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checked my salinity was at 1.024. now it’s at 1.020 how do i raise it? beginning of cycle day 1. tested 24 hours after tank was running
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refractometer the one with the sight glass. it’s silverRaise it gradually adding water At 1.026and retesting each 12-24 hrs
What instrument are you using to test salinity ?
Just assure its calibratedrefractometer the one with the sight glass. it’s silver
what I’m wondering, idk what to do. leave it for a bit or like... yeah idkIf there is no livestock, why must he raise it gradually?
no to ato. I’m still in my cycle. it’s an AIO tank: sump is in the backAre you running a sump and an automatic top off?
Most likely just the salt giving a different reading hours after the initial mix. Mine usually tests right on, then 12 hours later I may have to adjust the salt bin up just a touch.
If you are already running a sump and an ato, make sure you've taped a fill-to line on your sump and that the level in your sump and DT remain stable. Lots of potential quirks in new tank plumbing that can lead to the ATO overfilling and dropping your salinity. No real concern to you atm, but best to get it sorted now, if that's the case.
yeah my ammonia was 0 last night so I put a shrimp inI'd leave it alone. Don't do any water changes and I wouldn't even bother testing for 3 or 4 days if you started with 3-5 ppm ammonia. Add more ammonia if it drops to zero, then nitrites should begin to be present. Once you get a nitrate reading, you're cycled. At that point you can raise the salinity by replacing evaporated water with saltwater instead of RODI water if you want, that will give you a gradual increase though not really necessary with no livestock, but it's an easy way and you have to add water anyway.
yeah no livestock. day 2 of cycle nowAssuming no livestock, I would double check salinity and if still low, add salt directly to the tank until it's where I want it.
yeah I know that... my guess is calibration error. I gotta get some fluid and recalibrate it.My first thought with a new reefer and a new tank with salinity "problems" is testing error. Just one of many bumps on the learning curve. There's other possibilities like over-filling with topoff water and such, but this seems most likely.
-make sure your refractometer is calibrated with 35ppt calibration fluid. Some of them need to be checked as much as weekly for accuracy. Some will argue that calibration is done with RODI, but scientific instruments should always be calibrated as close to the expected test results as possible.
-make sure you are cleaning your dropper and lens with RODI water after use and before a test, and to flush both with tank water before taking a sample. It doesn't take much dried salt water to mess up the salt concentration in 3 drops of water.