High Salinity according to new Refractometer!

travis32 · 04/01/2010, 04:49 PM

Well got my Sybon automatic temporature compensating refractometer today. instructions said NOT to calibrate it out of the box. To use it out of the box and calibrate 1 to 2 months later.

So, that's exactly what I did. I measured salinity with my Deep 6 and with my refractometer:

Deep 6 shows it at: 1.025 - 1.026. (What i was aiming for)

Refractometer: 1.029 - 1.030 (right on the verge of 1.030).

i don't know what the impact to life is for high salinity? My 2 fish are doing fine..

What's the impact on:

corals
beneficial "pods"
Will high salinity cause nuisance growth?
feather dusters?

etc.

And lastly and most importantly. How do I gradually bring my salinity down to 1.026 or within a safer range?

cveverly · 04/01/2010, 05:21 PM

I would check the calibration of the refractometer before doing anything else. If it is correct then you can slowly dilute the salinity by draining a LITTLE salt water and replacing it with RO water. I would lower it over the course of a few days to a couple of weeks.

BTW, use a calibration solution of 35ppt to check and calibrate your refractometer. Some say to use distilled water but I prefer to check it where you expect to be testing. I believe this eliminates percentage errors.

goochesfish · 04/01/2010, 05:28 PM

the swing arms are notoriously very inaccurate. Does the new refractometer at least read 1.0 when using RO/DI? Stability is the key, your livestock is accustomed to that salinity. When you move down, do it slowly. Fish can tolerate faster drops in salinity than inverts.

travis32 · 04/01/2010, 06:11 PM

thanks people. Your advice was what my gut was saying.. Check the calibration before assuming anything. It came with calibration solution (ultra pure water) and so I tested with that. It was exactly at zero.

I had mixed some SW last night planning to do a water change today anyways. topped it off stirred, and tested the mixed water. 1.019. (5 gallons) I had a couple gallons of salt free water in my ATO. So, I drained around 7 gallons of water from the tank.

Added the last of my ATO water. Then pumped in the 5 gallons of 1.019 water (into my sump, so it would mix there before entering the tank).

After everything was filled, I turned all my pumps back on and let things run for about 5 to 10 mins. (after cleaning the refract each time) I then retested the tank water. It was down to around 1.028.

I suppose I could remove a half gallon of SW a day or so and let the ATO do the rest.

cveverly · 04/01/2010, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travis32

I suppose I could remove a half gallon of SW a day or so and let the ATO do the rest.

That is about as smooth of a transition as you are going to get. No need to hurry as things are surviving. Lower it too fast and you are asking for disaster.

reeftanker10 · 04/01/2010, 06:49 PM

If salt water is in your top off that is why your salinity is high....i'm pretty sure i understood your top off was already mixed if not ignore me

noahm · 04/01/2010, 08:29 PM

This is the reason refractometers are much preferred. Yours is not the first story of being way off. Refractometers can get out of whack too, but are much, much more accurate in general. Good upgrade.

iamwrasseman · 04/01/2010, 10:55 PM

you should use calibration fluid to get it really accurate . your probably close doing it the way you did but get some calibration fluid from your lfs and check it with that .

Yogre · 04/02/2010, 07:53 AM

This may be way more than you wanted to know, but it's an excellent article discussing the different types of refractometers, their calibration, and their proper use. In the article, Randy recommends the use of both RO/DI water and a seawater standard (ie Pinpoint 53 ms solution) for proper calibration.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

travis32 · 04/02/2010, 08:05 AM

Great information! I am not topping off with SW. I may have said it confusing since I said I had already premixed some SW, but that was in anticipation of needing to do a WC not for the top off.

My top off water is always non-SW. I did add the rest of my unsalted top offwater to my sump, plus the 1.019 premix sw I had started after draining around 6 -7 gallons. (around 10% WC) The two non SW + Low salinity water combined to drop my water from bordering on 1.030 to a steady 1.028SG.

I'll let it stabilize at that for 24 hours with my ATO non-SW, then, change out a little at a top of SW replaced with non-SW. And I agree, I have no reason to rush.

travis32 · 04/02/2010, 08:07 AM

Oh and this does explain why the pet store SW measured at 1.020 and I had to acclimate my fish for 2-3 hours to raise their water to meet mine by such a drastic amount. I thought they were being cheap and using low salinity water. In reality they were using around 1.024 water... (That's what made me decide to upgrade to the refractometer.)

