Effect of high Salinity

vic622 · #1 11-15-2009, 06:06 PM

I was just about to do my weekly cleaning and was testing my replacement water & tank water to make sure they were close/same and my tank is showing 1.030 using a Coralife Deep Six Hydrometer.

I'll lower the salinity to 1.025-1.027, but I was wondering if there are any specific negative side effects to having a high salinity?

I know that other elements can be toxic, but what about NaCl?
How high before there are toxic effects?

Vic

FitoPharmer · #2 11-15-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Coralife Deep Six Hydrometer.

is this the only reference point? because these are known to easily inaccurate enough to make 26 seem like 30. have you checked it with a refractometer? either way, some places in the ocean does have a high or low salinity. reefs can range from 1.017-1.031. don't worry to much.

vic622 · #3 11-15-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

is this the only reference point? because these are known to easily inaccurate enough to make 26 seem like 30. have you checked it with a refractometer? either way, some places in the ocean does have a high or low salinity. reefs can range from 1.017-1.031. don't worry to much.

I was going to make a remark about using it ....
Unfortunately, for the time being, its my only reference. What I try to do is stay consistent at ~1.026 until I can get a refractometer.
BTW, the macro is doing really good.
Vic

BlueAbyss · #4 11-15-2009, 09:05 PM

Consistency is good, as long as things are reasonably stable you shouldn't have too much trouble. You could likely just keep it where it is, if things are doing well... do you have any corals? How are they doing?

Delphinus · #5 11-15-2009, 09:15 PM

The rate of change can be more fatal then endpoints, so be careful with adjustments.

Toss the needle based hydrometer and get a refractometer. The variability of readings with those needle things is frankly scary. At the very least switch to a plumb/float style hydrometer (they break easy though so be careful with handling and etc.)

Myka · #6 11-15-2009, 10:55 PM

Hydrometers are handy, they are quick to use. I use one everyday, but I use my refractometer to check it every few months. Once the hydrometer has been calibrated with the refractometer it doesn't seem to wander off. I have one hydrometer that is dead on and one that is 0.007 off. That's huge.

Tony is right...don't change the salinity by too many points too quickly. I wouldn't go more than 0.002 per day, although going down in salinity isn't as harmful as going up in salinity.