How to safely lower specific gravity??

[Topgun63]

After reading from this site and several books, I purchased a refractometer and checked it with distilled water to calibrate. My tank water was 1.027. This is from my LFS, where I buy prepared water for convience. They measure it with a floating hydrometer. How do I safely lower the SG?

 

[mmkeeper]

You have three ways to do it and both need to be done slowly. One add some plan distilled or ro/di water. If things full remove some saltwater and replace it with plain water. The other way is as yo do water changes have your water change water at a lower sp.

 

[mmkeeper]

By the way your reading is a little high but not dangerous

 

[Krish]

Easiest way IMO is to remove some of the water from the tank (which will include both water and salt) and replace it with just fresh ro/di water. How much all depends on much gallons your system holds. You don't want to remove and replace too much at a time so I'd start with a gallon or 2 at a time and leave things for about an hour or so in between before repeating (depending on the amount of water your system holds again). Just my 2 cents... This is what I use to do on my tanks between 24-75 gals

 

[Dirtsquirt]

Remove saltwater and replace with fresh/rodi.

Dropping the salinity is not nearly as stressful on the fish as increasing it.

-Dan

 

[Scooterman]

After reading from this site and several books, I purchased a refractometer and checked it with distilled water to calibrate. My tank water was 1.027. This is from my LFS, where I buy prepared water for convience. They measure it with a floating hydrometer. How do I safely lower the SG?

.35ppt Is what your salinity shoudl be, your SG Is 1.027, desired SG is slightly higher than 1.026, so your actually very close, I wouldn't sweat it as sg can vary in the reefs enough not to hurt anything, next time use your refract to get a Salinity of .35ppt instead of sg. To lower it as mentioned you can remove some water then add a little RO/DI but do it in small amounts & don't panic. BTW, calibrate your refract with "53.0 mS standardized fluid for calibrating.
"REFRACTOMETER TO 35 ppt OR 1.0264 SALINITY"
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/refractometers.htm