High salinity! How slow to lower it?

[Floyd-]

Not sure how it happened but my Hanna checker for salinity and temp read my salinity at 1.026 (recently calibrated with hanna solution) but on a whim I double checked with a swing arm hydrometer and it was at a little over 1.030. Then I triple checked with a refractometer and it also stated 1.030 (after a RODI calibrate for good measure)
I started pulling out 2 gallons of salt water at a time to replace with RODI at a rate of 4 gallons a day total and it seemed to drop to about 1.028 at two days at it now. Is this a good rate of change or can I speed it up a bit to get back to 1.025-1.026 levels?
Tank is 175 gallons total volume FYI.
PS. Always double check!

 

[Garf]

Not sure how it happened but my Hanna checker for salinity and temp read my salinity at 1.026 (recently calibrated with hanna solution) but on a whim I double checked with a swing arm hydrometer and it was at a little over 1.030. Then I triple checked with a refractometer and it also stated 1.030 (after a RODI calibrate for good measure)
I started pulling out 2 gallons of salt water at a time to replace with RODI at a rate of 4 gallons a day total and it seemed to drop to about 1.028 at two days at it now. Is this a good rate of change or can I speed it up a bit to get back to 1.025-1.026 levels?
Tank is 175 gallons total volume FYI.
PS. Always double check!

You should not be using a refractometer calibrated with RODI. Stop and reassess.

 

[LiamPM]

Not sure how it happened but my Hanna checker for salinity and temp read my salinity at 1.026 (recently calibrated with hanna solution) but on a whim I double checked with a swing arm hydrometer and it was at a little over 1.030. Then I triple checked with a refractometer and it also stated 1.030 (after a RODI calibrate for good measure)
I started pulling out 2 gallons of salt water at a time to replace with RODI at a rate of 4 gallons a day total and it seemed to drop to about 1.028 at two days at it now. Is this a good rate of change or can I speed it up a bit to get back to 1.025-1.026 levels?
Tank is 175 gallons total volume FYI.
PS. Always double check!

Why arent you trusting the calibrated Hanna checker as the correct value? Just curious - Im not a fan of them myself.

If you arent seeing any issues that you relate to being the salinity then i would carry on as you are to reduce it but in all honesty that figure isnt that important, the stability of it is.

Pick one device and trust that one device only. Rarely will multiple devices ever match up together, especially when the ones you are using measure in different methods. If you arent seeing issues at whatever the level the Hanna is telling you its at now then use that as your ball park number and device to test going forwards.

 

[Floyd-]

You should not be using a refractometer calibrated with RODI. Stop and reassess.

This is what the directions for the device stated...

Why arent you trusting the calibrated Hanna checker as the correct value? Just curious - Im not a fan of them myself.

If you arent seeing any issues that you relate to being the salinity then i would carry on as you are to reduce it but in all honesty that figure isnt that important, the stability of it is.

Pick one device and trust that one device only. Rarely will multiple devices ever match up together, especially when the ones you are using measure in different methods. If you arent seeing issues at whatever the level the Hanna is telling you its at now then use that as your ball park number and device to test going forwards.

I have some corals that have not been coming out and fluffing up like normal so I was looking for anything off. I thought 1.030 was way high. When 2 out of 3 devices say im high id tend to rule the one out and go with the majority.

 

[WVNed]

You can change the salinity in your tank at the same speed you do it when you acclimate new animals to your tank.
4 hours is plenty.
raising salinity
I have a large system and just pitch salt into the incoming stream to the sump a little at a time. A little for me is 4 cups of salt at a time though.
Lowering it I take buckets full of water out and let the ATO make it up.

 

[Garf]

This is what the directions for the device stated...

I have some corals that have not been coming out and fluffing up like normal so I was looking for anything off. I thought 1.030 was way high. When 2 out of 3 devices say im high id tend to rule the one out and go with the majority.

Calibration of my refractometer with RODI makes it read 0.004 too high. Ie 1.026 would read 1.030. You should calibrate with a known 35ppt solution made for refractometers or make a DIY solution, just sayin;

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/#18

 

[Floyd-]

Calibration of my refractometer with RODI makes it read 0.004 too high. Ie 1.026 would read 1.030. You should calibrate with a known 35ppt solution made for refractometers or make a DIY solution, just sayin;

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/#18

I will try that tonight for giggles and see what it comes back with.
Just thought it was funny that two devices read the same exactly and the Hanna was high.

 

[Garf]

I will try that tonight for giggles and see what it comes back with.
Just thought it was funny that two devices read the same exactly and the Hanna was high.

You may be surprised, lol

 

[Floyd-]

You may be surprised, lol

Ill report back with what I see. I need to figure this out.

 

[moorjames]

Calibration of my refractometer with RODI makes it read 0.004 too high. Ie 1.026 would read 1.030. You should calibrate with a known 35ppt solution made for refractometers or make a DIY solution, just sayin;

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/#18

Oh I actually thought you were supposed to do both- zero it out with RODI- then usd 35ppt to calibrate. Is this correct? or just skip the zero out part?

 

[Jon's Reef]

Here are the directions for creating a salinity standard for various methods. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/

 

[Garf]

Oh I actually thought you were supposed to do both- zero it out with RODI- then usd 35ppt to calibrate. Is this correct? or just skip the zero out part?

If the RODI one actually lines up with zero when calibrated with 35ppt, as far as I know it is then ok to carry on calibrating with RODI only.

 

[Dave1993]

swing arms aree trash why would you trust it over hanna

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oh I actually thought you were supposed to do both- zero it out with RODI- then usd 35ppt to calibrate. Is this correct? or just skip the zero out part?

You cannot do both independently. If you trust the standard, it’s a better way to go.

 

[Floyd-]

swing arms aree trash why would you trust it over hanna

Because while in the tank testing Hanna was jumping the reading from 1.026 to 1.020 to 1.029. I think its on the way out.
I have a swing and refractometer as a backup. Both of those read the same so I figured the reading was correct and the Hanna was wrong.

 

[Reckless]

Not sure how old your Hanna salinity checker is but I've been told they go bad after a year or two. I recently purchased one and it works as expected, how long have you had yours?

 

[Floyd-]

Not sure how old your Hanna salinity checker is but I've been told they go bad after a year or two. I recently purchased one and it works as expected, how long have you had yours?

I got it when I bought my tank used. Ive had it for almost a year, not sure how long the previous person had it.

 

[Atrumblood]

I seriously recommend the Milwaukee Salinity digital refractometer. The most accurate I've used as long as your being mindful of the temperature and zero the device at least twice a week with RODI.

 

[Floyd-]

I seriously recommend the Milwaukee Salinity digital refractometer. The most accurate I've used as long as your being mindful of the temperature and zero the device at least twice a week with RODI.

Why zero it twice a week? Even if its not used?
I only test salinity maybe once a month and during water changes (maybe once a month or two)

 

[Atrumblood]

Why zero it twice a week? Even if its not used?
I only test salinity maybe once a month and during water changes (maybe once a month or two)

I do twice a week because I noticed it was off by 0.002 one day and I hadn't zeroed it in months thinking it was good. So my tank was actually running at 1.023 instead of 1.025 for a good while.

Im a bit paranoid about that sort of thing though, but if you don't use it every day then at least check that RODI reads 0.000 before testing your salt water. I think it's just best practice to error on the side of caution.