Really high salinity

naz42 · 11/17/2021, 02:03 PM

The past year and half has been really frustrating. Most coral especially SPS but even some softies die within days with all my water parameters seemingly right where they should be. Two days ago I made up a barrel of my tropic marine pro water. I never checked the Alk of my new water but since I just got a Hanna checker for alk and a dosing system I've been on a testing spree. I calibrated my refractometer and tested it at 1.025 and then tested alk and it was 9.7 and TMP should be 7-8dkh so this caught my attention. I recalibrated refractometer and checked again with the same result of 1.025. Didn't make sense so I dug out a couple hydrometers and tested. Both hydros had it at around 1.033sg. I brought it to my LFS and there Refractometer read 1.033. So I bought a new refractometer and new bottle of Brightwell calibration fluid. I checked my old brightwell Calibration fluid and it was around 1.033sg. So for the past year and half I've been using bad calibration fluid. ***. I've killed thousands of dollars worth of corals in that time. I was very upset but also happy to finally figured this out and hopefully get back to some more successful and satisfying reefing. I'm guessing there is no recourse with brightwell for this but they have made me waste a lot of time and money on this. Almost gave up and broke down the tank more than once but I love reefing too much. Going to pull out 2 gallons and add 2 gallons RODI daily until back to 1.025. Did this last night and salinity dropped to 1.031

Sk8r · 11/17/2021, 02:11 PM

There's nothing worse than an expired (write the dates on the box) or miscalibrated test. Many, many of us have chased a bad one to our regret.

naz42 · 11/17/2021, 02:21 PM

Many times in the past year and half I've thought about bringing some water to my LFS to have them test thinking something was wrong with my test kits but always leave the house and forget to bring water.

11/17/2021, 02:03 PM	#1
naz42 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Escondido Posts: 1,378	Really high salinity The past year and half has been really frustrating. Most coral especially SPS but even some softies die within days with all my water parameters seemingly right where they should be. Two days ago I made up a barrel of my tropic marine pro water. I never checked the Alk of my new water but since I just got a Hanna checker for alk and a dosing system I've been on a testing spree. I calibrated my refractometer and tested it at 1.025 and then tested alk and it was 9.7 and TMP should be 7-8dkh so this caught my attention. I recalibrated refractometer and checked again with the same result of 1.025. Didn't make sense so I dug out a couple hydrometers and tested. Both hydros had it at around 1.033sg. I brought it to my LFS and there Refractometer read 1.033. So I bought a new refractometer and new bottle of Brightwell calibration fluid. I checked my old brightwell Calibration fluid and it was around 1.033sg. So for the past year and half I've been using bad calibration fluid. ***. I've killed thousands of dollars worth of corals in that time. I was very upset but also happy to finally figured this out and hopefully get back to some more successful and satisfying reefing. I'm guessing there is no recourse with brightwell for this but they have made me waste a lot of time and money on this. Almost gave up and broke down the tank more than once but I love reefing too much. Going to pull out 2 gallons and add 2 gallons RODI daily until back to 1.025. Did this last night and salinity dropped to 1.031

11/17/2021, 02:11 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	There's nothing worse than an expired (write the dates on the box) or miscalibrated test. Many, many of us have chased a bad one to our regret. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/17/2021, 02:21 PM	#3
naz42 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Escondido Posts: 1,378	Many times in the past year and half I've thought about bringing some water to my LFS to have them test thinking something was wrong with my test kits but always leave the house and forget to bring water.