salinity is 1.030 !!!!
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Help
Forum Name: EMERGENCY FORUM
Forum Description: If you have an Emergency post here and you should receive a quick reply.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44342
Printed Date: October 09 2025 at 6:11pm Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: salinity is 1.030 !!!!
Posted By: apen801
Subject: salinity is 1.030 !!!!
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 2:33am
I dont know how it happened. My salinity is 1.030, The tank was looking funny, hardy corals were not opened so I checked it and BAM! I did a 2gal water change 2 days ago. The tank is only 24 gal. Today I did a 1 gal water change hoping to bring the salinity down a bit but it did not effect it. What do I do now? I dont want to shock the system?
Aaron Pendleton Stansbury park.
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Replies:
Posted By: MadReefer
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 3:30am
Bring it down slowly. If everything is not dead now it can handle being brought down a bit at a time. But act on it every 6-12 hours with a water change until you get to where you want. And you don't have to make new water, just take some out and add RO water. Nothing good happens fast.
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Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 8:30am
I have plenty of R/O and some 5 gallon jugs in Tooele if you need them. Give me a call, my cell is 435-830-8855
------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8
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Posted By: DLindquist
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 9:32am
I would set up two different drip systems and monitor them closely. One drip slowly adds pure RO water at the same rate the second drip removes SW from the tank. Keep a close eye on things so your salinity doesn't drop too low.
------------- A government strong enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 10:08am
Hey, it's not that big of a deal and dropping salinity can be done much faster than raising salinity. Like was said just take out some tank water and pour in fw/RO water. Do about 1 gal twice, an hour apart and you should be around 1.024/5. It's that simple. I've done it many many times. Think about it, when it rains real good over the ocean what happens to the salinity in that vicinity. That's right so don't sweat it. It will be fine.
Salinity of 1.030 is not that high and may not be the only problem. Did salinity rise really quick, like with saltwater being added instead of fresh water?
What are the Alk and Ca of this tank?
Coral problems can be an indication of excessive N. Could that be the problem? Did something die?
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: apen801
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 10:24am
Thanks for the reply. Im honestly baffeled by this. I checked my "add/water change" water and its a perfect 1.023. I cant figure it out. Nothing has died that I can find. I only have a bunch of coarls and a blennie and inverts. There is this mystery red algae that is growing. Its not red slime. well I have some of that too, but the other is a mix of what appears to be flakes and oddly shaped bubbles. But none of this explained why the salinity jumped up. I love this hobby, but dam it can be frustrating some times.
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Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 10:44am
I'll be around for most of the day, if you decide you need some RO or anything let me know!
------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8
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Posted By: Laird
Date Posted: October 30 2010 at 3:45pm
Not sure where you are located but I have a bunch of jugs and an RO system that you can use if I'm closer to you than steve.
------------- Indefinite hiatus from sw aquariums.
Once I have my glorious return I'll set back up the following. 50 Gallon rimless cube. 180 Gallons mixed reef paradise
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 31 2010 at 1:53pm
Mark Peterson wrote:
What are the Alk and Ca of this tank? |
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: MrNewbie
Date Posted: October 31 2010 at 8:15pm
apen801 wrote:
I checked my "add/water change" water and its a perfect 1.023. I cant figure it out.
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If this is right, that you are using salt water top off for evaporation, this is your problem. Only top off with plain water RO, DI or the variety of your choice but never salted.
------------- Just a couple of glass boxes full of slimey things
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Posted By: Flashlin
Date Posted: November 01 2010 at 2:14am
Are you using refractometer?
I had one hydrometer which was showing 0.06 less than it actually was.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: November 01 2010 at 9:36am
Mr Newbie noted something that we hoped was not true, but certainly is the answer if the tank was being topped off with salt water. Hint: salt does not evaporate!
So Flashlin simply added .06 to every reading from that Hydrometer, right? That's "Calibration". Every kind of testing equipment has to be calibrated to ensure it is giving a correct reading. Simply measure the equipment with a known value and adjust accordingly. 
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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