Help! Salinity WAY too high! How to lower?

[Afkomjorgen]

Hey! Finally got a new refractometer. I calibrated it using distilled water and took a reading of the tank.
1.033!

Usually the tank runs around 1.026 although lately it’s been closer to 1.024

Recent changes: I moved houses and changed 50% of the water in the 29gals
I upgraded within two weeks to a 48 gallon tank with a 14 gallon sump. All 28 gallons went into the tank but the rest was new. That was about 1 week ago.

I’m so surprised everything isn’t dead. Just checking salinity cause I know I should with all that new water ( had to get a new refractometer because my roommate ran off with mine) and happened to notice.
corals have not been opening super well the last couple of days but everything is still opening and eating. Clown fish are happy and the cleaning shrimp is active.

so now what do I do to reduce the salinity without shocking the inhabitants?
I need to put about 5 gals in the sump tonight.
Mostly a softies & macro tank with some lps
Thanks!



edit: I found a salinity diluting calculator. It says I need 16 gallons of fresh water to dilute the salt water properly to 1.026. Would it be crazy to add that all today? I could pretty much empty my sump.

 

[G Santana]

Go slow, swap out 1 gallon of tank water for 1 gallon of ro water.
Keep checking and swapping over the week until you get to where you want to be.

 

[bevo5]

Yes. Slow is the name of the game. Lots of times our solutions to issues are worse than the issues.

 

[Afkomjorgen]

Go slow, swap out 1 gallon of tank water for 1 gallon of ro water.
Keep checking and swapping over the week until you get to where you want to be.

Yes. Slow is the name of the game. Lots of times our solutions to issues are worse than the issues.

Thank you both so much! I have a plan now.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I know it sounds stupid, but also confirm the fact that you've bought the right type of refractometer. I bought one for beer instead of salinity, and let's just say that I ran to a few...issues until I sorted that one out.

 

[Afkomjorgen]

I know it sounds stupid, but also confirm the fact that you've bought the right type of refractometer. I bought one for beer instead of salinity, and let's just say that I ran to a few...issues until I sorted that one out.

I made that mistake the other way around when making beer! Haha

I bought this one at my LFS so I think it’s right.
it’s one of these

 

[davidcalgary29]

Why does one of those displays show brix? Now I'm getting painful flashbacks of my "beerfractometer".

I became paranoid after my solution and now calibrate regularly with 35ppt calibration solution (or, with my Vee Gee, distilled water).

 

[rossco]

I would double check with a 35ppt (1.026 SG) calibration solution before changing the salinity of your tank. Pinpoint makes one, $8 -$9 online, probably the same price at your LFS.