04/01/2010, 04:49 PM	#1
travis32 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Fargo, ND Posts: 2,161	High Salinity according to new Refractometer! Well got my Sybon automatic temporature compensating refractometer today. instructions said NOT to calibrate it out of the box. To use it out of the box and calibrate 1 to 2 months later. So, that's exactly what I did. I measured salinity with my Deep 6 and with my refractometer: Deep 6 shows it at: 1.025 - 1.026. (What i was aiming for) Refractometer: 1.029 - 1.030 (right on the verge of 1.030). i don't know what the impact to life is for high salinity? My 2 fish are doing fine.. What's the impact on: corals beneficial "pods" Will high salinity cause nuisance growth? feather dusters? etc. And lastly and most importantly. How do I gradually bring my salinity down to 1.026 or within a safer range? Last edited by travis32; 04/01/2010 at 05:05 PM. Reason: Changed title.

04/01/2010, 05:28 PM	#3
goochesfish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,305	the swing arms are notoriously very inaccurate. Does the new refractometer at least read 1.0 when using RO/DI? Stability is the key, your livestock is accustomed to that salinity. When you move down, do it slowly. Fish can tolerate faster drops in salinity than inverts. __________________ The Gooch, my Beagle, may she RIP 1995-2011 Current Tank Info: 150 gallon Starfire set up July 22,09, 30g QT

04/01/2010, 10:55 PM	#8
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	you should use calibration fluid to get it really accurate . your probably close doing it the way you did but get some calibration fluid from your lfs and check it with that . __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

04/02/2010, 07:53 AM	#9
Yogre Cheesehead Reefer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,351	This may be way more than you wanted to know, but it's an excellent article discussing the different types of refractometers, their calibration, and their proper use. In the article, Randy recommends the use of both RO/DI water and a seawater standard (ie Pinpoint 53 ms solution) for proper calibration. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php __________________ "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~ Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 215 gal TBS Reef

04/01/2010, 05:21 PM	#2
cveverly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Port Clinton, Oh Posts: 1,470	I would check the calibration of the refractometer before doing anything else. If it is correct then you can slowly dilute the salinity by draining a LITTLE salt water and replacing it with RO water. I would lower it over the course of a few days to a couple of weeks. BTW, use a calibration solution of 35ppt to check and calibrate your refractometer. Some say to use distilled water but I prefer to check it where you expect to be testing. I believe this eliminates percentage errors.

04/01/2010, 06:11 PM	#4
travis32 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Fargo, ND Posts: 2,161	thanks people. Your advice was what my gut was saying.. Check the calibration before assuming anything. It came with calibration solution (ultra pure water) and so I tested with that. It was exactly at zero. I had mixed some SW last night planning to do a water change today anyways. topped it off stirred, and tested the mixed water. 1.019. (5 gallons) I had a couple gallons of salt free water in my ATO. So, I drained around 7 gallons of water from the tank. Added the last of my ATO water. Then pumped in the 5 gallons of 1.019 water (into my sump, so it would mix there before entering the tank). After everything was filled, I turned all my pumps back on and let things run for about 5 to 10 mins. (after cleaning the refract each time) I then retested the tank water. It was down to around 1.028. I suppose I could remove a half gallon of SW a day or so and let the ATO do the rest.

04/01/2010, 06:49 PM	#6
reeftanker10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Woodriver Posts: 150	If salt water is in your top off that is why your salinity is high....i'm pretty sure i understood your top off was already mixed if not ignore me

04/01/2010, 08:29 PM	#7
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	This is the reason refractometers are much preferred. Yours is not the first story of being way off. Refractometers can get out of whack too, but are much, much more accurate in general. Good upgrade.

04/02/2010, 08:05 AM	#10
travis32 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Fargo, ND Posts: 2,161	Great information! I am not topping off with SW. I may have said it confusing since I said I had already premixed some SW, but that was in anticipation of needing to do a WC not for the top off. My top off water is always non-SW. I did add the rest of my unsalted top offwater to my sump, plus the 1.019 premix sw I had started after draining around 6 -7 gallons. (around 10% WC) The two non SW + Low salinity water combined to drop my water from bordering on 1.030 to a steady 1.028SG. I'll let it stabilize at that for 24 hours with my ATO non-SW, then, change out a little at a top of SW replaced with non-SW. And I agree, I have no reason to rush.

04/02/2010, 08:07 AM	#11
travis32 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Fargo, ND Posts: 2,161	Oh and this does explain why the pet store SW measured at 1.020 and I had to acclimate my fish for 2-3 hours to raise their water to meet mine by such a drastic amount. I thought they were being cheap and using low salinity water. In reality they were using around 1.024 water... (That's what made me decide to upgrade to the refractometer.)