Increasing salinity via ATO and elevated majors

[Necrodaemus]

I'm in a dilemma after recent ICP results. My salinity is lower than I thought (thanks to inaccurate refractometers). ICP shows it being 32.37 PSU, which I confirmed yesterday with a Tropic Marin hydrometer showing the same.
I'm debating whether I should setup a temporary ATO with 35ppt sw mix to let evaporation do the work or just let it gradually increase with weekly 15% WC's. However, my biggest concern is my elevated potassium. I was using a Salifert potassium test that apparently had bad reagents and was giving me false lows, so I was dosing to maintain 400-420ppm. Fresh Salifert test and ICP both show that it's higher than previous test was showing.
Corals don't seem bothered at all by either of these, low salinity or elevated potassium.
If I were to address the salinity via ATO, while doing weekly 15% WC's, I'm afraid the potassium will continue to climb. I use Red Sea blue bucket which, per the ICP analysis of this batch, it mixes to around 410ppm potassium.
Should I just forget the ATO idea and just let the weekly wc slooooowly get things back in line, or not worry about continued elevation and proceed with the sw ATO to get salinity up sooner?

 

[rishma]

I like topping off with SW to raise salinity.

 

[Necrodaemus]

I like topping off with SW to raise salinity.

That seems to be the easiest way but I'm just concerned about the already high potassium level.

 

[dschuffert]

It would help to know how many gallons or liters your tank is. There are calculators online that will tell you what salinity mix you need to add to go from your 32.37 to 35. 32.37 isn't a bad number in my opinion, but I would try to get it back to 35. 35 is what I keep my tanks at. Also, how are your fish and corals doing? If they look good, I would gradually raise the salinity.

I stopped chasing numbers a long time ago; it drove me up the wall. I try to keep salinity at 35 and alkalinity at 8. With my water changes, I pretty much stay in balance (I test with Fauna Marin service). I also use Fauna Marin salt.

 

[Necrodaemus]

It would help to know how many gallons or liters your tank is. There are calculators online that will tell you what salinity mix you need to add to go from your 32.37 to 35. 32.37 isn't a bad number in my opinion, but I would try to get it back to 35. 35 is what I keep my tanks at. Also, how are your fish and corals doing? If they look good, I would gradually raise the salinity.

I stopped chasing numbers a long time ago; it drove me up the wall. I try to keep salinity at 35 and alkalinity at 8. With my water changes, I pretty much stay in balance (I test with Fauna Marin service). I also use Fauna Marin salt.

100g total. Everything looks great. Here's a tank photo I took yesterday. I piped in the numbers to the Hamza Reef calculator and it showed a 15% WC (15g) weekly, would get the salinity back to 1.026 in about 12 weeks.

 

[dschuffert]

100g total. Everything looks great. Here's a tank photo I took yesterday.

That is a good-looking tank! As far as I can tell from the picture, everything looks to be doing well.

 

[rishma]

100g total. Everything looks great. Here's a tank photo I took yesterday. I piped in the numbers to the Hamza Reef calculator and it showed a 15% WC (15g) weekly, would get the salinity back to 1.026 in about 12 weeks.

That approach will also bring down K to the 420-430 range depending on the new water. 2 birds.

I don’t know what level K becomes an issue but if you went to top off route it would get about 615 ppm. I think the top off route would take about 7-8 gallons

 

[Necrodaemus]

That approach will also bring down K to the 420-430 range depending on the new water. 2 birds.

I don’t know what level K becomes an issue but if you went to top off route it would get about 615 ppm. I think the top off route would take about 7-8 gallons

Exactly my thoughts. I think I'm decided that I'll just do the weekly WC's and let it gradually come back up since nothing seems affected by the current salinity or elevated potassium. I definitely don't want to push potassium any further and kicking myself for putting trust in that test with faulty reagents.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That approach will also bring down K to the 420-430 range depending on the new water. 2 birds.

I don’t know what level K becomes an issue but if you went to top off route it would get about 615 ppm. I think the top off route would take about 7-8 gallons

How does that compute?

If K is 410 and you raise salinity from 32.4 to 35 ppt, K will become about 35/32.4 *410 ppm = 442 ppm.

 

[Necrodaemus]

How does that compute?

If K is 410 and you raise salinity from 32.4 to 35 ppt, K will become about 35/32.4 *410 ppm = 442 ppm.

My K is currently around 580ppm as mentioned in original post, in the ICP screenshot attachment

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry, I read the 400-420 ppm and thought that was also the current value.

I’d just do water changes.

 

[rishma]

Sorry, I read the 400-420 ppm and thought that was also the current value.

I’d just do water changes.

rishma 1
RHF 4,326.

But I’m on the board!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

rishma 1
RHF 4,326.

But I’m on the board!

lol.

 

[Necrodaemus]

Sorry, I read the 400-420 ppm and thought that was also the current value.

I’d just do water changes.

All good. I should have mentioned it in my typed out post and not just the screenshot.

 

[rishma]

All good. I should have mentioned it in my typed out post and not just the screenshot.

Don’t cut him any slack. Simply unacceptable