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View Full Version : Salinity at 1.020 - I screwed the pooch


Pokahpolice
04/09/2015, 06:56 PM
Rookie mistake. Changed my topoff container from a 5 gallon bucket to a 35 gallon trash barrel. No brained it and now the water level in the top off is higher than the sump. Siphoned about 15 gallons into the sump. I lucked out and the level didn't flood the tank but it was close. Dropped the salinity to 1.020 from 1.023.

Think I did any damage to my corals? Should I bring it back up tonight or slowly over the next few days?

cloak
04/09/2015, 07:04 PM
If everything looks ok then I wouldn't worry about it too much. Don't top the tank off for next day or so and just let the salt level increase through evaporation. GL.

reef_aholic
04/09/2015, 07:06 PM
Yes, through evaporation would be what I would do, If you added salt, then it evaporated, then it could go other way on you!

Mark9
04/10/2015, 05:51 AM
If you have corals, you should be a bit higher than 1.023, shoot for 1.025 or 1.026.
And just let evaporation fix your top off issue.

Art13
04/10/2015, 05:57 AM
I had a salinity issue as well, the coral suffered, but it wasn't overnight, it took months. Let evaporation bring it back up and aim for what mark9 said, 1.025-6. i didn't overflow it like you but what i did to raise it is just kept adding saltwater instead of ro water over the course of a week to slowly bring it up.

toothybugs
04/10/2015, 05:57 AM
I'll 4th the evap thought. Drops aren't that huge of an issue (what happens to coastal reefs in a major *hurricane* rainstorm?) but sharp rises are. Sharp rises aren't natural.

Pokahpolice
04/10/2015, 08:03 PM
If you have corals, you should be a bit higher than 1.023, shoot for 1.025 or 1.026.
And just let evaporation fix your top off issue.

That's the goal. I just tied in a 60 gallon frag tank to my existing display. In doing so I let the salinity drop to the 1.023. I was working on getting it back in line when I no brained the top off. I know better!!