Will evaporation lower salintity?

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

Will extra evaporation lower salinity?I have been using a small fan blowing across my sump trying to raise my Alk.My top-off is connected to my Kalk stirrer.Have noticed my salinity has been dropping.

Labridaedicted · Mar 25, 2022

Nope, salt is left behind with evaporation, so really it raises salinity. Dropping salinity is a result of removing water from the tank and topping with fresh. Salt creep and skimmate export are common culprits in some systems.

shakacuz · Mar 25, 2022

Labridaedicted said:
Nope, salt is left behind with evaporation, so really it raises salinity. Dropping salinity is a result of removing water from the tank and topping with fresh. Salt creep and skimmate export are common culprits in some systems.

does skimming dry, or wet cause for more salt export?

Labridaedicted · Mar 25, 2022

Skimming wet because it's pulling more water out that is being replaced with fresh ATO water typically.

\m/reefsnmetal\m/ · Mar 25, 2022

Did you mean to say you're trying to raise PH? The fan may have some benefit to PH but it won't raise ALK.

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

Labridaedicted said:
Nope, salt is left behind with evaporation, so really it raises salinity. Dropping salinity is a result of removing water from the tank and topping with fresh. Salt creep and skimmate export are common culprits in some systems.

So if i used salt water instead of RO once in a while i could raise my salinity back to where i want it?I try and keep it at 35 PPM and now it has lowered to 30 PPM.

Hermie · Mar 25, 2022

gfox said:
So if i used salt water instead of RO once in a while i could raise my salinity back to where i want it?I try and keep it at 35 PPM and now it has lowered to 30 PPM.

yes that is the safe way to do it, me personally I've added salt directly to my overflow but that's not safe and I don't recommend it

Labridaedicted · Mar 25, 2022

Yeah, the only way to maintain salinity is by adding salt back in in the same amount it is being removed. I add salt to the tank or calculate an appropriately higher level of salinity for my water changes to bring things back.

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

\m/reefsnmetal\m/ said:
Did you mean to say you're trying to raise PH? The fan may have some benefit to PH but it won't raise ALK.

My top off is connected to my Kalk stirrer.My intention was to use more top off water with Kalk to raise my Alk.

Labridaedicted · Mar 25, 2022

gfox said:
My top off is connected to my Kalk stirrer.My intention was to use more top off water with Kalk to raise my Alk.

Just be careful not to overdose the alk.

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

Labridaedicted said:
Just be careful not to overdose the alk.

So far i have been running a fan during the night for 4 hours and haven't seen much difference in a Alk increase.

\m/reefsnmetal\m/ · Mar 25, 2022

gfox said:
My top off is connected to my Kalk stirrer.My intention was to use more top off water with Kalk to raise my Alk.

Oh I get what you're saying. I think I've read Randy Holmes Farley mention that kalk was better for maintaining alk than raising it. If I remember correctly, he recommends dosing 2 part or an alk additive to raise your values and using kalk to maintain. I know that wasn't your question, but just thought I'd share.

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

\m/reefsnmetal\m/ said:
Oh I get what you're saying. I think I've read Randy Holmes Farley mention that kalk was better for maintaining alk than raising it. If I remember correctly, he recommends dosing 2 part or an alk additive to raise your values and using kalk to maintain. I know that wasn't your question, but just thought I'd share.

Yea i am probably on the verge of the Kalk stirrer not keeping up with the demands of the tank.2 part will be the next step.

dthom · Mar 25, 2022

Like it was said earlier, no salinity is not decreased by evaporation.
Usually water changes do a good job of helping to keep it pretty steady with only slight adjustments needed from time to time.

Whenever I need to boost my salt levels I will take out a little water from the tank add some extra salt to that water, mix it until ALL the salt is dissolved and then slowly pour that water back into the tank. You would need to turn off your ATO during this.

I am always very careful when making salinity adjustments and do it over the course of days.

Also, if you are needing to boost your alk and kalk is maxing out take a look at the product "All For Reef".
I use it and kalk and love it.

Good luck!

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

dthom said:
Like it was said earlier, no salinity is not decreased by evaporation.
Usually water changes do a good job of helping to keep it pretty steady with only slight adjustments needed from time to time.

Whenever I need to boost my salt levels I will take out a little water from the tank add some extra salt to that water, mix it until ALL the salt is dissolved and then slowly pour that water back into the tank. You would need to turn off your ATO during this.

I am always very careful when making salinity adjustments and do it over the course of days.

Also, if you are needing to boost your alk and kalk is maxing out take a look at the product "All For Reef".
I use it and kalk and love it.

Good luck!

What does "All For Reef" do for the tank?

gfox · Mar 25, 2022

dthom said:
Like it was said earlier, no salinity is not decreased by evaporation.
Usually water changes do a good job of helping to keep it pretty steady with only slight adjustments needed from time to time.

Whenever I need to boost my salt levels I will take out a little water from the tank add some extra salt to that water, mix it until ALL the salt is dissolved and then slowly pour that water back into the tank. You would need to turn off your ATO during this.

I am always very careful when making salinity adjustments and do it over the course of days.

Also, if you are needing to boost your alk and kalk is maxing out take a look at the product "All For Reef".
I use it and kalk and love it.

Good luck!

I check out "All for Reef" looks like a good product just costly for my system.Checked out a chart for usage and i would go thru the 1000 ml bottle which is $35.00 a month.

dthom · Mar 25, 2022

They have a powder version that you just mix with RO water and makes it much cheaper.
Also, you would not use that much because it would just be used for the additional bump in alk that you need that the kalk is not able to get to. Hopefully that makes sense.