Salinity dropping

[AirIck]

On Jan 31 my Hanna checker was calibrated, my salinity measured at 1.025. On feb 3 my salinity measured 1.023, same as Feb 6. Today on feb 11 my salinity measured 1.021.

is this drop normal or is there an underlying issue that I am not discovering? I have not run a protein skimmer and my tank is 32.5 gallon that does not require any top offs between water changes.

is there something wrong with my tank and/or possibly Hanna checker? I wouldn’t think my checker would need re calibrated in only 2 weeks....

 

[RobertTheNurse]

That is strange. Describe your water mixing and changing process/habits

 

[ReefdudeAdam]

Have you another way to test your salinity? Refractometer??
this will at least narrow down if it’s the tester or tank

 

[ReefdudeAdam]

On Jan 31 my Hanna checker was calibrated, my salinity measured at 1.025. On feb 3 my salinity measured 1.023, same as Feb 6. Today on feb 11 my salinity measured 1.021.

is this drop normal or is there an underlying issue that I am not discovering? I have not run a protein skimmer and my tank is 32.5 gallon that does not require any top offs between water changes.

is there something wrong with my tank and/or possibly Hanna checker? I wouldn’t think my checker would need re calibrated in only 2 weeks....

Assuming you’re doing weekly water change - your measurements are 6 days apart - are you testing the water you’re adding on your change..?

 

[AirIck]

I actually do water changes every 2 weeks, but it is a new tank so I’m still testing everything 2 times a week to be on the safe side.

yes, I test the water in my tank before a water change, and I test the water in my 5 gal bucket.

water change process: mix instant ocean reef crystals in a 5 gal bucket of water (using tap). Dose the bucket with seachem prime, does the bucket with seachem buffer. Mix it with a large wooden spoon but then leave it in the bucket running a power head and heater for at least 1 hour minimum before adding the water back in the tank.

I read that it is probably a tank leak, but I am not seeing any water leaking anywhere. I would think I would see some sort of liquid if there was a leak?

The only other way for me to test the salinity is to go to my LFS, they use the Hanna checker as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I expect it is test error.

Tank salinity will only drop if you raised the level by adding fresh water, and you'd need to raise it a lot to get a drop that large.

 

[Rubberfrog]

Do you see a big crusty pile of salt outside the tank somewhere?

 

[ReefdudeAdam]

I actually do water changes every 2 weeks, but it is a new tank so I’m still testing everything 2 times a week to be on the safe side.

yes, I test the water in my tank before a water change, and I test the water in my 5 gal bucket.

water change process: mix instant ocean reef crystals in a 5 gal bucket of water (using tap). Dose the bucket with seachem prime, does the bucket with seachem buffer. Mix it with a large wooden spoon but then leave it in the bucket running a power head and heater for at least 1 hour minimum before adding the water back in the tank.

I read that it is probably a tank leak, but I am not seeing any water leaking anywhere. I would think I would see some sort of liquid if there was a leak?

The only other way for me to test the salinity is to go to my LFS, they use the Hanna checker as well.

You mention no top ups between WC. Which would rule out a leak.
mid go with a bad test or your checker is no good. A refractometer might be worth a purchase. Dead easy, cheap & give you something as a comparison.

 

[AirIck]

Do you see a big crusty pile of salt outside the tank somewhere?

I do see a little bit of salt but not outside of the tank. I see it up near the back chamber/overflow area on the inside of the tank at the top. It likes to creep salt just below the tank lid

 

[RobertTheNurse]

And you say you test the water BEFORE you add the mixed water to the tank?

 

[AirIck]

And you say you test the water BEFORE you add the mixed water to the tank?

Yes. I test both display tank and the new water to make sure it matches

 

[Nathan Milender]

On Jan 31 my Hanna checker was calibrated, my salinity measured at 1.025. On feb 3 my salinity measured 1.023, same as Feb 6. Today on feb 11 my salinity measured 1.021.

is this drop normal or is there an underlying issue that I am not discovering? I have not run a protein skimmer and my tank is 32.5 gallon that does not require any top offs between water changes.

is there something wrong with my tank and/or possibly Hanna checker? I wouldn’t think my checker would need re calibrated in only 2 weeks....

Test error or you are removing enough water through various means and your ato is replacing with RO. For instance, if you take a cup of water out for something and it does not go back in. Or if you remove a large glob of algae with water in it or an object which contains water. 32 gallons is not huge so small takeaways add up faster. If you do not have an ato this is less likely happening (but consider getting one). Also, check for a small leak in the back and bottom of the tank and stand. Look under the sump if you have one. If you fill it with the skimmer off and then turn it on the ato will replace what the skimmer takes up and drop the salinity.

Also make sure to clean your refractometer and then dry it off. You could be getting false highs d/t dried crystals in a small amount of dilutent giving you false reads. You go to your aquarium and do a better rinse or do it later when it is clean and your get a lower read. Look at differences in how you test when you test your aquarium and when you test salt water mixes.

Generally salinity only drops if you take the salt out. Usually in a small tank it will go up quickly with evaporation.