salinity/gravity level high need help

[new-2-the reef]

ok I need some help here guys/gals
I have my 55 gallon full of live rock (75lbs ) running now for a couple of weeks,and I cannot seem to get my salinity/gravity level down on the hydrometer it is reading 1.032 gravity or 40 ppt salinity..

should I empty 5 gallons out of my tank and just add water with no salt to even it out? (reverse osmosis ofcorse)

or what else can I do..

any help would be great

thanks alot
Clint :?: :?: :?:

 

[Anonymous]

1.025 or 26 is preferable for reefs.

My guess is you're not mixing the right amount of salt for your water changes... or you have been adding salt water to replenish the evaporated water and is why it crept up that high.

If you don't have any animals I wonder if you can do a large water change with no salt?? If you do have animals in there you want to change it gradually. When I make salt water I have a cup and in time I figured out how many cups will give me my desired salinity.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I know changing it gradually is never wrong.

 

[WRASSER]

Yep the best bet is to take salt water and add r/o and do it in small quanities. like a gallon, then see were you are at if more take two gallons out and so on. Just use good judgement. You are on the right track :wink:

 

[new-2-the reef]

thanks guys
very much appreciated !

i have never added more salt water to tank yet..just regular water as some has evaporated just to top it off

when i first added water to tank i bought a 55 gallon pail of salt mix and added all of it with about 50 gallons of water...so i think that was the problem there...

as for now i will take out a gallon at a time and add regular water until the level equals out

thanks again guys !
Clint

 

[WRASSER]

Can you give us a idea on how you made the water?

 

[ChrisRD]

Before you do anything, make sure you're getting an accurate reading from the hydrometer.

You can make a calibration solution out of table salt to check it.
Article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

 

[IslandCrow]

Hydrometers usually aren't that far off. I would start trying to bring it down to at least 1.026 (about 35ppt). For a fish only tank, even if the hydrometer is reading high, fish will do fine in much lower salinity, but the extemely high salinity is no doubt causing some stress.

Also, Clint, I'm not sure how long you've had the tank up and running, but you'll want to do periodic water changes (it sounds like you haven't been). Changing out either 10% weekly or 20% monthly with freshly mixed saltwater is usually sufficient. It just helps keep the bad stuff (like nitrates and phosphates) from accumulating in the tank and causing problems.

 

[new-2-the reef]

thanks for your help guys

level is ok now
I did a water change on the weekend ...also added a few more pounds of live rock...lol this is addicting to say the least..

Im at 96-98 pounds now of live rock

thanks again
Clint

 

[ChrisRD]

Hydrometers usually aren't that far off.

I know I've had hydrometers of the same brand/model from the same store that gave significantly different readings on the same tank. It's probably not off by much, but it's a simple matter to check it, so personally, I would.

 

[IslandCrow]

I'd agree with checking, ChrisRD. I just didn't think it was necessary to wait to start bringing the salinity level down. Hydrometers are usually at least a little bit off, and if you insist on using one, they should definitely be calibrated.

 

[ChrisRD]

I hear ya.

I'm just paranoid about double checking any readings these days before taking any other action. I've learned the hard way that sometimes by "fixing" a parameter that's not really off we can start more trouble than we solve!

 

[SnowManSnow]

I used a hydrometer for a long time too...

but i would really advise you to pick up a refractometer from www.marinedepot.com to get a better... more accurate reading. I'm much happier with mine than I was my hydrometer.

and yea! it is addictive haha.. just be sure you are leaving plenty of room for water circulation and room too add corals and fish!

b

 

[new-2-the reef]

I used a hydrometer for a long time too...

but i would really advise you to pick up a refractometer from www.marinedepot.com to get a better... more accurate reading. I'm much happier with mine than I was my hydrometer.

and yea! it is addictive haha.. just be sure you are leaving plenty of room for water circulation and room too add corals and fish!

b

i looked at the site and their is many models to choose from
do you recommend a specific one at all?
keep in mind ,my tank is 55 gallon,want to make it a reef tank and now have 98 pounds of live rock in it..
does it matter which one i should get?

thanks for your help
Clint

 

[Ef3s]

Take your hydro to the fish store and test against their refracto to find out how wrong yours is.

Or buy a refracto.

If you want your salinity to be at 1.023 etc...add your water change water slightly lower every time....will gradually get it down there...

 

[FinalPhaze987]

when i first setup my tank i was getting wacky readings from my hydrometer because of microbubbles on the swinging arm...

If my SG is high i use airline tubing and siphon water from a tank into a bucket, while a bucket above the tank filled with RO water is siphoning into the sump...i regulate both flows and slow it so it flows at about 1-2 gal per hour...i have a few starfish and shrimp in the tank so i get a little paranoid about changing the SG too quickly...

 

[IslandCrow]

I got the Marine Depot brand refractometer (which I believe is their cheapest), and it's worked great for me for over a year. I check the calibration every couple of months, but it's been spot on every time (including right out of the box), and I haven't had to calibrate it yet.