The tale of Salinity and the Refractometer

[Troublekitty]

Sit back my reef friends and let me tell you a tale of betrayal. So the diatom bloom in my tank seems to have slowed down. That means it's time to start thinking about a CUC to help clean the tank a bit. We'll I stop by my LFS to pick up a refractometer because I don't really know my Salinity since I haven't been to worried about it because I'm cycling right now. I purchase the Red Sea refact and ask about calibration. The guy says he can do it for me or I can buy cal fluid and do it myself but it should be in Cal. I chose to do it myself. Get home and read the instructions. Simple stuff really. So I go to check if it's calibrated...nope... Way off. That's cool though I used Cal fluid to see so I set it. Well now it's time to check my tank and see where we're at. 1.021. That's right. A bit much under proper Salinity. So I remove two cups of water and was going to replace with Imagitarium®️ PetCo®️ Pacific Ocean water. Well I decided to check what there was since I'm about to add it to my tank. 1.021. Needless to say I need to start buying from my LFS. Moral of the story. Buy a refractometer so you know the specific gravity of the water you're using.

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[Knighthawk]

1.021 is perfectly fine for a fowlr tank and I'm assuming that's what the petco premix is for. Go out and get your self some salt mix and a rodi unit. You will thank me later.


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[Troublekitty]

Originally Posted by Knighthawk

1.021 is perfectly fine for a fowlr tank and I'm assuming that's what the petco premix is for. Go out and get your self some salt mix and a rodi unit. You will thank me later.


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I do plan on it. Right now I just have what I like to call an introduction into SW tank. It's a 10g nano. Water changes and top offs are relatively cheap.

[ladynavyvet]

I've always bought my waters for my 40 gallon tank from my LFS, and unless i get a much larger saltwater tank, always will. It cost me far less than buying the equipment to do it myself. I've been thinking about investing in the Red Sea refractometer, and their testing system as the brand I've been using doesn't test for all the parameters most here are posting, and asking about. Do most of you use the Red Sea brand? As far as testing for the salinity, I've been using a old school "coralife, deep six hydrometer.

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[Troublekitty]

Originally Posted by ladynavyvet

I've always bought my waters for my 40 gallon tank from my LFS, and unless i get a much larger saltwater tank, always will. It cost me far less than buying the equipment to do it myself. I've been thinking about investing in the Red Sea refractometer, and their testing system as the brand I've been using doesn't test for all the parameters most here are posting, and asking about. Do most of you use the Red Sea brand? As far as testing for the salinity, I've been using a old school "coralife, deep six hydrometer.

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I just bought mine and I'm glad I did. I've done my research with SW but it's all new to me. It took a minute to be able to focus in on it but that was the only issue I had. Just had to adjust it like binoculars. I'm glad I did check it before putting any life in my tank. I'd be pulling my hair out over something so simple as salinity.

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[A sea K]

If your looking to raise the salinity just use your pre-mixed saltwater as top off till the salinity reaches where you want then go back to topping off with RO/DI thereafter to maintain it. Its safe and simple to it this way.

[Troublekitty]

Originally Posted by A sea K

If your looking to raise the salinity just use your pre-mixed saltwater as top off till the salinity reaches where you want then go back to topping off with RO/DI thereafter to maintain it. Its safe and simple to it this way.

Yeah that's what I plan on doing but still. When I do the big water change to add life to the tank I want to use something around 1.025-1.026.

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[Stolireef]

I really don't know a single experienced reef keeper that doesn't make their own water. Maybe for a nano (basically 20 gallons or less) and even then, I'd buy distilled water and mix my own salt.

[Troublekitty]

Originally Posted by Stolireef

I really don't know a single experienced reef keeper that doesn't make their own water. Maybe for a nano (basically 20 gallons or less) and even then, I'd buy distilled water and mix my own salt.

That's awesome. Good to know I'm the only one who does this. Thanks for the input.

[A sea K]

Originally Posted by Troublekitty

Yeah that's what I plan on doing but still. When I do the big water change to add life to the tank I want to use something around 1.025-1.026.

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You could easily buy some salt and boost your pre-mixed water to match the salinity. I'm sure a little would go a long way.

[jstack]

lol I have a love/hate relationship with my refractometer I always keep a trusty hydrometer to double check

[Troublekitty]

Originally Posted by jstack

lol I have a love/hate relationship with my refractometer I always keep a trusty hydrometer to double check

I never heard good things about hydrometers. But something to double check isn't bad though.

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