Salinity raise from dosing?!!
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
Forum Description: A place to discuss reef chemistry.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=73132
Printed Date: October 30 2025 at 7:18pm
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Topic: Salinity raise from dosing?!!
Posted By: PDoug
Subject: Salinity raise from dosing?!!
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 10:08pm
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Okay so I have been at this for a bit off and on. But has anybody ever had their salinity raise rapidly from dosing calc, Alk, and mg like usual? I am wondering if I have a bad mix this go round maybe? I am only dosing Alk and Mag 50ml a day and I have to remove water every two days and put in RO water to bring my Salinity down. This is ranking pretty high up there on my weird crap a'meter and only just occurred when I mixed my last jugs of calcium chloride and Baking soda. any thoughts would be grand ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Replies:
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 10:15pm
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What are you using to check your salinity with? And have you calibrated it? ------------- Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ? Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 10:21pm
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Haven't bought a refractometer yet just using the good old fashioned hydrometer which I tested against a friends refract' to get a more accurate reading ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 10:58pm
| Dosing 50 ml of mag per day? Ya that will definitely raise your salinity....it will creep up slowly with normal 2 part, but mag boosts it quite a bit |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 11:23pm
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I've dosed lots of mg before, but I was also trying to push it to 1500-1600 for byropsis. Other than that mg should be much less than Ca and Alk (in my experience). How old is your mg test? What exp date does it have? ------------- Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ? Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing |
Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: September 28 2014 at 11:34pm
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100 ppm addition to magnesium with any brand of additive (except maybe Seachem which may be higher due to their unusual recipe) will add about 0.4 ppt to the salintiy, so 35 ppt to 35.4 ppt, or sg 1.0264 to 1.0267 After all when you are adding magnesium you are adding a salt... |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 2:47am
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+1 to bur... My salinity is always creeping up, and it's a pain. Dr. Randy Holmes Farley has a couple articles on it. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 6:31am
------------- 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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PDoug wrote:Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 1:41pm
Please allow me to clarify i add mag once a month I meant calc my bad so as far as the rise its from 33 to 36 or 1.25 to 1.27 every two days. My suspicion is that the prestone I ordered from ebay is old as all get out.  ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Studboyt
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 2:00pm
| "Prestone" the antifreeze??? |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 2:37pm
Yes I put antifreeze in all my tanks it helps them grow really well  No prestone driveway heat------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Studboyt
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 3:35pm
That sounds as crazy as antifreeze. |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 3:38pm
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I just started dosing Ca with prestone as well. I'll check and monitor my salinity and see if I have the same results. ------------- Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ? Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 4:50pm
Wow this has been done for as long as I can recall in the hobby Prestone driveway heat is pure calcium chloride and is in Mark Peterson's secrets to an affordable reef tank and the formula was researched and created by Randy on reefcentral check it out it will save a ton unless you are already using a calcium reactor which in that case you should be dosing washing soda to boost your ph and alk ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 4:51pm
let me know what you come up with  ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 5:31pm
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I cannot imagine adding enough Ca supplement to raise SG by that much without also seeing a phenomenal increase in Ca. Something seems odd here. What does this supposed "Prestone Driveway Heat" look like, out of the package? Can you post a pic or send it to my phone(808-345-1049) so I can see it? I'm thinking this stuff you bought on ebay is mostly ordinary Sodium Chloride (road salt/water softener salt) for what should actually be only white pearls of pure Calcium Chloride. Is your Alk additive a DIY mixture too? If you don't mind sharing to see if we can help you figure this out, please tell us what are the previous and current Alk and Ca levels and how much of each are you adding, how often? Aloha  ------------- 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: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 5:52pm
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Its actual Prestone pearls I am certain of that due to the fact it nearly melted my jug when I mixed. I just worry its picked up to much moisture from storage in a warehouse maybe? I am doing the two part Driveway heat and alk using baking soda (recipe 2) I dose mag with the ep salt mix just as randy states when my jugs are up which has not occurred in roughly a month.I ordered the prestone as winter is still coming but not here.) I dose 50ml a day of Alk and 50 ml a day of mag to keep my levels at 450 calc and 9.3 dkh alk mag is a steady 1390 ( I am debating on testing and possibly skipping next jug ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 6:08pm
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sent you a pic mark ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 6:56pm
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is there a chance your ato reservoir or your rodi water storage containers in general have become laced with some salt down the road? seems that increase is a little high for how much your dosing....unless your tank is under 30 gallons.... |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 7:58pm
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Maybe just changed the filters will have to take a peak ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 8:39pm
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When did you last calibrate your refractometer? And by calibrate, I mean at 0 AND 35ppt. And I hope you're not using a hydrometer.... ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 8:54pm
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Sell me on a refractometer are the hydrometers so out of date? I am old school if it's not broken don't fix it. Which is why I am still waiting on LEDs and have only used t5 for actinic supplement ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 9:10pm
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I use a hydrometer, and have calibrated it to a refractometer. It's off by .005 if I remember right, and other wise consistent as heck. I have a water change brewing, so I'll have a baseline to start from along with my dosing. Usually ½ c /day, or 100 ml ea of Ca & Alk. Usually 4-5 times per week. If I miss more than 2 days it drops both. 70 gal total volume of water, so I'll check daily from tomorrow on and see if it goes up. ------------- Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ? Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 9:26pm
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Got the pic. Yeah that's the stuff, Calcium Chloride pearls. I believe I read that the hydrometer was recently calibrated and a hydrometer can't get that far off in two days. I'm stumped. ------------- 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: bur01014
Date Posted: September 29 2014 at 10:17pm
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Some more thoughts... hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate, although they are consistent to some degree, so you would think as long as it is double checked against a refractometer then you should be good...but there a few things I have found. 1. hydrometers will provide different readings at different temps, so that is one thing to think about as the weather changes and impacts your tank temp, or whether you make new water without a heater. 2. hydrometers will provide different readings based on its cleanliness, whether it has been wet recently, rinsed, etc. I don't think there is any big reason to sell you on a refractometer other than they are 20 bucks more than a hydrometer and are much more precise. Their precision will allow you to better gauge how much your salinity is increasing. In addition, they are not effected by temps to my knowledge. I am not concerned with the prestone heat, used that for years, but never raised my salinity. If dosing around 1ml or more per gallon (of tank size) of two part per day, you will typically see your salinity creep up from 1.0260 to 1.0265 each week. You are either adding salty water from your ato, messed up your two part concentrations and are over dosing (you should see some precip), or you are experiencing measurement error. Good luck! |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: September 30 2014 at 4:41am
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How long are you letting your water change water mix? How much and how often are your water changes? ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: September 30 2014 at 3:50pm
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I just did my first water change in six months yesterday the only thing that makes a bit if sense is the temp which Is something that never crossed my mind (even though it was buried somewhere in the archives [;)thanks for all the help ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |