Will high salinity kill snails?

[Vicarious Cynic]

I've lost a turbo and a couple narcissus snails recently - yesterday my salinity was at 1.027 on a hydrometer. Been slacking the tank checks lately - been preoccupied with my teenager who feels school is optional.

 

Have the salinity back down to 1.025 (if and only if the hydrometer is accurate). Would high salinity over a few days do in a couple of snails?

 

Other things I noticed is that the other turbo was basically motionless for the same period - now that it's dialed back down it's moving on the glass like it used to.

[ReeFit]

turbo's are notorious for starving to death, but i wouldn't discount salinity. it can affect many things negatively if it swings. what would have caused it to swing so high so quickly?

[Vicarious Cynic]

Like I said - the teenager who feels that school is optional. Things have been interesting in the ol homestead. Didn't top off for a number of days. Reefing is still new to me - four going on five months.

 

I bought a new light a month or so ago - one result was a upswing in the hair algae in the tank - don't turbos eat that?

[ReeFit]

yes turbo's can eat it but they aren't real smart, i often have to put them on top of it.

[Vicarious Cynic]

Thanks ReeFit. What do you use to check salinity?

[NoobtoSalt]

Use a refractometer to check salinity.

[Rick]

What is the temp? Other parameters? I swing in the salinity from evap over a few days probably isn;t enough by itself to be a big issue. (bringing it down rapidly would be worse)

 

At the very least have your hydrometer checked with a refractometer. Many of the shops will compare it to another hydrometer or don't regularly calibrate their refractometers so I would either get one so you can verify it yourself or have someone here help with it.

[ReeFit]

i use both a hydrometer and a refractometer, but i check them against each other every now and then to make sure they are both reading accurate. I agree with rick, a slow increase in salinity would not cause things to die and a quick drop back down would cause more harm than good.

[gradth]

I think turbos are just notoriously a pain the butt. I have always had trouble keeping them alive. I have 2 left in my main tank that have lasted over a year, but most seem to starve to death. Not to mention they knock stuff over a lot. I had some low salinty issues in my FOWLR tank and had a few die, not sure about high though.

[steelhead77]

i use both a hydrometer and a refractometer' date=' but i check them against each other every now and then to make sure they are both reading accurate. I agree with rick, a slow increase in salinity would not cause things to die and a quick drop back down would cause more harm than good.[/quote']

 

I thought salinity going down quickly is ok - think about torrential rains in lagoons and whatnot- It was coming back up that you needed to go real slow.

[grassi]

I think turbos are just notoriously a pain the butt. I have always had trouble keeping them alive. I have 2 left in my main tank that have lasted over a year' date=' but most seem to starve to death. Not to mention they knock stuff over a lot. I had some low salinty issues in my FOWLR tank and had a few die, not sure about high though.[/quote']

 

Bring them here, I have a perfect tank for them lol

Reefit, yours are doing a great job. They almost cleaned out the tank.

[Algae]

I think turbos are just notoriously a pain the butt. I have always had trouble keeping them alive. I have 2 left in my main tank that have lasted over a year' date=' but most seem to starve to death. Not to mention they knock stuff over a lot. I had some low salinty issues in my FOWLR tank and had a few die, not sure about high though.[/quote']

 

This is my experience with Turbos.

 

As for the accuracy of refractometers vs hydrometers here is a couple of interesting articles.

 

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_3/cav3i4/hydrometers/Impressions.htm

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/lines

 

I do prefer a refractometer if it is calibrated. Using a hydrometer reminds me of checking the battery acidity in my '51 Chevy too much.