So I'm pretty sure I calibrated all the sensors correctly but as I have had this system running about 5 days the salt was high the first couple of days and now its all over the place, huge up and down swings. Is this normal when first starting up? I'm attaching a couple of pictures, one of the temporary sump setup until I mount the Apex wherever I decide on and another of the graph of salt readings. Thanks very much for any insight.
Apex Startup, Salinity all over
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Dom
Full Time Reef Keeper
Remember this:
Water evaporates, salt does not. So unless you are using an auto top off system, as water evaporates, you salinity will go up. Then when you top off your water level, the salinity comes back down.
Are you using an auto top off system or are you maintaining your water levels manually?
Water evaporates, salt does not. So unless you are using an auto top off system, as water evaporates, you salinity will go up. Then when you top off your water level, the salinity comes back down.
Are you using an auto top off system or are you maintaining your water levels manually?
I have had this issue before too. It will work out but you can help it.
1 make sure there are no bubbles in the probe. Give it a good shake under water.
2. Is it someplace that is getting lots of micro bubbles? If so move it.
3. It should be in a moderately higher (not fast) section of your sump.
try these things and report back.
I looked again. You have the same Waterbox sump I do. Where you have those probes is a low flow area. You will need to move them to a place of higher flow. You can also add a small, cheap powerhead in that section. This will increase the flow and keep detritus from settling.
1 make sure there are no bubbles in the probe. Give it a good shake under water.
2. Is it someplace that is getting lots of micro bubbles? If so move it.
3. It should be in a moderately higher (not fast) section of your sump.
try these things and report back.
I looked again. You have the same Waterbox sump I do. Where you have those probes is a low flow area. You will need to move them to a place of higher flow. You can also add a small, cheap powerhead in that section. This will increase the flow and keep detritus from settling.
Out of pure coincidence I took this Video to ask a question in another section of the forum but i can see now there are lots of microbubbles in this area. Looks like the sensors will be going on vacation!
Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
I had something very similar. I calibrated it as per instructions, and it was reading 34.5 against a refractometer reading of 35. All good. I did some rearranging in my sump and it started reading in the high 50s again - I moved it again and it came down to 35 (ish), but steadily climbed over the next few days to around 38, despite the refractometer still reading 34.5, and the ATO maintaining the water level (filled with RODI, I checked). I was ready to recalibrate the probe with a brick, but finally found a position where it seems happy. I still don't wholly trust it, but it's keeping level with my refractometer so far. We'll see.
I even tried one of those little plastic gadgets that are supposed to stabilise the graph, but the PMUP I used to drive it was too noisy for my taste, so I didn't persevere with it.
I even tried one of those little plastic gadgets that are supposed to stabilise the graph, but the PMUP I used to drive it was too noisy for my taste, so I didn't persevere with it.
Steve2020
Well-Known Member
I don't own an Apex but I do have a Profilux 4 and I found out during experimentation that micro bubbles will cause fluctuations. If I pointed my skimmer discharge in the probes direction it would fluctuate about 3ppt. If I moved the location of the discharge away from the probes it was rock steady. In your case I have to ask why is the water in the sock area so high? I can see in the photo that water is spilling out the emergency overflow causing massive amounts of bubbles. This could be one of your issues. I would move the probes away from your present location and give that a try and also fix the overflowing issue in your sock location.
ZombieEngineer
Valuable Member
Move the salinity probe over a little bit. You are really close to where bubbles would form from the baffle.
Also make sure all of this was done
Thread '(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Apex Salinity Calibration and TC Factor' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a...ex-salinity-calibration-and-tc-factor.718971/
Also make sure all of this was done
Thread '(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Apex Salinity Calibration and TC Factor' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a...ex-salinity-calibration-and-tc-factor.718971/
blaxsun
10K Club member
I recognized this sump from the video you posted with your sump issues. As I replies, you have either too much flow or your filter socks need changing - as the water is passing through the emergency overflow slots in the filter chamber.
This is directly leading towards a lot of cavitation right around the probes, and will probably account for most of any discrepancy in the readings.
This is directly leading towards a lot of cavitation right around the probes, and will probably account for most of any discrepancy in the readings.
