Help Bringing Salinity Down

jobes · 10/06/2008, 10:52 AM

Last Friday during my last water change (10%) I added the normal amount of salt I always do. Testing with my refractometer (still in mix bucket)came in low around 1.022

Kinda odd so I tested again same thing. I added a few dashes bringing it up to my norm 1.025

Testing the tank today I see the water is at 1.027 How should a situation like this be handled properly? I see my Green Star Polyps isn't coming out today. and secondly why did it happen?

stingythingy45 · 10/06/2008, 10:57 AM

Just add some more fresh water to the salt mix to bring it back down to 1.022 SG.When you mix this with the 1.027 it should even out to 1.025.Or just top off the tank with fresh water back to 1.025 SG.
Freshwater evaporats from the tank and the salt remains.
This is how salinity rises over time.Just make sure all top-offs are done with FW.
I don't think the SG being at 1.027 will effect GSP that much.

sps1-2-b · 10/06/2008, 11:05 AM

Agreed. Just add freshwater (preferably ro/di) slowly until back down to where you want your salinity. IMO reef tanks should be at 1.026 while fish only can be at 1.022.

jobes · 10/06/2008, 11:10 AM

Thanks guys. Any reason why the salt mix would change (if it even could)? I did notice that the salt was very hard and clumped together like it was too humid in the room. I am in a very controlled environment (server room).

The bucket is always sealed and I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals

HappySkittles · 10/06/2008, 11:26 AM

my salt is hard too but i dont think that has any effect on it. i still use it just fine...after i fight with it some

IslandCrow · 10/06/2008, 11:43 AM

Unless the salt wasn't fully mixed, the salinity would not change. My guess is one of two things happened. First case would be a measurement error (bubbles in the water on the refractometer lens, cover plate not all the way down, misreading the scale, etc.). Otherwise, it could be that the tank had evaporated some water prior to the water change which you hadn't replaced with fresh water. If this is the case, you basically topped off with salt water during your water change. I've made this mistake plenty of times, but with one water change, you'll seldom see a significant change in salinity. Of course, if you hadn't measured it in awhile, you may just not have noticed.

Wait, there's a third possible explanation. Are you supplementing anything. Some supplements (magnesium for example) will slowly raise your salinity.

jobes · 10/06/2008, 11:50 AM

Well after adding a skimmer I do now get some water hanging on the inside hood (evaporation) and salt creep. Wouldn't that kinda cancel each other out

Only additives I do are ALK, CAL and iodine.

sps1-2-b · 10/06/2008, 04:30 PM

I noticed that if I kept the salt bag out it clumps and becomes very hard. When I keep it in a bucket with a lid the salt does not harden.

10/06/2008, 10:52 AM	#1
jobes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 73	Help Bringing Salinity Down Last Friday during my last water change (10%) I added the normal amount of salt I always do. Testing with my refractometer (still in mix bucket)came in low around 1.022 Kinda odd so I tested again same thing. I added a few dashes bringing it up to my norm 1.025 Testing the tank today I see the water is at 1.027 How should a situation like this be handled properly? I see my Green Star Polyps isn't coming out today. and secondly why did it happen?

10/06/2008, 10:57 AM	#2
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Just add some more fresh water to the salt mix to bring it back down to 1.022 SG.When you mix this with the 1.027 it should even out to 1.025.Or just top off the tank with fresh water back to 1.025 SG. Freshwater evaporats from the tank and the salt remains. This is how salinity rises over time.Just make sure all top-offs are done with FW. I don't think the SG being at 1.027 will effect GSP that much. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

10/06/2008, 11:26 AM	#5
HappySkittles Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 401	my salt is hard too but i dont think that has any effect on it. i still use it just fine...after i fight with it some __________________ RESEARCH! <º)))>< Very important Sexy Blog? Click the red house! Current Tank Info: 3 gallon pico-zoas, gorgonian, mushrooms, nass snails and sexy shrimp

10/06/2008, 11:43 AM	#6
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Unless the salt wasn't fully mixed, the salinity would not change. My guess is one of two things happened. First case would be a measurement error (bubbles in the water on the refractometer lens, cover plate not all the way down, misreading the scale, etc.). Otherwise, it could be that the tank had evaporated some water prior to the water change which you hadn't replaced with fresh water. If this is the case, you basically topped off with salt water during your water change. I've made this mistake plenty of times, but with one water change, you'll seldom see a significant change in salinity. Of course, if you hadn't measured it in awhile, you may just not have noticed. Wait, there's a third possible explanation. Are you supplementing anything. Some supplements (magnesium for example) will slowly raise your salinity. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

10/06/2008, 11:05 AM	#3
sps1-2-b Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 1,248	Agreed. Just add freshwater (preferably ro/di) slowly until back down to where you want your salinity. IMO reef tanks should be at 1.026 while fish only can be at 1.022.

10/06/2008, 11:10 AM	#4
jobes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 73	Thanks guys. Any reason why the salt mix would change (if it even could)? I did notice that the salt was very hard and clumped together like it was too humid in the room. I am in a very controlled environment (server room). The bucket is always sealed and I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals

10/06/2008, 11:50 AM	#7
jobes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 73	Well after adding a skimmer I do now get some water hanging on the inside hood (evaporation) and salt creep. Wouldn't that kinda cancel each other out Only additives I do are ALK, CAL and iodine.

10/06/2008, 04:30 PM	#8
sps1-2-b Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 1,248	I noticed that if I kept the salt bag out it clumps and becomes very hard. When I keep it in a bucket with a lid the salt does not harden.