What a colossal salinity screw up!

[Montreal Ray]

Hi all,

About 3 weeks ago I figured it was time to recalibrate my refractometer. When I calibrated I saw that It was off by 4-5 PPT......whoa! That means my tank is off by 4-5 PPT! I calibrated, tested my tank and voila 39 PPT!! I showily dropped it down to 35 PPT over the coarse of about 1 week.

The past week or so my Monties PE are less that stellar(Acros seem ok), they all seemed lacking and a little pale. I took a couple of hours to test and look at every nook and cranny. Everything was in tune, so I thought.

Something told me to have a look at my refractometer calibration. I retested with my old pinpoint calibrating solution and it was ok. I then found an old Hydrometer that I had lying around, it read between 1.019 and 1.020. Hmmm..not good. I then tested my refractometer with some RO-DI, it was defiantly NOT at 0, it was showing right around 5 PPT.

I quickly got in the car and went to pick up a new pinpoint calibration fluid. Low and behold, the $10 Hydrometer AND RO-DI test were both correct (and they say never to calibrate with RO-DO!). My 35PPT solution was reading 40PPT! My tank water is now at 29-30 PPT!

Question is, how long should I take to bring the salinity back to 35PPT without over stressing everything even MORE

Live and learn!

Ray

 

[KBear]

I'm pretty sure the rule of thumb is to raise it no more than .001 each day, so about 5 days to get it back up to 1.025

 

[Montreal Ray]

I'm pretty sure the rule of thumb is to raise it no more than .001 each day, so about 5 days to get it back up to 1.025

Alrighty, I'll try to aim for 1PPT per day.

I tought about using my ATO but that would mess it up too much. I'll do it manually some how......maybe a pump and timer, or even a drip in the first section of the sump.

thanks!
Ray

 

[tkeracer619]

Pull out a 5 gallon bucket worth. Add some salt. Then add it back into the tank.

BTW it not really that bad of a sg. I run my tank at 1.023. A lot of people run their tanks at this level.

 

[Montreal Ray]

Pull out a 5 gallon bucket worth. Add some salt. Then add it back into the tank.

BTW it not really that bad of a sg. I run my tank at 1.023. A lot of people run their tanks at this level.

I mixed a 5 gallon bucket to right around 45PPT and I turned off my ATO. I will slowily add water manually, I figure that it should take 5-7 days to raise it back up.

I agree, 1.023 is fine, but I was right around 1.019.

thanks!