High salinity issues?

roadrashpaul · Nov 13, 2015

Last couple of days I have noticed my tank just seemed off. Didn't freak out but couldn't really put my finger on it either. Alk, Cal, N and P all checked in range. I have a refract but rarely use it as my hydro and it are "usually" right there together. Well I guess my hydro is off because it shows 1.025. Checked with the refract and 1.030. Calibrated and checked again and sure enough salinity is up that high. Not sure how it got this high but hope this is the issue. My skimmer has been going crazy with foam the last couple of days as well. Will high salinity cause that? None of my SPS seem to be affected. Some of my zoas aren't open all the way and one of my acans is unhappy. No real issues yet.

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

Are you dosing 2 part? Have you added magnesium recently

roadrashpaul · Nov 14, 2015

Yes and no. My mag stays high on its own.

FL_Reefer · Nov 14, 2015

I would slowly change out with fresh water to lower it or make sure your new batch on saltwster is on point and do some water changes. I went through the same thing a couple of years ago and that's when I bought a refract and never used a swing arm again. Those things are junk unless there brand new and I still don't trust them

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

Not a good thing to change salinity with fresh water. In the long run it will cause problems with the ionic balance. It is better to fix salinity issues with water changes.

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

roadrashpaul said:
Yes and no. My mag stays high on its own.

What you mean yes and no

Reefing Madness · Nov 14, 2015

Pull somw water out and just replace it with FW only. That simple, won't hurt a thing. You can always dose the tank, if it becomes deficient in something.

roadrashpaul · Nov 14, 2015

Yes I dose 2 part. No I didn't dose mag lately.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 14, 2015

I don't mean to interrupt your club forum, but any two part will raise salinity over time, and as mentioned, replacing some tank water with fresh is the way to reduce it.

I'd drop from 1.030 to 1.026 or so over maybe 5 days. You'll need to swap out about 13% of the water volume to do that. :)

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I don't mean to interrupt your club forum, but any two part will raise salinity over time, and as mentioned, replacing some tank water with fresh is the way to reduce it.

I'd drop from 1.030 to 1.026 or so over maybe 5 days. You'll need to swap out about 13% of the water volume to do that. :)

Randy I know you are the expert on this and I read a lot of your articles but from reading I thought that magnesium levels are affected when you try to change salinity number with fresh water instead of water changes with the correct salinity. What is your thought on that.

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

I experience this when I was using instant ocean salt. It was a constant battle with magnesium and salinity and if I adjusted my salinity with fresh water my magnesium would drop.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 14, 2015

iiluisii said:
Randy I know you are the expert on this and I read a lot of your articles but from reading I thought that magnesium levels are affected when you try to change salinity number with fresh water instead of water changes with the correct salinity. What is your thought on that.

Everything (except things like pH and ORP) will drop when you lower salinity. That's why the salinity declines. I'm not sure how you could otherwise do it, but if anything gets too low, you may need to boost it back.

I'd guess his magnesium is quite high at sg = 1.030, unless he has been using a two part that is deficient in magnesium. The salinity rise from a two part (at least a good one) will have magnesium in it that rises as well. My DIY accous for that, at least with sodium, chloride, magnesium, sulfate, and calcium. :)

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 14, 2015

iiluisii said:
I experience this when I was using instant ocean salt. It was a constant battle with magnesium and salinity and if I adjusted my salinity with fresh water my magnesium would drop.

Why was the salinity rising?

6272862829 · Nov 14, 2015

Adding magnesium to compensate for the low magnesium from instant Ocean

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 14, 2015

Is your salinity lower than 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264)?

IO should have plenty of magnesium when made to that salinity (their target is well above 1300 ppm).