It is a AutoOutlet Salinity Refractometer. Btw do I need to put Prime water conditioner or no because its RODI water? Thanks
Ok and yesNo need for Prime.
That refractometer will be off by a bit even if it is perfectly made, if you perfectly calibrate with RO/DI and use it to measure seawater. If anything is imperfect, it may be way off.
Make or buy a 35 ppt seawater standard to calibrate it.
Do you have a kitchen scale?
Ok ill make that thanks.Here's a recipe for a standard (for refractometers only):
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement - REEFEDITION
Title photo by R2R member Rskillz By Randy Holmes-Farley Salinity is one of the most important parameters measured in reef aquaria. It controls not only the salt balance between an organism and its surrounding environment, but also the levels of a host of ions Read more here...www.reefedition.com
Do-it-yourself Refractometer Standards
In a previous article I described how to make a do-it-yourself refractometer standard matching 35 ppt seawater, and I will just summarize that recipe here.
To provide a standard for refractometers requires a solution whose refractive index is similar to normal seawater. Seawater with a salinity of 35 ppt has a refractive index of 1.3394. Likewise, the refractive index of different sodium chloride solutions can be found in the scientific literature. My CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (57th Edition, Page D-252) has such a table. That table has entries for 3.6 and 3.7 weight percent solutions of sodium chloride that span the value for normal seawater. Interpolating between these data points suggests that a solution of 3.65 weight percent sodium chloride has the same refractive index as 35 ppt seawater, and therefore can be used as an appropriate standard (Table 5).
This 3.65 weight percent sodium chloride solution can be made by dissolving 3.65 grams of sodium chloride in 96.35 grams (mL) of purified freshwater. This recipe can be scaled to any appropriate size if suitable instruments are available (36.5 grams in 963.5 grams (mL) of water, 0.365 grams in 9.635 g (mL) of water, etc.).
This concentration roughly corresponds to ¼ cup (73.1 g) of Morton’s Iodized Salt dissolved into two liters (2000 g) of water (giving very slightly more than 2 L of total volume).
And I should use 2000g of purified water right?Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Here's a recipe for a standard (for refractometers only):
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement - REEFEDITION
Title photo by R2R member Rskillz By Randy Holmes-Farley Salinity is one of the most important parameters measured in reef aquaria. It controls not only the salt balance between an organism and its surrounding environment, but also the levels of a host of ions Read more here...
www.reefedition.com
Do-it-yourself Refractometer Standards
In a previous article I described how to make a do-it-yourself refractometer standard matching 35 ppt seawater, and I will just summarize that recipe here.
To provide a standard for refractometers requires a solution whose refractive index is similar to normal seawater. Seawater with a salinity of 35 ppt has a refractive index of 1.3394. Likewise, the refractive index of different sodium chloride solutions can be found in the scientific literature. My CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (57th Edition, Page D-252) has such a table. That table has entries for 3.6 and 3.7 weight percent solutions of sodium chloride that span the value for normal seawater. Interpolating between these data points suggests that a solution of 3.65 weight percent sodium chloride has the same refractive index as 35 ppt seawater, and therefore can be used as an appropriate standard (Table 5).
This 3.65 weight percent sodium chloride solution can be made by dissolving 3.65 grams of sodium chloride in 96.35 grams (mL) of purified freshwater. This recipe can be scaled to any appropriate size if suitable instruments are available (36.5 grams in 963.5 grams (mL) of water, 0.365 grams in 9.635 g (mL) of water, etc.).
This concentration roughly corresponds to ¼ cup (73.1 g) of Morton’s Iodized Salt dissolved into two liters (2000 g) of water (giving very slightly more than 2 L of total volume).
2.5 cups for 5gallons roughly
Yeah but what im saying is that I cant fill up the bucket all the way so its always different amounts. Idk if that small amount matters but for the tank I can know exactly how many gallons went into it.
Ok good luck you will be fine
Anyone have an opinion on this? Thanks
Dr Tim’s one and only bacteria is what I would recommend.
When you mix the salt in the tank do it with 1cup at a time every five minutes until you reach the correct salinity temp swings in the mixing process will give you lots of issues and poring more then a cup of salt at a time will also give you lots of issues
Thanks for all the info. We came to the conclusion that the tap water was the problem so I bought a RODI unit and am filling up the tank. Will buy Dr tims. Any ammonia to add? Thanks
You sure your not having Precipitation issues ?
Wdym?
I would tell you mix the salt slow and don’t keep pumps in a bucket while doing that the temps will cause precipitation and if you dump more salt at a time in it will cause the same thing
How do you mix the salt ?
Ammonia is super tricky man if you go down that path only put like 1/4 the recommended amount
