diamondof5 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 OK, MY SALINITY is really low 1.019 Need to get it back up to 1.023 How much should we do at a time and how often???? I have a 180 gal tank with a 30 gal Sump. We have been putting some (Not sure exact amount my husbands been doing it.) in the filter in the sump off and on since last night but it does not seem to be going up. HELP!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wobble Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 If it were me, I'd start topping off with pre-mixed salt water instead of RO to replace evaporation. That should raise it slowly. Although I'm not sure how much evaporates from your tank. I go through 1-2 gallons per day. I had a similar problem awhile back and this is how I did mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 How mush have you added? How many cups? Replacing evaporated water with ro/di is correct as the salinity doesn't change/evaporate. You said you have been adding salt and no change. Kinda scary. What are you using to check the level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Is this an established tank? If it is I would recommend you quit putting straight salt into your sump. You need to make up new saltwater at a higher salinity then your tank and then take out water from the tank and replace it with your newly made up saltwater. To make up the new saltwater I would recommend a 5 gallon bucket or a new big ole trash can, a heater, powerhead and RO/DI water. Mix the salt and water, then heat and mix. You would mix for at least 24-48 hours if you have time, but if you need it in a hurry you can mix till the water tempature matches your tank. You want to add a few gallons every 5 hours or so maybe longer until you reach the desired salinity. You may want to extend the addition of water time so as not to shock your system. This is how I would do it. Someone on here may have a better way. Good Luck. Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Is this an established tank? If it is I would recommend you quit putting straight salt into your sump. You need to make up new saltwater at a higher salinity then your tank and then take out water from the tank and replace it with your newly made up saltwater. To make up the new saltwater I would recommend a 5 gallon bucket or a new big ole trash can, a heater, powerhead and RO/DI water. Mix the salt and water, then heat and mix. You would mix for at least 24-48 hours if you have time, but if you need it in a hurry you can mix till the water tempature matches your tank. You want to add a few gallons every 5 hours or so maybe longer until you reach the desired salinity. You may want to extend the addition of water time so as not to shock your system. This is how I would do it. Someone on here may have a better way. Good Luck. Shane This is good advice! If you need to do it more quickly/or smaller quanity. Just use a 5g bucket and go that route until you bring it back up to where you wish it to be. If you have livestock in the tank GO SLOW as it will hurt them to go to fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 you can also put a big filter sock in your sump and add salt into the filter sock which will dissolve and slowly increase your salinity..thats what i did when i found out my salinity was 1.015 because my salinity monitor wasn't correct...and the salt crystals wont get into your display tank and disturb your corals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Ok, It is a very well established tank, we have had the 180 since July of 2007 and before that everything came out of my 120 and 75 which was a year and a half old. We have been putting it in the filter sock in the sump About a cup every couple hours when he was home but not since this morning. we started last night so probably a total of 4 cups so far. Yes I have been Running my tank about that salinity for a few months now because someone told us our salt meeter was off ( Coralife Deep Six) and IT WAS NOT. So everything in my tank has been dying and receding for quite a while now. Most of my Livestock is gone or about gone. SO WE WILL SEE WHAT SURVIVES AND THRIVES AFTER THIS MESS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdadof2 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I highly reccomend a refractometer to measure salinity....much more accurate in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 2 to 2 1/2 cups of salt will only make up about 5-6g of water to about 1.021 or so. So you have not put very much in at all if you have around 200g of total water. Make up a very salty 1-2g batch of water up around 1.030, and the add that instead of just straight water for your top-off. Then test your water. It may take a few days but slowly is the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I have also used the filter also. Worked fine. IF YOUR SURE THE GAUGE WORKS. Add more as you have been doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 I highly reccomend a refractometer to measure salinity....much more accurate in the long run. It Was a Refractometer that got me in this mess to begin with!!!!!!(nono) Had my salt tested and my Hydrometer Tested and they are right on!!! Went back to the "Original Place" That told me otherwise, to test my water again (same water as above) and They still told me my Salinity was at 1.023. I would have totaly lost everything if I did not get a second opinion. (MONTHS LATER, and a lot of Sad and /or Dead Corals and Dead Clams etc., Later!!!!) (sad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitterbait Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 keep in mind that with all measuring instruments a refractometer needs to be calibrated too. when they are calibrated they are far more accurate and easier to use than the other methods. some people think that you can just float a hydrometer in the water and it will work but even a hydrometer needs to be calibrated and it must be used with a correctly sized beaker. BTW, i keep my salinity at 1.019 usually. been doing that for years with great results. it may be a good time to do a full evaluation of the tank flow, and parameters to see if you may have another problem lurking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 All other Parameters are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krux Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 If your salinity is low, you are also probably low on alk, cal, and mag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thank you everyone for your help, imput and sugesstions! I now have my salt level up to 1.022 and Should be right back to normal in a day or so. My Purple star polyps have started to peak out but so far nothing else seems to be doing any better. I am sure it will take some time, Hopefullly not too long my hammer coral has retracted and you do not see much for green on that skeleton. Any one know how long till I see some Good Results? I want to see all my Babies Back:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancop Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 My salinity also dropped a month ago 1.019 frog spawn went to skeleton ...snails all died.....i used the salt in the sump filter sock method ....took 3 days to get it back up...frog spawn still has not opened ....not skeleton anymore....just a little green bubbles ontop.....so been over 4 weeks....it has 2 new growths ....so i asume its still trying. I would check the alk and PO4 for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 A salinity of 1.019 should not kill things by itself. If things are dying, something else is wrong IME. What does all other parameters are great look like in numbers? Not trying to give you a hard time, just trying to help you get you babies back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Don't know exact numbers. My Husband did the Testing and said they were all in Range and then we took the water to Issac and He told us the same thing. that the only thing that was off was Salinity and the alk needed to go up a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancop Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 It was a refractometer that got me into same problem originally. But it was the calibration fluid that was bad, not the meter. I have since recalibrated ( with Issiac ) and have not had a problem, but I will admit that I went to the DEEP SIX Hydrometer float style and now use the Refractometer as a back up. Even after I claibrated it ...it will still fluctuate +/- 3 degrees....depends on the moon phase i think....It will test at 1.026....then a few minutes later 1.025.....a few minutes later 1.024 and hold there. I have left it out of the box to maintain room Temp and it seems to work a little better, but the DEEP SIX reads constant ...and I know its -1 below what Issacs same meter reads. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 I check my SG every 2 to 3 days. I also keep a 1/2 gallon jug (tightly sealed) mixed up with VERY high, in fact, over saturated salt water. If my SG drops...I add a bit of this water and it equalizes. The key here is frequent monitoring. If you check it because your livestock is suffering...it is beyond the point (usually) of salvaging. To date, I have about $500 worth of stuff...a few seconds to check - $0.00, calibration every 6 months - $0.00, knowing things are stable...priceless! (Gosh I hope it is ok that I used that catch phrase!) I hope everything bounces back in your tank! Good luck. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 MAYBE someone can Help! OK so it has been what 3-4 weeks since We got the salinity under control! Most Everything is slowly coming back but the one thing I have not seen any positives out of is my Neon Green Star polyps. And now I am seeing some of the purple corline algea growing on the edges. CAN IT STILL COME OUT OF IT????? Here is a Pic that I took today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Looks like a goner to me(sad) Good thing that stuff can be had for fairly inexpensive. I would try scrubbing it with a toothbrush and removing its waste. Glad to hear that everything else is doing well. Garrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondof5 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 any other opinions??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.