Thanks for all your help over the years and I find your Q and A Monday fantastic. Tanks again Mark for all the effort you put into your videos and the time spent in answering all our questions. I recently had the opposite problem and my salinity was up to 1. Give an inch and a driven,motivated reef enthusiast will take a mile!!! BUT obsessing on corals as though they are rare hot house plants is an example of one having too much time on their hands! I oooo and aaaahh them with the tank presentation and then drop bits of interesting facts about the sea creatures within.
LOLs But one thing I suggest that those still in the hobby after a year or two do, is to take a dive trip or two to see where their pets live in the wild. There is NOTHING like seeing the place they come from- feeling the temperature changes, the currents, the storm damage and the extreme conditions many coral species live in.
In short, follow the advise of experts but when you see obsessive compulsive thoughts, recognize them for what they are. A word to the wise— Happy New Year to all!
I used to use a hydrometer to check my levels and thought my tank was at 1. On the off chance I took a water sample to my LFS just for a check to make sure my test kits where ok, but to my suprise my salinity levels were 1. Good job ive been a good boy this year as Santa bought me one and I have now got my levels down to 1. If you use two part solutions to raise your calcium and alkalinity levels, you should monitor salinity more frequently, as they do have an effect on specific gravity.
I keep a 5 gallon bucket for a 90g reef with 90 pounds of rock less displacement, plus sump to total gallons. One 5 g bucket takes 2 cups of salt and my salinity is a constant 1. A simple measuring cup once you have established the amount of salt will guarantee that your tank will be stable.
Remember of course, that if your skimmer overflows into the cup and drain you will have to replace that water with mixed salt water, not a lot though, but it keeps everything in balance. Just my 2 cents. When my salinity gets a little low I usually add a half gallon or gallon of my premade salt water to my sump and then scale back my ATO a bit to let the water evaporate over a day or so leaving the salt behind and thereby slowing raising the salinity.
Coral Sea salt mixing instructions say to test for salinity with the water temperature at 77 degrees. For accuracy always bring the temperature up to the same level near there each time you mix, and using a properly calibrated refractometer is a must.
Most reef hobbyists keep their salinity level between 1. I keep mine at 1. Sea water is 1. I would recommend aiming for 35ppt or 1. A properly calibrated refractometer is a must as well. I would not trust a swing arm hydromter. Find More Posts by r0ck0.
Ill raise it a bit and get a better hydrometer, and change my temp a bit. Most refractometers read low for our use. Make sure your refractometer is at teh correct temp. Stability is more important than anything.
You can join BAR and calibrate your refractometer as well. Qwiv, I guess you meant "1. FYI, I keep mine at 1. I am more concerned of both being stable than the actual value. I saw that most reef setups have it somewhere between 1. I wonder why No, I meant 1.
You obviously didn't read the article. I am not referring to the temp of the tank. Accuracy is as only as good as your ability to read that scale and color change. When using a refractometer, checking calibration often is necessary. A salinity reference solution should be used to check calibration before every single use and if you find the readings are incorrect, calibration should be performed before use. Also, be sure you are buying a refractometer made for measuring the salinity of seawater; refractometers can be used to measure any number of things, and are calibrated depending on what they were manufactured for.
Digital refractometers , work on the same principle of measuring light refraction but the results are digital instead. This eliminates some human error by removing the need to look through a viewfinder but they still require frequent calibration checks.
Digital refractometers have become more affordable over the years and are a great choice for tank owners. Digital salinity meters are rising in popularity because the technology is becoming more affordable and are probably the easiest solution for a modern aquarist. The readings are almost instant and you can quickly and easily check calibration before each use using 35 ppt calibration solution.
The salinity probe on your aquarium controller like the Neptune Systems Apex works using conductivity too. Be the first to know about the sales, specials, new products, the latest BRSTV episodes and win free prizes!
The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Close Call Email. Shop By Categories. Author: Robert Farnsworth. What Is Salinity? Predominant Elements In Seawater Chloride generally exists in about 19, ppm Sodium commonly exists at 10, ppm Sulfate approximately 2, ppm Magnesium roughly ppm Calcium about ppm Changes in concentrations of ions outside of sodium and chloride generally do not affect the salinity measurement as these two elements make up such a large portion of saltwater.
Popular Salt Mix. Add to Wish List Add to Compare. Tropic Marin. Hanna Instruments. Bulk Reef Supply. HM Digital. Tags: salt mix , salt level , salt content , salinity , refractometer , hydrometer , digital salinity meter , digital refractometer. Related Posts. Recent Posts. When deciding to keep a marine or saltwater aquarium, the first thing you may think about is: how do you make saltwater?
There are several tools available in the market for purchase designed to test your salinity. Here are a few options and the pros and cons of each:. Swing-arm Hydrometer: A swing-arm hydrometer is a small clear plastic box with a tear-shaped swing arm.
The calibrated arm will float at a specific height dependent upon the salt concentration of the water. The scale printed on the box will indicate the specific gravity. A swing-arm hydrometer is affordable; however, it is generally not as accurate as other types. A good option for fish-only aquariums since consistency is more important than the actual salinity level. Refractometer: A refractometer is more accurate but also more expensive than a swing-arm hydrometer.
A refractometer is a hollow tube with an angled piece of glass at the end. Sample water is placed on the glass and then held up to a light source. Results display on a scale inside the tube.
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