Salinity level too high!! Need help!!!

[ElectricFunguss]

Ok so I'm setting up a 75gal reef tank, the only things in the tank are live sand and live rock. I got all my saltwater from my work (Aquarium fish store). Anyways I got the sump/canister filter up and running yesterday, well today i check the salinity level and its off the charts at 1.035 on my hydrometer. I've been doing my research and from what I've read is to do a small water change of about 3 gallons then add ro or purified water. Is this right? Would like to fix this by tonight!


Note: this is my first reef tank

 

[ErinCahir]

If there's no livestock you can do a big water change to lower your salinity.

 

[Sakura2282]

First, I will advice you to buy a refractometer to check the salinity in your water and not a hydrometer they are highly inaccurate. I had one myself and it was always giving me different readings. And if your salinity is too high just add a little RODI water 3 gallons sounds good, until you reach your desire level of it. After this check the salinity again and make sure it keeps stable.

Refractometer for reading salinity w/ Free Calibration fluid - Bulk Reef Supply

 

[ElectricFunguss]

If there's no livestock you can do a big water change to lower your salinity.

How big are we talking?

 

[ElectricFunguss]

First, I will advice you to buy a refractometer to check the salinity in your water and not a hydrometer they are highly inaccurate. I had one myself and it was always giving me different readings. And if your salinity is too high just add a little RODI water 3 gallons sounds good, until you reach your desire level of it. After this check the salinity again and make sure it keeps stable.

Refractometer for reading salinity w/ Free Calibration fluid - Bulk Reef Supply

Looks like I'll have to one from that site or through work.

 

[ErinCahir]

Again. Provided there is NO livestock, it can be as big as you need it to be to bring it down to an acceptable level.

Also +1 on the refractometer.

 

[2XAl]

Before you go through this, your aquarium store runs their SG that high? Around me the LFS run theirs lower to save $$ on salt. When you fill the swing hygrometer up with water, (assuming it's a roundish one with a white arm that floats) are you giving it a nice 'thud' on the table before you read it? There will be microbubbles clinging to the swing arm that will make it more bouyant and read higher.

If it's a floating style hygrometer don't touch your tank again until you get a refractometer. When I first got my refrac calibrated I was SHOCKED at how off the other styles are.

Been there, good luck. Assuming you are reading SG correctly and your tank has cycled or hasn't started yet (i.e. that water is clean) I wouldn't trash the SW you take out for a change. Siphon it into buckets, (I would start with 10gallons prob.) top off with fresh RODI, get your tank where you want it, then dilute the 1.035 SW in your buckets down to 1.025 with more RODI fresh. Then you have new water for your first livestock water change.

 

[ElectricFunguss]

At our store, the SG stays between 1.023 & 1.025. This water is going to the 75g which I'm trying to cycle. I ordered an RO unit and a refractometer as well. I got a bad batch of water mainly because of the new guy not knowing about the SG -_- .