Where does the salt go?

[Jah2707]

So I can't figure something out. I do weekly water changes and like many of us I am busy and don't always test the salinity of my tank water. But I do always check the water change water. I always make sure it is close to 1.025. Sunday before I did a water change I figured what the heck let me actually get the salinity of the tank... low and behold it is 1.023... I have an ato and the water level was the same as it always has been.

So my question is, what does the salt go? Just in case someone is wondering the first thing I did was used calibration fluid and made sure my refractometer was good. Also I haven't notice a leak or even extra salt creep.

Is this normal? Do you have to add extra salt from time to time to keep your salinity up?

 

[TigeBell]

Skimmer cup skimmate and salt creep. Yes, those are normal and there will be times you will need to top off your water with saltwater

 

[homer1475]

Keep in mind that your skimmer removes some salt water in the skimmate, and your adding plain water back in(ATO). Given time it will lower the salinity.

Without actually breaking out the calculator.......

If your doing 10% WC weekly and your water is at lets say 1.022, and your replace with 1.025 your probably only going to raise it by 1 point or so. For this reason I often test my tank prior to a WC and will raise the salinity of my WC water by a few points to compensate.

 

[whosurcaddie]

You shouldn't have to unless there is a lot of splashing in the sump causing salt creep, which you said there wasn't.

The only other thing I can think of is if your skimmer is skimming wet. How often do you empty your skimmer cup per week?

 

[GimpyFin]

Agree with the above, a lot of it is likely due to what your skimmer is pulling out over time. Fairly normal.

 

[crawlerman]

Also if you are using any water from your tank for acclimation or coral dipping it will go down. All of it adds up over time.

 

[homer1475]

Even pulling water for tests get replaced with fresh from the ATO.

 

[Jah2707]

You guys are smart.

Thanks

I didn't even think about water I pull out when I acclimate and of course my skimmer.

Lesson learned need to check my salinity more often.

I did my WC with 1.026 this last time. I will do this until it is back to 1.025 and then check it more often.

Thanks for the lesson. I knew it had to be something simple.

 

[anthonys51]

i always do water changes with water at 1.26. my tank normally runs 1.25. but that really depends on how wet your skimmer is , how often you do water changes and how much and how often you test and add new fish

 

[dreaddinit]

i always do water changes with water at 1.26. my tank normally runs 1.25. but that really depends on how wet your skimmer is , how often you do water changes and how much and how often you test and add new fish

This! I do the same. Always shoot for 1.026 and end up with 1.025. Mine is certainly skimmer cup as like to skim a little wet.


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[dendrite]

in addition to all of the above, if you are dosing a substantial amount of hypotonic fluid that could also lower the salinity