it just never ends, now for what ever reason my refractometer is giving me false readings. i keep it in the box under my tank at room temp. i calibrated it with RO water and its telling me my reef is at 1020 and my new water is at the same i know this isn't true because i tested the water 2 days ago and it was at the proper level 1026. and their is no way that it dropped to 1020. what am i doing wrong, what can i do to fix it. its a RHS-10ATC refractometer
refractometer problem
- Thread starter Jarrett
- Start date
- Location
- Hicksville, NY
Bring a sample to a LFS to be sure.
My refracto came with a solution that was supposedly at 1026, so I calibrated to that, turns out both that solution and my hydrometer were .03 off. My water was at 1.029 as checked with an LFS' hydrometer and refracto. So I recalibrated my refracto with rodi and then I got the true reading of 1029. Fortunately I did not have any livestock yet. Basically, you never know.
My refracto came with a solution that was supposedly at 1026, so I calibrated to that, turns out both that solution and my hydrometer were .03 off. My water was at 1.029 as checked with an LFS' hydrometer and refracto. So I recalibrated my refracto with rodi and then I got the true reading of 1029. Fortunately I did not have any livestock yet. Basically, you never know.
i dont know what to do. i went to the LFS and he tested my water at the same reading i am getting at 1022 but i dont get how that is possible how does salt decrease? i have a ATO and it was 1026 2 days ago. i am leaving for florida tmw and i dont know if i should change the water following these readings cause what if it is at 1026 and i go to make water at 1023 thats just going to shock the tank. i have had enough with this. everything went smoothly since this tank has been up and now the day before i leave something goes wrong it amazes me
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
you need to use distilled water to calibrate to zero
- Location
- Long Island
I have the same device and similar issue. You should measure 3 times at least. Mine shows off the first time I measure out of the box then after 2-3 measurements it stabilizes. Good luck.
- Location
- The Big City
You also need to make sure the temp is correct.
its a ATC the temp automates itself i thought. plus the temp is room temperature i keep it under my tank in my room. how many points can i raise my salinity through a water change if my salinity is actually 1022 which i still dont understand how. can i make my new water 1024 that way if its a off reading i am only fluctuating 2 points both ways.
- Location
- Hicksville, NY
I would recalibrate to zero, then mix a water sample using new water and salt to 1026 then give your water another test. If you're still reading the same number on your water that both you and your lfs confirmed, then you should probably correct your water.
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Why don't you just add zome salt to your topoff water and bring it up slowly?
thats what i am doing right now csauer52. i am thinking that the way i have my ato set and my skimmer might of been the culprit. i had my skimmer skimming very wet so this caused my ato to turn on pretty often. so my assumption is the water that was being taken out of the skimmer was to much and the ato was putting to much fresh water back in. Thats what i am hoping it sucks because i only have tonight to correct this. so i am going to keep taking out cups of water out of the tank raising the salinity in the cup and then adding it back in through out the night until i get back up to at least 1025.
does anyone have better recommendations on how to get my salinity back up slowly before i do my water change. should i just poor a little salt in the sump every couple of hours. or is the way i am doing it the best way
never pour salt into the tank...mix it first!
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Well I would just raise it slowly through your topoff. It won't kill anything to have slightly low salinity. I'm no expert, but based on my reading it would only impact the Ca saturation levels as far as I know.
Bring it up slow and once you have it dialed in perform your water change.
Bring it up slow and once you have it dialed in perform your water change.
i would do it that way but unfortuantly i didnt think things through fully. and my ATO switch kept falling through the zip ties so i eventually got sick of re doing it and i glued the switch to the holder so now the level in the sump cant change otherwise the ATO wont work properly. so i have to take the tank water out put it in like a 1 gallon cup mix some salt into it and pour it back in.
It doesn't fully dissolve if you add it directly to the system.
Ideally with dry salt mixes you should let it mix continuously for 24 hours before introducing it to the system.
The advantage to ESV mix shortens this time because it is a liquid mix.
I think adding saltwater to your topoff is the best way to bring salinity back up gradually.
Ideally with dry salt mixes you should let it mix continuously for 24 hours before introducing it to the system.
The advantage to ESV mix shortens this time because it is a liquid mix.
I think adding saltwater to your topoff is the best way to bring salinity back up gradually.
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