Help 1.030!!!!!!!!

[LduToit]

Hi Fellow reefers,

i just found out my salinity is 1.030.My one sps acro and digi was not looking well this moorning. Dont know how long the reading has been like this.


They are starting to look like they are loosing tissue.All other sps and softies are okay.

All other parameters are fine.

Could the High salinity be a cause of sps tissue receding?
Please any advice would be appreciated.

Thanx

 

[DrBDC]

First, relax. 1.030 is no different than a tank that is 1.022. bot are .004 off of NSW. Next, determine if that is a real reading. How are you measuring this? If by a hydrometer, go get it checked by someone with a refractometer that has been calibrated and not just with ro/di water. If by a conductivity meter with recent calibration, then slowly change it about .001 per day.

 

[LduToit]

Thanks DrBDC
Yes I did check it with a refractor meter. I use NSW in my setup. I am dropping the salinity as we speak with RO. Will do a water change for safety as well.
I hope its that witch is causing my acro and digi to look like they are doing.

 

[Stoney Mahony]

DrBDC, how do you suggest calibrating your refractometer? You say not to do it with just ro/di water but that's exactly how you are supposed to calibrate a refractometer...just a little confusing.

 

[DrBDC]

No, you will be off using straight ro/di. Mine was off by .02 when I finally got a salinity meter, calibrated it and then compared. Now it may be that I have a cheap refractometer but it wasn't too cheap. It's a RHS-10ATC which is a pretty popular one used. Think of it the same as a pH meter that you calibrate at 4 and 7. It will be off as compared to one you calibrate at 7 and 10.


Here is a good article on making a calibration solution:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

 

[DrBDC]

BTW LduToit do you sanitize and filter your NSW for pathogens/parasites?

 

[LduToit]

I get my NSW from a marine research center that filter, shock etc etc the water

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8411639#post8411639 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
No, you will be off using straight ro/di. Mine was off by .02 when I finally got a salinity meter, calibrated it and then compared. Now it may be that I have a cheap refractometer but it wasn't too cheap. It's a RHS-10ATC which is a pretty popular one used. Think of it the same as a pH meter that you calibrate at 4 and 7. It will be off as compared to one you calibrate at 7 and 10.


Here is a good article on making a calibration solution:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

FWIW, Randy did a thing at one of our meetings a while back where he checked a whole bunch of refractometers, and calibrated against RO, and against a calibration solution, and found almost no differences.

 

[turtlespd]

i would just remove a gallon or two of water and allow my top off to replenish the water and at the same time lowering your salinity in a slow manner.

 

[DrBDC]

Mine was off by .002 (I said .02 earlier but wasn't thinking right). But funny thing is I had been .002 over and running 1.028, and my old bobber ran .002 lower than my refractometer. So in the end that original bobber was dead on! :lol:

 

[Pico Keeper]

I use an electronic salinity meter to test my salinity. It was telling me 1.025-1.026 and that's where I was running my tank for almost 4 months. Yesterday I ordered a friend of mine a refractometer so I decided to check it and it read 1.031, so now i dont know which one is right.

I calibrated the electronic meter in NaCi 30ppt solution, and it was dead on. The refractometer was never calibrated, but also came with no instructions on how to calibrate it. It's the $49 one from Marine Depot...

I wonder which one is right, anyone got any ideas. Or know how to calibrate the refractometer?

 

[DrBDC]

Provided you are using a standardized calibration solution and it is brand new never had any contaminants, I'd go with the salinity meter. I use a pinpoint one and it stays pretty accurate over time as well. Even a drift of 53 to 52 is hardly any salinity difference.

 

[dukes707]

dont trip bro. i had the same prob not to long ago. just find someone with a refractometer, find the correct salinity, calibrate your hydrometer, and adjust your tank salinity slowly via water changes or remove 1/2 gallon of Nah2o and replace with R/O h2o every 8-10 hours until desired salinity is reached. but watch your critters for salinity shock and adjust your water changes accordingly.