Problem w/ salinity!!!!!!

odyssey1 · 04/02/2008, 08:32 PM

yesterday one of my overflows decided to stop working, when I got home there was about 3-4gal. of water on the floor and I have an automatic top off system running so it proceded to fill with fresh water. Now the salinity measures 1.018 and I was running about 1.022. What should I do because today all of my corals looked pretty bad. I dont want to bring it up too fast any suggestions.

vanmo92 · 04/02/2008, 09:29 PM

Since you have an ATO I would fill your reservoir with saltwater (maybe super salty water), this will slowly bring t up and when the salinity is back up to the desired level (might take a few days or a week) just start putting freshwater in the bucket again, just like you used to.

Kep · 04/02/2008, 09:52 PM

I would bet that the corals are going to have a much longer, tougher week if you bring it up really slowly than if you just correct it. Personally, I would bring it up as fast as possible.

odyssey1 · 04/02/2008, 10:29 PM

yes kep that is what I was thinking but I dont want to bring it up too fast because I have fish too. What is the recomendation about .001 an hour. Whiil that be too fast?

enerfin · 04/02/2008, 10:41 PM

you can bring it up to 1.022 in a day and your coral or fish probably wont even flinch. however, if your polyps aren't open every day consistantly and spreading,, try bringing the salinity to 1.025. slowly over the next few weeks. i know the meter says stay between 1.020 and 1.024 but just try it and then thank me later.

mine stays at 1.026 all the time:

arts007 · 04/02/2008, 10:56 PM

Personally I would not bring it up too quickly, they have already been stressed from the fairly quick drop in salinity I dont see a reason to stress them again. But from 1.018 to 1.022 in a 24hr period would be fine, just not all at once..

Just in case you or anyone else needs it here is a good calculator for adjusting salinity up or down

odyssey1 · 04/03/2008, 08:20 PM

Thanks for the calculator arts007 it works great!!!!!

04/02/2008, 08:32 PM	#1
odyssey1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bridgewater, Va Posts: 321	Problem w/ salinity!!!!!! yesterday one of my overflows decided to stop working, when I got home there was about 3-4gal. of water on the floor and I have an automatic top off system running so it proceded to fill with fresh water. Now the salinity measures 1.018 and I was running about 1.022. What should I do because today all of my corals looked pretty bad. I dont want to bring it up too fast any suggestions.

04/02/2008, 09:29 PM	#2
vanmo92 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Silverthorne, CO. Posts: 2,045	Since you have an ATO I would fill your reservoir with saltwater (maybe super salty water), this will slowly bring t up and when the salinity is back up to the desired level (might take a few days or a week) just start putting freshwater in the bucket again, just like you used to. __________________ PBITAWA Current Tank Info: 72 gallon bow Mixed Reef 1 fw tank

04/02/2008, 10:41 PM	#5
enerfin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: san antonio tx. Posts: 129	you can bring it up to 1.022 in a day and your coral or fish probably wont even flinch. however, if your polyps aren't open every day consistantly and spreading,, try bringing the salinity to 1.025. slowly over the next few weeks. i know the meter says stay between 1.020 and 1.024 but just try it and then thank me later. mine stays at 1.026 all the time: __________________ every passing day is a chance to turn it all around

04/02/2008, 10:56 PM	#6
arts007 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 600	Personally I would not bring it up too quickly, they have already been stressed from the fairly quick drop in salinity I dont see a reason to stress them again. But from 1.018 to 1.022 in a 24hr period would be fine, just not all at once.. Just in case you or anyone else needs it here is a good calculator for adjusting salinity up or down __________________ Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99% perspiration, which is why engineers sometimes smell really bad. Current Tank Info: 120g SPS reef tank. 2x 400 watt Reeflux 12k on lumenbrights

04/02/2008, 09:52 PM	#3
Kep Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 225	I would bet that the corals are going to have a much longer, tougher week if you bring it up really slowly than if you just correct it. Personally, I would bring it up as fast as possible.

04/02/2008, 10:29 PM	#4
odyssey1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bridgewater, Va Posts: 321	yes kep that is what I was thinking but I dont want to bring it up too fast because I have fish too. What is the recomendation about .001 an hour. Whiil that be too fast?

04/03/2008, 08:20 PM	#7
odyssey1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bridgewater, Va Posts: 321	Thanks for the calculator arts007 it works great!!!!!