How often, if ever, do you check TANK Salinity?

[funman1]

Just wondering "How often, if ever, do you check TANK Salinity?"
A fellow reefer was over yesterday and seemed appalled that I have never check the salinity in my main tank since I set it up over a year ago.

I DO test change out water, but since I have an ATO I just assume that water evap is replaced and so Salinity should stay the same..

So what do you do?
Am I crazy or is this a normal assumption?

 

[mpoletti]

I checked my tank last weekend for the first time in 6 months. Probably not too smart though. I only check my top off water. There is no option for that one

 

[kdblove_99]

I would say i check every other week or so

 

[TeeLapia]

It's a good assumption. I don't really check my salinity in the office, maybe quarterly. If that.

 

[funman1]

Do you guys find that your tank salinity is ever off from what you thought it was, or is it always right on the mark?

And if it's not right on where you'd expect, do you have any ideas why its off?

 

[Freed]

I only check seldomly. Unless I take water out for some reason and don't switch my valves over to salt and put in fresh instead for a couple of weeks I don't worry about it. I usually only replace with fresh so salinity usually stays spot on.

 

[jtarmitage]

Over time it will drift lower, usually due the fact that saltwater is lost due to protein skimming, as well as salt loss due to salt creep and what is lost everytime I put my hand in the tank(quite often). I had gone for nearly 6 mos before, and even though I alway check the water change water, I was down to 1.020. I figure it takes all of 10 seconds to check, so why not do it.

 

[tfp]

weekly here - esp. since its one of the easier tests

 

[H20Sidhe]

Every time I test the other parameters, which can vary from twice a week to once in six weeks - depending on how busy I am (less often) and if I am changing anything (more often). For a long time I kept an excel spreadsheet. Easy way to spot trends.

 

[audio101]

I check daily since I have a 24g.

 

[funman1]

Audio, do you have an ATO?
I have (2) 12G nanos that I can't even remember if, or when, I last checked them? (Both have ATO's)

 

[jkreefer]

I check when I do my water change, just so i know if i need to go a little more or less on my salt to adjust correctly. But with 300+ gallons it doesnt change too much.

 

[Nuuze]

Weekly for me since I'm always taking water out...

 

[kevin95695]

Every week. I check the tank specific gravity and the 44g brute specific gravity right before I do the deed.

 

[bladeruner143]

I usually check it about every other week. I replace all evaporated water when I feed so it nevers really strays either way

 

[KMP]

hmmm...tfp and nuuze - the reef gods - check weekly. i'm thinking weekly is the answer we seek.

 

[thebest3]

when ever i add something new...

 

[audio101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11748584#post11748584 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by funman1
Audio, do you have an ATO?
I have (2) 12G nanos that I can't even remember if, or when, I last checked them? (Both have ATO's)

Nope, I should invest in one though, but I always worry they will malfunction.

 

[Bebo77]

once a month or so...

 

[tfp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11751706#post11751706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KMP
hmmm...tfp and nuuze - the reef gods - check weekly. i'm thinking weekly is the answer we seek.

lol! not even close . always learning like everyone else.