Weird ? salinity level

nashorn · 07/15/2017, 03:43 PM

I can't reason this out?
I use a Milwaukee seawater refractometer. I have calibrated using distilled water and measure it again a float type hydrometer.
I have also test on other reefers water and dealers water.
So as far as I can tell it's accurate.

Here what's weird
I have not change the tank water since Oct. I topoff using only tap waterand prime.
I use a tunze plumb into a kalk reactor.
The is salinity is stable at 1.026 since oct (I did do one adjustment 1.025 in Jan)
I thought this might be the pattern of salinity adjustment.
Yes I measure the salinity in oct with meter and hydrometer.

I do run a skimmer and empty once a week.
I am dosing volka and 3 part.
Also running a Zeovit reactor just to grew the anaerobic bacteria defeat the coral. Not following the instructions.

How can the salinity not go down ?

outssider · 07/15/2017, 04:13 PM

dosing alk/cal/mag will increase your salinity....

bertoni · 07/15/2017, 09:30 PM

I agree. It's possible that the 3-part is maintaining salinity. In some systems, the three-part can raise the SG measurably in a month or so.

tmz · 07/16/2017, 12:51 PM

Tap water may add some too.

nashorn · 07/16/2017, 05:39 PM

Ok that makes sense
Guess I'll put the ca reactor addition on hold for now

I was thinking tap water too but when I test it has a SG of 1.00
I had thought the skimmer didn't remove any salt

Gladmaker · 07/16/2017, 06:24 PM

I'm not understanding why you would think the salinity would go down. Salt does not evaporate. Your top off replaces the evaporated water and keeps the salinity at the proper level without adding any more salt. i don't think the skimmer would remove enough salt to count.

bertoni · 07/16/2017, 09:02 PM

Skimmate sometimes seems to make a difference in SG for some tanks. I agree that the change should be very gradual, if noted at all.

nashorn · 07/17/2017, 05:34 PM

Since my salinity fluctuate quite a bit when I was doing water changes. I had assume it was the skimmer removing the salt.

Gladmaker · 07/17/2017, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashorn

Since my salinity fluctuate quite a bit when I was doing water changes. I had assume it was the skimmer removing the salt.

Did you check the salinity of the water you added before you added it to the tank? It needs to be close to what the tank water is before adding it. Some things don't like a quick change in salinity. I haven't found the skimmer to make a noticeable difference in salinity.

bertoni · 07/17/2017, 07:08 PM

I agree that the salinity shouldn't be fluctuating much due to water changes. How much of a change do you see?

07/15/2017, 03:43 PM	#1
nashorn Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,693	Weird ? salinity level I can't reason this out? I use a Milwaukee seawater refractometer. I have calibrated using distilled water and measure it again a float type hydrometer. I have also test on other reefers water and dealers water. So as far as I can tell it's accurate. Here what's weird I have not change the tank water since Oct. I topoff using only tap waterand prime. I use a tunze plumb into a kalk reactor. The is salinity is stable at 1.026 since oct (I did do one adjustment 1.025 in Jan) I thought this might be the pattern of salinity adjustment. Yes I measure the salinity in oct with meter and hydrometer. I do run a skimmer and empty once a week. I am dosing volka and 3 part. Also running a Zeovit reactor just to grew the anaerobic bacteria defeat the coral. Not following the instructions. How can the salinity not go down ?

07/15/2017, 09:30 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree. It's possible that the 3-part is maintaining salinity. In some systems, the three-part can raise the SG measurably in a month or so. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/16/2017, 12:51 PM	#4
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Tap water may add some too. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

07/16/2017, 09:02 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Skimmate sometimes seems to make a difference in SG for some tanks. I agree that the change should be very gradual, if noted at all. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/17/2017, 07:08 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that the salinity shouldn't be fluctuating much due to water changes. How much of a change do you see? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/15/2017, 04:13 PM	#2
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	dosing alk/cal/mag will increase your salinity....

07/16/2017, 05:39 PM	#5
nashorn Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,693	Ok that makes sense Guess I'll put the ca reactor addition on hold for now I was thinking tap water too but when I test it has a SG of 1.00 I had thought the skimmer didn't remove any salt

07/16/2017, 06:24 PM	#6
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	I'm not understanding why you would think the salinity would go down. Salt does not evaporate. Your top off replaces the evaporated water and keeps the salinity at the proper level without adding any more salt. i don't think the skimmer would remove enough salt to count.

07/17/2017, 05:34 PM	#8
nashorn Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,693	Since my salinity fluctuate quite a bit when I was doing water changes. I had assume it was the skimmer removing the salt.