Salinity too high in a new tank?

[cyberpunk]

I just set up my 75g tank last night and my initial reading was in the acceptable range, now after topping off with saltwater (at the suggestion of LFS) I am at 1.027 or 1.028. Should I be concerned and what can I do to lower this?

[Dont Ask Me]

You shouldnt be topping off with saltwater, ro/di water only.

Your LFS needs a good talking to, never heard such a ridiculous comment.

[Dont Ask Me]

Just empty some saltwater out and add ro/di, and continue until you get it back down to 1.026

[guppy74]

I had the same problem when I first started until my buddy told me to replace evaporated water with RO/Di water and to only add salt when doing a water change, I did manage to get it back to normal.

[super stooge]

when water evaporates from your tank any salt that was dissolved into that water remains behind, so you end up with the same amount of salt dissolved in less water. if you top up with salt water you now have more salt dissolved in the same amount of water as when you started which will continue to raise your tanks salinity levels.

basically replace any evaporation with fresh RO/DI water and youll be fine

[Tuscaquatics]

Don't is right. But .27 or .28 shouldn't hurt anything. Mine gets up there for a little while if I slip on a top-off for a day or so.

And, as for the LFS, I would wonder about a dude that told me to top off with saltwater. But then again, maybe we're misunderstanding or somehow you misunderstood the LFS.

Some of those people really will tell you anything. And it's not always to make a sale. Sometimes I think it's out of sheer irresponsibility or just stupidity. Early on in my experience, I had a powder brown tang that started getting white spots. I thought it was ich for sure but I ran it past a supposedly experienced guy at the LFS. He told me not to worry about it, that it would pass with time. And that the verdict was still out on these tangs and the spots they get and whether it's actually ich or just some kind of stress issue.

Needless to say that tang is dead and so is every other fish I had in there with him. I learned my lesson and now I only do my own research.

[cyberpunk]

He definitely said saltwater, I double checked with him to be sure because I understand that at this stage I'm prone to mistakes.

I don't have a RO/DI unit, any other options? Distilled water? I don't live in a city, about an hour from the nearest LFS.

[rayn]

Distilled water works for top off. I don't have a ro/di system either and have to get water from my lfs. Always get a extra 5 gal for top off, but I still use distilled if I run out.

[75gsalt]

You just set your tank up, how are you checking it, swing arm or refractometer?

[jdthomas24]

LFS idiots!!!!! use a refractometer. a hydro can be a little off, if thats all you have make sure you clean it out wiht fresh water after every use. when you measure you need to fill it up and dump it out several times before you try and take a reading.

[Tuscaquatics]

Originally Posted by cyberpunk

He definitely said saltwater, I double checked with him to be sure because I understand that at this stage I'm prone to mistakes.

I don't have a RO/DI unit, any other options? Distilled water? I don't live in a city, about an hour from the nearest LFS.

An RODI needs to be your next purchase, then. Ask anyone in the hobby and most will tell you that it's pretty much the best money they've spent. There's nothing like putting absolutely pure water into your reef.

With that said, I got by for a little while with Wal-Mart distilled water. It's the one with the purple cap. It tested with a relatively low ppm, something like high teens or low twenties if i remember correctly. And it was free of nitrates and phosphates. I used it for water changes for a few months until I got the RODI. The price kept going up and now it's at like 83 cents a gallon.

Actually, a few weeks before I got the RODI I found a grocery store by me that had a machine outside that did RO water. It tested real low like 4 ppm and was only 30 cents a gallon. But spending money per gallon like that got old quick. Look around at some of the grocery stores in your area and see if they have one of those for now.

Just don't use tap water/Brita/Pur or any thing out of the sink.

[cyberpunk]

Originally Posted by jdthomas24

LFS idiots!!!!! use a refractometer. a hydro can be a little off, if thats all you have make sure you clean it out wiht fresh water after every use. when you measure you need to fill it up and dump it out several times before you try and take a reading.

This could be the problem then. I will do this and report back.

Thanks for the feedback. For the other question, I am using a hydrometer. I don't know what a refractometer is but I saw one yesterday at the LFS so I will look into it. I have seen people with digital salinity guages, are those good? Pricy?

Yes, a RO/DI unit is on the list for future, any tips for a cheap but good one?

[crvz]

I wouldnt spend the money on the digital gauge, but a nice refractometer is a superb choice. You can find them online for under $50, so be careful of what the LFS is charging. In terms of an RO/DI, I do agree that it should be the next purchase for your system. Alternatives are simply inferior or don't trade well against the costs of using them. You only need something simple, check out some of the sponsors. I suspect you can find an excellent system for under $175.