SOS SG spike

jacksdad

Member
I check my SG nightly it is between 1.024 and 1.026. Just now I check it and it's 1.030

I am going to try to bring it down slowly, but why the sudden change? My lawnmower blenny is bouncing of the walls.
Any and all info will be greatly appreciated.
Bob:help:
 

usinkit

Member
What are you using to test the salanity with? If its a swing arm you may have a air bubble on the arm.
 

jacksdad

Member
I check using a swing arm. I have two that I use, both showed 1.030 to 1.031. I check twice with each. I have a refractometer that I will use weekly. (it's at work) . I don't want to bring it down too quickly, but is a jump of .005 going to kill my fish? Coral and inverts seem to be acting fine.
Bob
 

jacksdad

Member
lion_crazz:
I check the SG bfore adding top off. It is usually a little high, in which case I just use fresh RO water. If it's low or right on I will use saltwater.
Bob
 

usinkit

Member
Most likely its your swing arm. I would throw away the swing arm and just use the refractometer. I would add enough ro top off to get your sg down to 1.029 using the swing arm tonight until you get your hanbs on the refractometer just to be safe.
 

jacksdad

Member
thanks for the input usinkit
I just found the remains of my yellow clown goby. He was very small (less than an inch). He must have died today sometime. That could be the cause. I forgot to mention that my tank is a 24 gal Nanocube. I added some fresh RO water and I will check again in the AM.
Thanks again for the quick responses everyone.
Bob
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
Your problem is probably coming from the fact that you added saltwater when the SG was right on. If it was right on after evaporation, that means it was too low to begin with.
I would not bring it down all in one shot tonight. Maybe bring it down to 1.029 tonight, 1.028 tomorrow, 1.026 the next night and so forth. Do it a little each night just so the fish do not get stressed out.
In the end, I would consider getting an auto-top-off system for your tank. You will not have the hassle of topping off your tank, and your SG will not move at all (with the exception of when you do water changes). I hooked one up my on 75 and I never top off my tank at all anymore. My SG is exact all the time, and all I do is fill up a 10 gallon tank once a week with freshwater to replace the evaporated water. The auto-top off puts water into my tank everytime the tank evaporates 1/4 of an inch.
 
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