Help with salt level

[codysmom]

My salt level keeps going down. I added a new live rock could this have done it? Over the weekend I noticed my brittle star lost the tips of its legs and I remembered reading that if your salt was too low this could happen and I checked it(low) I removed 1/4 of my water raised the salt level and put it back in. This morning it is low again. I am going about this the wrong way? Please help.

 

[mcsd22]

What is the salinity? Are you mixing with a powerhead for 24 hours prior? What are you useing to test it? It should not drop. If anything with evaporation it will rise.

 

[codysmom]

It hasn't fallen below the 1.020 mark but I have more invertbray than fish so I want it at the higher end of the scale. I measure it with an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. I don't think it gives me consistant readings for the water (checked water more than once slightly different reading) Only kind LFS sells.

 

[mcsd22]

You can order a hydrometer from here. salinity should be up around 1.025. Are you sure you are mixing well. Don't raise it all at once.

 

[ophiura]

Definitely going about it the wrong way, IMO. Never do major changes in salinity which is just as, if not moreso stressful.
There is no way for your salinity to go down in a tank unless you are adding freshwater. The only other way is to get a misreading from your hydrometer (get a refractometer). If you get airbubbles in your hydrometer, it will cause a false high reading. Take a sample and tap it to remove the bubbles.
How long you are mixing your water is also important, so do mix at least for several hours with a power head. To raise specific gravity, top off with saltwater instead of fresh, which slowly raises the specific gravity.
I would immediately get the reading double checked at an LFS to figure out where the specific gravity actually is.