Struggling with Salinity

[yabani]

My tank is redsea S1000 G2+ and is 6 months old. From the start, i coukd never get Salinity up to 35. The maximum it went up to according to my well-calibrated Hanna tester was 32. I've done many water replacements with well salt-mixed RO water.. sometimes 10 percent sometimes upto 40% and ended up over time to consume a full bucket if not more of the salt and i could never get it to 35. My tank had at one stage a collection of chrmois fish, small tang fish, gobies and non coral lovestock such as blennies, star fish, sea hare, etc. . I even tried quick water recycling by adding salt to adjust salinity level before returning water bwck to the tank, but even though it shows a bit of increase it soon drops back again...
Just wondering where does all this salet go? Temperature is maintained at 25

Any help/tips?

 

[gbroadbridge]

My tank is redsea S1000 G2+ and is 6 months old. From the start, i coukd never get Salinity up to 35. The maximum it went up to according to my well-calibrated Hanna tester was 32. I've done many water replacements with well salt-mixed RO water.. sometimes 10 percent sometimes upto 40% and ended up over time to consume a full bucket if not more of the salt and i could never get it to 35. My tank had at one stage a collection of chrmois fish, small tang fish, gobies and non coral lovestock such as blennies, star fish, sea hare, etc. . I even tried quick water recycling by adding salt to adjust salinity level before returning water bwck to the tank, but even though it shows a bit of increase it soon drops back again...
Just wondering where does all this salet go? Temperature is maintained at 25

Any help/tips?

Have you calibrated the Hanna device?
They do need frequent calibration.

You could also make a DIY calibration solution to check the Hanna calibration.

 

[Garf]

My tank is redsea S1000 G2+ and is 6 months old. From the start, i coukd never get Salinity up to 35. The maximum it went up to according to my well-calibrated Hanna tester was 32. I've done many water replacements with well salt-mixed RO water.. sometimes 10 percent sometimes upto 40% and ended up over time to consume a full bucket if not more of the salt and i could never get it to 35. My tank had at one stage a collection of chrmois fish, small tang fish, gobies and non coral lovestock such as blennies, star fish, sea hare, etc. . I even tried quick water recycling by adding salt to adjust salinity level before returning water bwck to the tank, but even though it shows a bit of increase it soon drops back again...
Just wondering where does all this salet go? Temperature is maintained at 25

Any help/tips?

As you are aware, salt doesn't evaporate or just disappear. The main reasons for odd salinity levels are;

Faulty salinity measurement, calibration or otherwise (there's a link in my sig for Randy's DIY calibration solutions),

Removal of saltwater through skimming or waterchange,

Leaks, where the missing saltwater is replaced by auto top off water,

A little salt can be lost through salt creep, but that's usually minimal.

 

[VintageReefer]

As water evaporates, your salinity will increase. As you skim, salinity decreases

Do you have skimmate that’s very watery of is it more dry / foamy?

I too question the equipment. Get a refractometer as a backup and double check. Or use the recipe for diy calibration solution. Confirm that device is accurate before making potential drastic changes

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you have an ATO on your system? If you turn the ATO off, water will evaporate and the salinity will rise. If it doesn't rise, then your tester is wrong, or you have 100% humidity in your home and water can't evaporate anymore (which is impossible).

Are you losing water? Is there salt creep on the floor around the tank?

But salinity is the easiest thing to fix, it should be straight forward.

 

[taricha]

From the start, i coukd never get Salinity up to 35. The maximum it went up to according to my well-calibrated Hanna tester was 32. I've done many water replacements with well salt-mixed RO water.. sometimes 10 percent sometimes upto 40% and ended up over time to consume a full bucket if not more of the salt and i could never get it to 35.

This is a case I'd strongly recommend making up known salinity standard for a sane point of comparison.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/reef-aquarium-salinity-diy-calibration-standards.956/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There's lots of good advice here, but I'd add the question, does your new salt water read 35 ppt as expected?

 

[VinnyBoy]

Salinity definitely should not be hard to make perfect, like others have said I’d be checking for some type of leak that’s the only thing that could be making it so difficult. Other than that I would take your water to your local fish store and have them test as well. Always possible you have a faulty tester. I do keep a refractometer just incase I get skeptical my Hanna tester is off.

 

[GARRIGA]

There's lots of good advice here, but I'd add the question, does your new salt water read 35 ppt as expected?

That’s what came to mind. Is he adding enough salt. Some salts claim certain numbers at 35 ppt yet instructions produce a weaker solution then claimed such as at 160 gallons when in reality it’s only about 150 gallons at 35 ppt. As I recall.

 

[exnisstech]

My Hanna tester is junk as was the first one. I use a refractometer and calibrate it with Randy's recipe. I have TM precision hydrometer I use to verify the refractometer occasionally. As stated salinity is probably one of the easiest levels to maintain. At least it is for me.

 

[Paul B]

I use this $7.00 swing arm hydrometer. Is it accurate, of course not, not even close. To calibrate it I took it to the Caribbean and dove in the sea with it. Where the arm floated, I drew a line on it with a permanent marker. About as low tech as you could get.



I have been using it this way for over 40 years, no problems yet.
Anyway, salinity is not that critical and I know many people will disagree with me but I collect sea water in New York for water changes and sometimes the salt level is so low that I could keep bull frogs and kissing gouramies. I could probably drink it.

I do have a refractometer, I like this better.

 

[GARRIGA]

I use this $7.00 swing arm hydrometer. Is it accurate, of course not, not even close. To calibrate it I took it to the Caribbean and dove in the sea with it. Where the arm floated, I drew a line on it with a permanent marker. About as low tech as you could get.



I have been using it this way for over 40 years, no problems yet.
Anyway, salinity is not that critical and I know many people will disagree with me but I collect sea water in New York for water changes and sometimes the salt level is so low that I could keep bull frogs and kissing gouramies. I could probably drink it.

I do have a refractometer, I like this better.

I have the Hanna checker and confirm that using yours and been using one since the 80s too

 

[Charles Zinn]

I used to have a Red Sea system. Found that if you skim wet you will have to replace water with salt water occasionally. Also I had problem with the red skimmer and salt creep which you will need to wipe down sump and pipes and replace water with salt water. Aldo if you take water out when acclimating fish or corals before assing to you tank you will need to add saltwater. Make sure water level in skimmer section is at right level. May require you to turn of skimmer if you shut off return pumps to feed cause that can effect skimmer bubbling over. Hope this helps.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I use this $7.00 swing arm hydrometer. Is it accurate, of course not, not even close. To calibrate it I took it to the Caribbean and dove in the sea with it. Where the arm floated, I drew a line on it with a permanent marker. About as low tech as you could get.



I have been using it this way for over 40 years, no problems yet.
Anyway, salinity is not that critical and I know many people will disagree with me but I collect sea water in New York for water changes and sometimes the salt level is so low that I could keep bull frogs and kissing gouramies. I could probably drink it.

I do have a refractometer, I like this better.

That's what I am talking about

I bet you can call the ppt by taste

"Hmm, that's almost 35. 34.8"