1.034

[Jim Tansey]

A while back I posted a picture of Montipora Digitata looking like it suffered from RTN or something similar, within a week or two I lost all the SPS in my tank. Water tests failed to point the finger at anything (without going into detail I performed all the usual tests with quality test kits). Talking to the good people down at CRA today they told me one of the most common problems they encounter is salinity, I was sure that was not the problem with me as mine measured at 1.026 (swing arm yeah, yeah I know). To get to the point I purchased a refractometer, as it had been on my list for a while, the SG measured at 1.034+.

I'am not sure this is what caused the death of all my SPS but what effect do you think running the salinity that high had? I am in the process of lowering it over the next 3 or 4 days.

Regards,

Jim
,

 

[this is me]

wow, sorry to hear about that!
1.034 sounds really high

 

[Yaktop]

not real real high but should come down. unless this crept up real fast from a lower point I woudlnt think it would do a rapid damage. sometimes this hobby is a pain, perserance is key - a little money helps too! seems like its always something.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

A refractometer is a needed investment IMO

 

[Greg Hiller]

Take your time bringing it down. I'd do it over a two week period, depending upon the amount of sensitive critters you have.

 

[Matt L.]

Its funny that high salinity did your Montipora digitada in. I have two large frags that survived two days at 58F. It was a heating failure in the basement frag tank in the dead of winter. They suffered only minor bleaching,

Matt

 

[Jim Tansey]

Matt,

I can't say that was the reason, just don't know.

Jim

 

[JeremyR]

If the montipora came from a regular salinity, sure it could do it in. I've seen SPS & LPS corals melt in 1 day from going from an NSW type system into a system in the 1.035 range. You have to figure his water was 30% stronger than he thought it was. That's not a minor increase. We see this often enough that it's the first question I ask anymore. If someone takes home an invert, calls up an hour later and says it's dead, it's *always* their salinity. Swing arm hydros should be banned, we refuse to sell them... and anyone who uses one is risking their multi-thousand dollar system over a 10 dollar piece of plastic. This type of thing should be a wakeup call to any of you still relying on an inferior sg testing device, and those of you with refractometers need to calibrate them regularly.

 

[Paula]

I had a similar thing happen a few years ago before I got a refractometer. The cause of the high salinity was the use of B-ionic - Please, if you use B-ionic regularly check your salinity regularly. It states right on the label, but who reads them, right?

 

[Jim Tansey]

Paula,

I do use B-ionic, you can bet salinity will be checked regularly, anyone with a swing arm hydro pitch it!

Jim