Wow if correct that would explain the high parameters. I would try to find someway to verify your salinity before lowering it. Sometimes it's hard to determine which test to trust, and reacting to one that could possibly be wrong can do more damage than good.SO...I just pulled out my old refractometer....it's reading 1.035! with that being said...I'm going to get that right, and then try that test again. I'm thinking it may still be high mag., but I'm shocked that it's that high! so now I have to figure out why it's not reading right... and I dont have scales.
Didn't you say your husband uses refractometers at work, is it possible for him to take a sample to work to test. If not you could try having a trusted lfs test your salinity.