, we can really get in to some crazy conspiracy theories!
00Barracuda00
Active Member
What type of ATO system are you using?
When I was first cycling my tank, I noticed that my float valve was set WAY too low and it would take several days of evaporation before my ATO went to work. It's possible that an incorrect fill line has been established for the ATO, causing it to raise the water level and thus dilute the salinity quite a bit.
If you feel you have sufficiently eliminated a leak from possibilities, I would then begin investigating the ATO itself.
When I was first cycling my tank, I noticed that my float valve was set WAY too low and it would take several days of evaporation before my ATO went to work. It's possible that an incorrect fill line has been established for the ATO, causing it to raise the water level and thus dilute the salinity quite a bit.
If you feel you have sufficiently eliminated a leak from possibilities, I would then begin investigating the ATO itself.
RobW
Valuable Member
That's really strange. I used to evaporate a few gallons a day in my 150. I had halides for lighting. I had an auto top off dumping freshwater in all the time and my salinity always stayed right on point. If you were evaporating water without stopping off the salinity would steadily rise. But for it to keep falling without a leak is a little boggling.
Haroldeez
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It’s a Duetto XPAqua I believe it’s a high quality unit I have my sump level marked and the ATO is doing what it’s supposed to. Is the amount of evap I’m getting a rediculous amount possibly? I just spoke to a friend about this who lives down the street he said he’s had the same issue for years and years
Scotty Buttons
Valuable Member
Do you calibrate the refractometer often? I would try calibrating it before every test. Also what are you using to calibrate it?
