Made a mistake... suggestions

[MidwestReefa]

I was doing my weekly water change on my Biocube 29. I do 4 gallons a week using IO Reef Crystals. Anyways, all is good, but I wake up in the morning and my hammer coral didn't puff up and was looking very sad. :uhoh3: I knew something was wrong, this never happens after a water change.. first think I checked was my Salinity. Wow 1.20 :face palm:

The only think I can think of is that when I checked my water change mix I read the refractometer wrong. I just checked the calibration with the fluid and it checked out correct.

So, I did a small 3 gallon water change, again, with 1.25 mix and it only brought my salinity up to 1.21 and a day later the hammer is still looking sad.

I'm going on day #3 since the mistake, I'm adding mix water for my evaporation to bring my salinity back up, however I'm not sure if the hammer will be ok in the amount of time it will take get my salinity back up with evaporation only.

The only corals I have right now is a one head hammer, and two small zoo colonies that are doing well now. My hermit and snail seem fine, business as usual. And my 6 line is still himself.. eating like a pig :wildone:

OPTIONS:
1)Larger water change with correct salinity, my concern is raising salinity to fast.

2) Keep doing salt mix top off water, concern it will take to long to get back up to 1.25

3) ???

 

[snorvich]

Top off evaporation with salt water.

 

[nickp87]

As above, use salted to top off your evap.

It may take longer but a gradual change is preferred to another large change in parameters

 

[snorvich]

As above, use salted to top off your evap.

It may take longer but a gradual change is preferred to another large change in parameters

Especially going up in SG.

 

[MidwestReefa]

Still toping off evaporation with saltwater. Hammer is still looking sad though. Other corals/livestock doing great.

Only time will tell, I hope it can hold on long enough to make a recovery!

 

[Flagg37]

I agree that you need to take it slow but I'm surprised that it got that low to begin with. You would have practically had to do a water change with fresh water.

 

[JammyBirch]

I agree that you need to take it slow but I'm surprised that it got that low to begin with. You would have practically had to do a water change with fresh water.

This is what i noticed too...that is a huge swing for a bad water change mix. Nothing wrong with taking it slow i guess, based on what you have in there though i don't think bringing the SG up quickly is going to be a big deal either, 1.020 vs. 1.025 is not a huge swing. The reason i'm suggesting this is because your hammer is still not happy, bring up the SG to where is should be so it can recover quickly.

 

[snorvich]

This is what i noticed too...that is a huge swing for a bad water change mix. Nothing wrong with taking it slow i guess, based on what you have in there though i don't think bringing the SG up quickly is going to be a big deal either, 1.020 vs. 1.025 is not a huge swing.

Going down it is not a problem. Going up must be slow.

 

[MidwestReefa]

Update

Update

Came home from work today and my hammer was finally puffed out! Not 100%, but at least 95%. So happy I think it's going to make it :thumbsup: