what damage can a salinity of 1.030 do?

murphreef · #1 05/29/2007, 01:15 AM

question is for a friend his salinity got way outta wack his salinity monitor told him it was at 1.0245 when i checked with my refracto it was 1.030 or 40ppt

what can this do??

the last couple months his SPS have done horrible and we are thinking this is the reason

please help out and confirm or dispose of this theory

thanks!

Bebo77 · #2 05/29/2007, 01:21 AM

well it looks like you know what it can do by looking at his sps... just do SMALLl water changes with RODI water no salt

murphreef · #3 05/29/2007, 01:22 AM

do u think thats the cause of his sps slowly dying ?? we just didnt know if a salinity of that level would cause that or not...

i know i run mine at 1.025 or 35ppt so i figure 40ppt is high

Bebo77 · #4 05/29/2007, 01:25 AM

my salinty once dropped to 1.015 and my sps looked like trash.. test all water parameters and all were fine...

murphreef · #5 05/29/2007, 01:27 AM

well his sps have been actin up for the last few months and we couldnt fig it out since alk and ca was stable and same with everything else

they were losing color and dying from tips down and some STN'ing

he uses a pinpoint salinity probe but it was 3 years old so i checked his salinity with my refracto and it came back at a lil over 1.030 so i was just wondering if that high of a level could kill sps over time

Bebo77 · #6 05/29/2007, 01:32 AM

its not super high.. but if something else goes awry like alk ca or mg it can stress out the coral even more...

murphreef · #7 05/29/2007, 01:36 AM

yeah his alk is at 11.2 right now and his CA is at 460 and MG of 1500

everythign went up higher with the salinity

Bebo77 · #8 05/29/2007, 01:41 AM

yup.. thats exactly what i was thinking...

murphreef · #9 05/29/2007, 01:43 AM

so all of those things along with the high salinity causes that huh??

i figured since salinity was high thats why everything else was higher too

i guess all the stress would do this....

some are fiaring ok but others seem more affected....

bertoni · #10 05/29/2007, 04:22 PM

I'd reduce the salinity slowly (over about a week) to 1.027. I have run tanks at 1.030 with no problems, but they only contained soft corals, so I can't comment on stony corals and high SG.

hyperfocal · #11 05/29/2007, 06:31 PM

I found this salinity adjustment calculator really useful when I had to raise my SG. Might help you out a bit...

murphreef · #12 05/29/2007, 07:28 PM

thanks for the site its showin he needs to add take out about 30gallons of saltwater and add 30 gallons of fresh water is this correct....

hes got a total water volume of 265G at 1.030 or 40ppt and wants it down around 1.026 or 35ppt

can anyone elaborate??

thanks

Scoobs9083 · #13 05/29/2007, 07:31 PM

Hiya murph.. Like I say I think a refractometer is one of the best things you can invest in.. I don't think anyone should rely on the cheap ones even for fish only.

murphreef · #14 05/29/2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scoobs9083
Hiya murph.. Like I say I think a refractometer is one of the best things you can invest in.. I don't think anyone should rely on the cheap ones even for fish only.

agreed!

but he thbought his pin point salinity probe was just as good i guess over the last 3 years even with calibrations its been loosing accuracy

he ordered one today thats for sure

Billybeau1 · #15 05/29/2007, 09:36 PM

You might want to print this article and give it to your friend for a birthday present.

Refractometers and Salinity Measurement

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

marsh · #16 05/29/2007, 10:03 PM

".....The precise measurement of Salt by electronic conductive means has long been considered to be the most accurate method, especially when compared to Specific Gravity / Density (hydrometers) and refractometers.
.....The electrode should be cleaned every few months with a mild solution of water (16 oz.) and dishwashing detergent (1/2 teaspoon). Rinse the electrode well with fresh water...."
http://www.americanmarineusa.com/salinitymonitor.html

Hey, I like these monitors but I also have a goood ATC refractometer. After your friend has cleaned his electrodes he should recalibrate both the salinity monitor and his new ATC refractometer with new Pinpoint 53mS calibration fluid. BTW I have found the salinity monitor fluctuates a bit on ac current but is very stable using a dc 9 V battery.