HELP! Salinity too high (1.031)... need advice quick

[JeffersonReef]

I just discovered that the person who watched my tank while I was on vacation was topping off with SW rather than FW. My salinity is too high (at 1.031). The guy at the lfs said to do 4 to 5g water changes with FW once a day for the next few days. My only concern is I just got a Crocea clam (about 4"), and I am worried about it dying. I know they are sesitive to salinity and other changes in water params...

What should I do? Quickly reduce the salinity, or raise slowly? Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

-TJ

 

[afelder]

If you want to change your salinity slower than straight fresh water just use salt water with SG lower than you would normally use and keep it up until the salinity is back where you want it.

 

[JeffersonReef]

I buy my water from the LFS... so the only options I have are either FW or SW... since my tank is 125g I figured I could do a 10g water change today with just FW.. this should lower the salinity slightly, and yet not shock my pets...

thoughts?

 

[NALCOMIS]

If its not dead already you are probably fine. Just change out 5 gallons or 10 of salt with fresh each day untill you are at your ideal salinity.

 

[Jar*Head]

I would use small tube (1/4") to siphon the water from my tank out while feeding my sump with RODI water via aqua lifter. do 5gpd till 1.025 is reached. If you change your salinity too fast, your corals will stress out or dead.

 

[NicoleC]

No worries; 1.031 isn't really that bad and it went up slowly.

Just lower by about .001-.002 per evening. You can safely do about that much per hour, but if you want to be extra cautious, just do a bit each day.

 

[energy_crisis]

Mix the salt water you buy with fresh water to get a slightly lower SG during water changes.

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8277313#post8277313 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NicoleC
No worries; 1.031 isn't really that bad and it went up slowly.

Just lower by about .001-.002 per evening. You can safely do about that much per hour, but if you want to be extra cautious, just do a bit each day.

Thanx Nicole. ps- nice to meet another .net developer.

tj

 

[NicoleC]

.NET developer, hmmm...? Looking for a job?

 

[All Delight]

Just do it slowly, very slowly

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8278011#post8278011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NicoleC
.NET developer, hmmm...? Looking for a job?

Yes.. I am actually. If ur seriously interested in talking PM me.

 

[Sk8r]

Whatever is alive is alive. It will live through a SLOW return to normal. First of all, do you have an autotopoff? You can get one on the cheap from www.autotopoff.com. Use an old salt bucket for the reservoir.
Secondly, draw off half a gallon of water per 50 gallons, and replace it with ro/di. You will not do too badly, if you just do that every hour on the hour, until you reach target.

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8278762#post8278762 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
Whatever is alive is alive. It will live through a SLOW return to normal. First of all, do you have an autotopoff? You can get one on the cheap from www.autotopoff.com. Use an old salt bucket for the reservoir.
Secondly, draw off half a gallon of water per 50 gallons, and replace it with ro/di. You will not do too badly, if you just do that every hour on the hour, until you reach target.

That link doesnt seem to work. I was considering building a diy auto top off. I was going to do it after my diy closed loop and my diy kalk doser. I have a lot of work ahead of me. I should have taken up golf or something...