Help getting salinity down

woodsonfan · 10/20/2012, 12:51 PM

Hi there,

I could use some help to get my salinity down. Here's the situation:

20 gallon high, sitting at 1.030 salinity. All of my other parameters check out, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, calcium 400, phosphates 0. I use a calibrated refractometer to measure my salinity. Temperature is 79*. I use distilled water from gallon jugs for all top-offs and water changes.

What should my plan of action be to get my salinity back to 1.025?

Thanks in advance!

ajcanale · 10/20/2012, 12:56 PM

Pretty simple really. take a cup of tank water, remove it, replace with ro/di water. Do this every hour or two until @ 1.025-1.026

Also, what are you using to calibrate your refractometer? Pure water or calibration solution? Pure water does not effectively calibrate for accurate 35ppt (1.026sg) reading

woodsonfan · 10/20/2012, 01:17 PM

Thank your for the reply! To answer your question, I'm using distilled water to calibrate the refractometer. If this isn't correct, where can I get proper calibration solution? LFS?

Thanks again!

ajcanale · 10/20/2012, 01:47 PM

distilled water will not calibrate properly, you need 1.026 solution. Your LFS might carry it. This is what I use, and where I got it.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoi...ion-fluid.html

Also, if everything in your tank currently appears healthy and happy, I would refrain from making any changes until your refractometer is properly calibrated.

ebacon · 10/26/2012, 11:26 PM

Where are you getting your distiller water from? (A dehumidifier in the basement is NOT a good answer)

csauer52 · 10/27/2012, 04:58 AM

+1 on the calibration solution. It's the best thing ever. I run a check with solution every time I check salinity in the tank or mix a fresh batch of water. Helps me keep my sanity and ensure stability in the tank.

woodsonfan · 10/27/2012, 06:01 AM

My distilled water comes from gallon jugs bought at the grocery store. As I've found with this hobby, there are varying opinions on just about every subject. Aside from this post, I did several bits of research that said distilled water can work to calibrate refractometers. As well, that is what the instructions of my refractometer say to use. To test this, I made a homemade solution that was suggested, and it proved that my refractometer is properly calibrated.

The biggest thing, from the advice of AJ, I was able to get my salinity down to a proper level, and daily top-offs are keeping it there.

10/20/2012, 12:51 PM	#1
woodsonfan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 66	Help getting salinity down Hi there, I could use some help to get my salinity down. Here's the situation: 20 gallon high, sitting at 1.030 salinity. All of my other parameters check out, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, calcium 400, phosphates 0. I use a calibrated refractometer to measure my salinity. Temperature is 79*. I use distilled water from gallon jugs for all top-offs and water changes. What should my plan of action be to get my salinity back to 1.025? Thanks in advance!

10/20/2012, 12:56 PM	#2
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	Pretty simple really. take a cup of tank water, remove it, replace with ro/di water. Do this every hour or two until @ 1.025-1.026 Also, what are you using to calibrate your refractometer? Pure water or calibration solution? Pure water does not effectively calibrate for accurate 35ppt (1.026sg) reading __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

10/20/2012, 01:47 PM	#4
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	distilled water will not calibrate properly, you need 1.026 solution. Your LFS might carry it. This is what I use, and where I got it. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoi...ion-fluid.html Also, if everything in your tank currently appears healthy and happy, I would refrain from making any changes until your refractometer is properly calibrated. __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

10/26/2012, 11:26 PM	#5
ebacon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: St Charles Mo Posts: 1,084	Where are you getting your distiller water from? (A dehumidifier in the basement is NOT a good answer) __________________ Everybody Loves Bacon

10/20/2012, 01:17 PM	#3
woodsonfan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 66	Thank your for the reply! To answer your question, I'm using distilled water to calibrate the refractometer. If this isn't correct, where can I get proper calibration solution? LFS? Thanks again!

10/27/2012, 04:58 AM	#6
csauer52 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Posts: 266	+1 on the calibration solution. It's the best thing ever. I run a check with solution every time I check salinity in the tank or mix a fresh batch of water. Helps me keep my sanity and ensure stability in the tank.

10/27/2012, 06:01 AM	#7
woodsonfan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 66	My distilled water comes from gallon jugs bought at the grocery store. As I've found with this hobby, there are varying opinions on just about every subject. Aside from this post, I did several bits of research that said distilled water can work to calibrate refractometers. As well, that is what the instructions of my refractometer say to use. To test this, I made a homemade solution that was suggested, and it proved that my refractometer is properly calibrated. The biggest thing, from the advice of AJ, I was able to get my salinity down to a proper level, and daily top-offs are keeping it there.