Salinity higher than wanted

[aus1230]

So I recently switched to making my own water to get it at a desired salinity of 1.025. Unfortunately, I was topping my system off too much with saltwater and ended up with a salinity of 1.028. Everything I’ve read says that it should be safe for the fish but not desirable. I do realize in this hobby if a mistake happens don’t overreact too much and you’ll have an even worse problem.
Would letting my ATO just slowly refilling with RODI be the safest option to level it back to 1.025?

 

[rtparty]

Use a pitcher and pull out some saltwater. Let the ATO refill and then test salinity. Do this a few times over a couple days to get salinity back to where you want.

Only top off with saltwater if you are trying to raise salinity

 

[aus1230]

I'm assuming do it by half gallon as to keep it relatively small changes?

 

[rtparty]

I'm assuming do it by half gallon as to keep it relatively small changes?

That should work. Going down in salinity is much easier on everything than going up

 

[Asm481]

How large is your system. Bigger tanks you take bigger steps. As already said, only top off with saltwater if you wish to increase salinity. All other topping off is with rodi water. Only water evaporates leaving the salt behind.

 

[aus1230]

How large is your system. Bigger tanks you take bigger steps. As already said, only top off with saltwater if you wish to increase salinity. All other topping off is with rodi water. Only water evaporates leaving the salt behind.

it's a 40 gallon

 

[aus1230]

That should work. Going down in salinity is much easier on everything than going up

Hey so I went ahead and took the water out but my salinity went up. Should I be turning my ATO off and just taking water out and immediately filling it to equal parts of RODI myself?

 

[rtparty]

Hey so I went ahead and took the water out but my salinity went up. Should I be turning my ATO off and just taking water out and immediately filling it to equal parts of RODI myself?

If you took saltwater out and the ATO added back RO water, salinity can’t go up.

Turning off the ATO, taking out water, and adding back RO works as well

 

[nd6irish4]

Hey so I went ahead and took the water out but my salinity went up. Should I be turning my ATO off and just taking water out and immediately filling it to equal parts of RODI myself?

Do you have saltwater in your ATO reservoir?

 

[aus1230]

Hey so I went ahead and took the water out but my salinity went up. Should I be turning my ATO off and just taking water out and immediately filling it to equal parts of RODI myself?

Do you have saltwater in your ATO reservoir?

I do not.

 

[aus1230]

Hey so I went ahead and took the water out but my salinity went up. Should I be turning my ATO off and just taking water out and immediately filling it to equal parts of RODI myself?

Do you have saltwater in your ATO reservoir?

I do not

 

[EricR]

If ATO topped off with freshwater then salinity couldn't have gone up (from that).

How are you measuring salinity?
With what instrument?
*maybe you're just getting whacky/inconsistent salinity readings

 

[aus1230]

If ATO topped off with freshwater then salinity couldn't have gone up (from that).

How are you measuring salinity?
With what instrument?
*maybe you're just getting whacky/inconsistent salinity readings

I am using a Hannah checker, a refractometer, and a Milwaukee refractometer. I also am not 100% that my ATO matched what I took out due to me doing a small increments

 

[aus1230]

If you took saltwater out and the ATO added back RO water, salinity can’t go up.

Turning off the ATO, taking out water, and adding back RO works as well

I went ahead and turned off my ATO and took out water and matched it with equal parts RODI and just got a reading of 1.027

 

[EricR]

Not sure if I'm following all of this but maybe you're just not changing out enough (saltwater with RODI) to make as much of a difference as you're hoping for.

I'd go slowly but you can use this calculator to get a rough idea of how much water to change out total to get to where you want your salinity:
*just remember that RODI (fresh) is 1.000 SG

Water Change Calculator

 

[aus1230]

I went ahead and turned off my ATO and took out water and matched it with equal parts RODI and just got a reading of 1.027

I believe that you are correct. Just trying not to make too much of a change since I've always read people saying that can do more harm than good sometimes. Thanks for the link I'll look at this!