Salinity... too high

[stubbsz]

After going over to Dolphin to chat to Tyler and have my water tested, the only odd thing we found was that my salinity was way high. I think 1.030 on the refractometer. My swing arm was reading 1.026 and still reads that after multiple cleanings and soakings.

My question is what kind of damage if any do you expect with high salinity. I can't find much on searching that would tell me that was cause for alarm. As far as I know i would have been running at this high a level for quite some time....and my tank has sucked for quite some time.

BTW. Tyler is a great guy and it was fun to chat to him... even more fun to watch him put some guy off buying about 20 fish Too aggressive...gets too big for your tank... you need tons of live rock and a bunch of pods to keep that alive etc. I hope he found something in the end !

-Adrian

[sandy]

Adrian,

If you can swing it, get a refractometer. You know now that if your swing arm is 1.026 to adjust it accordingly.

You need to bring your salinity down slowly. Not sure what gallonage you are running with your set up. Example, depending on your gallonage, If you take 2 gals out of your saltwater, put two gals in of ro/di water, 2 times a day, checking after each change over. Doesn't sound like that much of a adjustment. I usually run my salinity at 1.024/1.025.

[stubbsz]

I have a refractometer on the way... I want two opinions available at home before I react.

What I really want to know is if 1.030 could have the kind of bad effects I see in my tank and whether I should be excited at the prospect of discovering this.

[Marko9]

I know many people keep their tanks at 1.026, including myself.

[ianiwane]

Make sure you calibrate the refractometer.

[raddogz]

As far as SPS - high salinity can cause tissue recession i.e. rtn or stn.

[Lordhelmet]

1.030 isn't the end of the world. most corals can stand it for a little while. just bring it down slowly.

[kaihonu82]

that's what you get for going to hawaii for 8 days!



jus kiddin adrian!

[stubbsz]

Originally posted by raddogz
As far as SPS - high salinity can cause tissue recession i.e. rtn or stn.

How about slowly bleaching away of SPS - that's the issue I have... I've not had stn or rtn recently.

Originally posted by Marko9
I know many people keep their tanks at 1.026, including myself.

Yeah, how about 1.030 for a long period though! That was the problem here... unless the refractometer was off (I'll know soon)

Originally posted by kaihonu82
that's what you get for going to hawaii for 8 days!



jus kiddin adrian!

Probably been at 1.030 for way longer than the 9 glorious days I was in hawaii.

[MorandiWine]

I still think that it is the prolonged exposure to hyper-saline that caused the bleaching. Your chems were perfect, the lights are sized properly and they are kept fresh, low fish load.

I am curious though about the other thing we discussed. Does anyone think that an over abundance of Xenia would cause reef building corals to overly stress? It has been said that leather corals will give off enzymes that inhibit the growth of reef builders. Just curious if Xenia can do the same? Any thoughs anyone?

tyler

PS. thanks for the kind words Adrian!

[tuberider]

I currently service a tank with an annoying amount of Xenia, and a bunch of Montis. It's has an old skimmer so I use a lot of carbon to help out so that may be a factor, but both seem to coexist OK.

I agree with Tyler, hypersalinity can wreak havoc. Do you have any Zoas, they usually close up with higher salinities IME.

[mcurl98]

IME, high (>1.027) or low (<1.023) will definitiely throw off the colors of corals and I would guess, if prolonged, would make them bleach and or stn.

[stubbsz]

Originally posted by tuberider
I currently service a tank with an annoying amount of Xenia, and a bunch of Montis. It's has an old skimmer so I use a lot of carbon to help out so that may be a factor, but both seem to coexist OK.

I agree with Tyler, hypersalinity can wreak havoc. Do you have any Zoas, they usually close up with higher salinities IME.

I have Zoas. Most are happy, one colony is a little closed and my large green Palys have a miserable color these days, but open. (frankly, I'd be happy to see them out the tank )

You know I lowered salinity a tiny bit... gallon or two of water siphoned out drip-replaced with fresh. I swear, I've got some improvement in polyp extension on my pocillapora looks really fluffy. The one somewhat closed Zoa colony has reopened. My sorry looking Bali Green^H^H^H^H^HBrown slimer has polyps again... small but polyps they are. Too late for the Leng Sy, Idaho grape to name a few.

I feel the glimmering of hope.

[MorandiWine]

AWESOME!!!!!!

[stubbsz]

Originally posted by MorandiWine
AWESOME!!!!!!

I'll be round to stock up soon.

Interesting, I have a refractometer in the house now. The amount I took out dropped it to still slightly over 1.029 and that has definitely made an impact, the polylps are fuller again today. I'll take another small bucket (with a bunch of flatworms that have reappeared)

Man I feel reborn.

-Adrian

[tuberider]

That is sooooo cool Adrian, congrats.

And to anyone using a swingarm, this is a case in point as to why you need a refractometer.

[Mr. Ugly]

Hyper salinity will make zoas close up.

Steve Tyree said that hypersalinity will give poor colors on your SPS.

He recommended keeping slightly under 1.025 so that evaporation won't cause as much color loss.

[Lordhelmet]

I'm not sure that an abundance of xenia would cause any kind of color loss. My tank never has been as color full as when i was pulling out 10 to 15 stalks of xenia a month with 4 times that amount still in the tank. I would bet salinity was the culprit.

Chris