Testing numbers

[ChiTown81]

I’m having issues in getting my tank numbers under control. I have a 40 gallon tank with the below numbers.
Salinity:1.016
Alk: 7.3
Calcium: 541
I lost a bunch of corals last week due to extremely low alkalinity numbers. I’m getting frustrated in researching online articles looking for the right numbers. I took out 20

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can we see a tank pic? How old is the tank? How long you had the corals? What salt brand do you use? Why the salinity is so low, is it a typo?

 

[crazyfishmom]

+1… if salinity is that low then most of your essentials other than calcium are also likely very low. If 1.026, how are you measuring it? Could your refractometer or other mode of measurement be off? That sort of calcium level would likely be tied to high salinity rather than low unless you’ve been dosing a ton of calcium/alkalinity.

 

[threebuoys]

Same question about the salinity. Also, the calcium looks high to me, but I don't know if that's enough to cause problems.

 

[ChiTown81]

I’ve had the tank over 2 years. Most of my original coral died 2 weeks ago. Since then I’ve added a Branching Hammer and Daisy Polyp. I don’t know the brand of the salt I buy it at my local fish store. I checked the premade salt I bought it’s 1.023.

 

[ChiTown81]

Same question about the salinity. Also, the calcium looks high to me, but I don't know if that's enough to cause problems.

Yes, the calcium is over 500. Pretty much the alkalinity is low 7.3 and the calcium high 541 with the salinity of 1.016.

 

[threebuoys]

I’ve had the tank over 2 years. Most of my original coral died 2 weeks ago. Since then I’ve added a Branching Hammer and Daisy Polyp. I don’t know the brand of the salt I buy it at my local fish store. I checked the premade salt I bought it’s 1.023.

Did you measure the alkalinity yourself or are you trusting the LFS numbers?

 

[Mr. Acantho]

Salinity & alkalinity is too low.

Generally salinity should be 1.023 - 1.026. Aka 32 ppt - 35 ppt to my ppt homies out there

Alkalinity should be 8 - 12 DKH

Do you have fish? Because raising salinity all the way from 1.016/26 ppt could stress or possibly kill them.

If yes, I recommend water changes to increase aquarium by 2ppt a day aka today get you tank to 28 ppt asap, tomorrow morning to 30 ppt, and then Wednesday to 32 ppt. Alkalinity should increase with the higher salinity. If not, please dose Brightwell Reef Code B.

No fish? Change to 32ppt asap.

Act fast,
Mr. Acantho

 

[ChiTown81]

Salinity & alkalinity is too low.

Generally salinity should be 1.023 - 1.026. Aka 32 ppt - 35 ppt to my ppt homies out there

Alkalinity should be 8 - 12 DKH

Do you have fish? Because raising salinity all the way from 1.016/26 ppt could stress or possibly kill them.

If yes, I recommend water changes to increase aquarium by 2ppt a day aka today get you tank to 28 ppt asap, tomorrow morning to 30 ppt, and then Wednesday to 32 ppt. Alkalinity should increase with the higher salinity. If not, please dose Brightwell Reef Code B.

No fish? Change to 32ppt asap.

Act fast,
Mr. Acantho

Yes I have fish, should I take out 10% and add the saltwater that’s testing at 1.023.

 

[Mr. Acantho]

What's more important is correcting the salinity. So if you do the algebra the less water you change, the more salt needs to be added in you water change to get the total tank up by 2ppt. So you can do a 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, doesn't matter as long as you do the math correctly to get your salinity up.

But 5% - 10% makes sense.

 

[ChiTown81]

Thanks Mr. Acantho

 

[threebuoys]

This link has a calculator that can help you reach your target salinity. You will need an accurate refractometer or other device to measure the before/during /after salinity.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-disease-calculators.997311/

 

[ChiTown81]

This link has a calculator that can help you reach your target salinity. You will need an accurate refractometer or other device to measure the before/during /after salinity.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-disease-calculators.997311/

I tested my tank again I took out 20% Sunday and the salinity was 1.016 now it’s 1.017 my alkalinity went up to 7.8 from 7.3 and my calcium went down from 541 to 507. I don’t know how much water I need to take out to get my salinity up.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Unfortunately it’ll take a few water changes to get there but this si a good step in the right direction.

I would personally target 30% water changes with 1.030 water until you reach 1.023-1.024 and then you can continue to do 20% water changes with 1.025-1.026 water until you reach stable salinity at whatever target you have. This way you won’t raise the salinity too quickly. This will take 2 more water changes.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Approximately.

 

[ChiTown81]

Approximately.

Thanks, I should start making my own salt water.

 

[threebuoys]

Keep in mind, if the source water salinity is 1.023, you will need to change 100% of the water to raise the salinity to 1.023. So, yes, you will be better off making your own saltwater, or at least enough at a higher salt concentration to get to the level you target. The calculator I referenced will tell you exactly the amount of water to change based on tank capacity, current salinity, target salinity, and source water salinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, changing water is not a good way to adjust salinity, unless you are already doing water changes for other reasons. it ends up being very expensive.

It is better to keep replacing evaporated water with salt water.

I'd buy a bag of salt, not premade salt water. Even if you want to use the premade, you can add extra salt to it. Changing water with sg = 1.023 seems poor to me.

 

[ChiTown81]

IMO, changing water is not a good way to adjust salinity, unless you are already doing water changes for other reasons. it ends up being very expensive.

It is better to keep replacing evaporated water with salt water.

I'd buy a bag of salt, not premade salt water. Even if you want to use the premade, you can add extra salt to it. Changing water with sg = 1.023 seems poor to me.

I’ve already taken out 20% a few days ago. It went up from 1.016 ton1.017. The tank has water in the front but the water in the back where the filter are is low .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ve already taken out 20% a few days ago. It went up from 1.016 ton1.017. The tank has water in the front but the water in the back where the filter are is low .

Yes, that's the problem with approaching the issue by water change.

80% sg = 1.016 + 20% sg = 1.023 = 1.0174

If you top off that same 20% with sg = 1.023 (which I know takes longer) you get to 1.0206