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swill
08-30-2011, 02:46 AM
I have a 7 gallon fluvial tank with A singel seahorse in it live sand and a couple of fake plants. My salinity seems to drop for some reason. I had mixed the water 1.022 and then checked about a week after putting the seahorse in and it was down to 1.014. Some how the seahorse surveyed. Does anyone know why this is happening and how did my seahorse survive

The Grizz
08-30-2011, 02:59 AM
How much top off water have you replaced in the week?

lastlight
08-30-2011, 03:05 AM
What are you measuring with?

Should be a calibrated refractometer.

Bblinks
08-30-2011, 03:06 AM
What kind of salinity tester are you using? Before you start to raise the salinity make sure you go slow. Lower salinity is easier on the live stock then when your salinity gets too high and maybe that's why the seahorse is still alive. It's odd that it has dropped that much. Try to get another source to test it before you do some thing drastic.

swill
08-30-2011, 12:53 PM
I guess I should have said that I have 2 other tanks a 300 gal fowlr and a 90 gal reef. The salinity in these tanks are always consistent so I know the meter is not the problem. Is it possible that the salt is settling to the bottom. There is not much flow in the tank just the filter from factory

Aquattro
08-30-2011, 03:36 PM
Is it possible that the salt is settling to the bottom.

No, that's not possible. Salt won't settle out. If the testing device is accurate, there is more topoff water going in than evaporating. Which doesn't make a lot of sense unless the tank is half full. Or you have automated topoff that isn't working right.

lastlight
08-30-2011, 03:42 PM
Salt will sometimes migrate to areas of lower concentration (Diffusion). To combat this line the rim of your tank with something saltier than the tank's water. This will effectively contain your salinity.

I'd recommend a MFF or McDonald's Fry Fence.

Zoaelite
08-30-2011, 04:04 PM
Salt will sometimes migrate to areas of lower concentration (Diffusion). To combat this line the rim of your tank with something saltier than the tank's water. This will effectively contain your salinity.

I'd recommend a MFF or McDonald's Fry Fence.

I personally use the KFC double down, works for a salinity perimeter and nothing beats the angina after eating one.

Unless you have a secret leak there should be no other way for your salinity to drop like that, are you sure your initial measurement was correct?
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

Wayne
09-05-2011, 10:42 PM
Unless you have a secret leak there should be no other way for your salinity to drop like that, are you sure your initial measurement was correct?

Really the only way for your salinity to go down is if you loose water and replenish with freshwater. If there are no leaks in the tank and no major signs of salt creep, I would have to suspect maybe a incorrect initial reading aswell.

To bring the salinity back up slowly you can just replenish evaporated water with mixed saltwater (1.025) over the next few days. With a tank that small you should be checking salinity a little more often till everything stabalizes. Good luck and keep us informed.

Reefer head
09-06-2011, 01:01 AM
Let's see some pics of the 300g fowlr

ReefOcean
09-07-2011, 08:48 PM
If you are using a swing arm salanity tester, do you rinse it after testing? If not that maight explain what is going on. You fill a bucket, test several times, dissolving salt stuck in the hinge for the float after the 3rd or 4th test. Then you put is away, salt dries and then you go to test again once, and the arm has slight resistance, thus giving it a lower reading.

1eyedjyde
09-29-2011, 04:24 AM
If you have a skimmer on the nano that might be your culprit as it wouldn't take much volume to lower your salinity.