Salinity level Help!!

[Jadie26]

I am currently moving everything from my 30 gallon reef to a 56 gallon. Here is the problem, I can not for the life of me get my salinity level to even out. I run my 30 at 1.024. After mixing my water for the 56 gallon, at 80 degrees, it went into the tank at 1.023. After 3 weeks of being in the tank, I checked levels and it was down to 1.018 with NO evaporation. I did a water change sunday night, just 5 gallons,mixing my new water to around 1.030 thinking this should bring my salinity up just a point or 2. Checked my salinity last night, and you guessed it, it was off the chart.

I guess my question is, is there anyway to calculate how much water to change and at what salinity so I can finally stop messing with this thing. I have about 100 lbs of rock in the tank, so the really there is a little less then 56 gallons of water in the tank. Thanks for any help.

 

[Phyl]

I have a calculator that I should be able to use for this (I created it when I was hypo'ing a tang). If you give me the exact salinity right now (what are you using to check it?) I can tell you how much water to change out and what the salinity should be of the change water.

 

[Artisan Corals]

Are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer? The hydrometers can give you fluctuating results like this if you don't rinse the salt water out each time and store it with low-mineral water in it. When using the the hydrometer, it helps to dip the hydrometer in and pour out your tank water several times to get the most accurate reading.

 

[Phyl]

And tap it to make sure it doesn't have a bubble stuck.

 

[Jadie26]

I am using a refract, I threw out hydro's along time ago . As far as the exact salinity, find the top of the chart, and you have it. I tested 3 times, only once did the salinity hit at 1.030. The other two times it was above, as far as I could tell since the gauge does not go above that.

 

[Phyl]

Without knowing exactly what your salinity is, I'd say you're safe replacing 25% of the water with RO/DI and seeing what it would be then.

 

[blange3]

Have you tried calibrating the refractometer? Compared it to another?

 

[Jadie26]

I have another refract coming tonight to verify again. I did cal mine, but I figured I would try another just to make sure. I am basically just trying to avoid the whole "change and check" method. If there is a way to determine 6 gallons, 10gallons, whatever will fix it, that would be great. If not I can keep changing and checking, just wanted to try and avoid the headache.

 

[Artisan Corals]

If you add salt to your water with a consistent size scoop, you can measure the salinity increase after each scoop to get a salinity per scoop. You could then use this to estimate your salinity when you go above the limit of your refractometer.

 

[Jadie26]

I actually have to top off the tank tonight, maybe a half gallon or so. I am going to check the salinity again, and hopefully I can get 3 readings on the scale. After that we can start to bring this down. Thanks for all the help.

 

[blange3]

I have another refract coming tonight to verify again. I did cal mine, but I figured I would try another just to make sure. I am basically just trying to avoid the whole "change and check" method. If there is a way to determine 6 gallons, 10gallons, whatever will fix it, that would be great. If not I can keep changing and checking, just wanted to try and avoid the headache.

I would stop trying to fix the level until your are sure that it is being measured correctly to start.

You dropped from a steady state 1.023 for no apparent reaason to 1.018. You mixed five gallons of water at 1.030 and did a water change on a tank at 1.018 and drove it off the upper scale which is higher than the water you added. DOES NOT COMPUTE! I would have never guessed that outcome, nor is it possible if all of the previous measurements were accurate.

So what do we conclude? Some or all of your prior measurements were in error. We have to fix that first.

Is there any livestock in the tank? If you are really off the scale high, things would be stressing and dying.

 

[Jadie26]

No, there is no live stock. Everyone is still waiting in the 30 gallon until this one is ready, nothing but rock. I don't get it either, but this is how it went.

Day 1- Water goes in at 1.023 @ 80 degrees

Day 21- Checked level, 1.018 @ 80 degrees

Day 23- Changed 5 gallons of water, 1.030 @ 80 degrees, tank now reads 1.030 or above @ 80 degrees.

At day 21 I took into account for salt creep, which was very low. Like I said, 5 gallons @ 1.030 should only have raised salinity by 1 or 2 points. I just hate guessing at this point.

 

[Jadie26]

And all at the same time, I have been keeping an eye on my 30, and every check is spot on 1.024. refract has to be right.

 

[blange3]

Are you running a skimmer and is it really putting out a lot?

That could explain the drop, but only if you were topping off with RO/DI to replace what was skimmed.

Were the rocks dry or wet when added? Is there a chance they were in a container of saltwater that evaporated leaving salt deposits in them?

I'm stretchin here because things jus don't add up. ???

 

[Jadie26]

Don't add up is right. I have 3 degrees, this should not be so hard to figure out!!!!!!!!!!

I am not running a skimmer, so we don't have to worry about it pulling salt out. The rocks how ever, were moved from an established tank in a "moist" state??? they were in buckets for about an hour, with nothing more than just residual water on them. I really did not lose too much color off the rock since they went into the tank. I did jump the bacteria with Bio Spira when the rock went in.

I am wondering though, could I be losing ALOT of salt, like creeping out, but not really notice it on the tank or top or anything??? Could the salt just be creeping out and NOT collecting on the tank itself??? ???

 

[Phyl]

No. Salt is not creeping out without you knowing it. Chalk it up to a bad first reading and start adjusting. Also, I'm sure you know by now, but you need to top off with RO/DI and not salted water. Topping off with salt will creep the number up.