Hyposalinity

[chicago]

got..it.. make sure you are using a good tool to read the 1.009

 

[andys]

got..it.. make sure you are using a good tool to read the 1.009

Using a refractometer and a digital refractometer. I have also 2 apex units on this system but i just don’t trust there salinity probes.

 

[andys]

I need to raise the PH what is the best and fastest way ?

 

[chicago]

i would suggest only using the hand helds Refractometers. the digital refractometers i had was off. was a good and expensive Milwaukee but not correct . My neptune was not accurate enough for this.. there are good to see any swings .. just my 2 cents.

There is somewhere here that talks about proper calibration of handhelds at the proper salinity.. please check on that.. and use only a good handheld. i had two and calibration solutions at 35 ppt. I think but please check DO NOT calibrate at 0.000 still calibrate at 35 ppt per solution.. again please check somewhere here on reef2reef it is discussed..

 

[andys]

Got ya.

i would suggest only using the hand helds Refractometers. the digital refractometers i had was off. was a good and expensive Milwaukee but not correct . My neptune was not accurate enough for this.. there are good to see any swings .. just my 2 cents.

There is somewhere here that talks about proper calibration of handhelds at the proper salinity.. please check on that.. and use only a good handheld. i had two and calibration solutions at 35 ppt. I think but please check DO NOT calibrate at 0.000 still calibrate at 35 ppt per solution.. again please check somewhere here on reef2reef it is discussed..

Ya I think you are right. Looks like the Milwaukee is off a bit. With my hand held refracto im getting what looks like 1.007-1.008 going to raise it a hair

 

[Humblefish]

I need to raise the PH what is the best and fastest way ?

Baked baking soda: Spread baking soda onto a clean baking sheet, and bake at 300F for 1 hour. This process drives off water and carbon dioxide from the baking soda, and the result is an effective pH buffer. You will need to experiment (start with a very small amount) to determine how much is needed to raise your pH to the desired level.

 

[andys]

Baked baking soda: Spread baking soda onto a clean baking sheet, and bake at 300F for 1 hour. This process drives off water and carbon dioxide from the baking soda, and the result is an effective pH buffer. You will need to experiment (start with a very small amount) to determine how much is needed to raise your pH to the desired level.

Humblefish when you are talking a small amount like what is small ? we are working with 300 gallon system volume

 

[chicago]

take a table spoon to a glass of water and put in one shot glass size and see how it effects the ph. go very very slow. what is your current ph at?

 

[andys]

take a table spoon to a glass of water and put in one shot glass size and see how it effects the ph. go very very slow. what is your current ph at?

Currently it is 7.98 this morning it was 7.7

 

[chicago]

i meant to say.. 1/4 cup to gallon of water shake let settle. then add a shot glass size of that to the tank.. slowly.. acutally do half a shot glass and see how much it jumps after an hour.

 

[Deinonych]

Humblefish when you are talking a small amount like what is small ? we are working with 300 gallon system volume

It doesn't take much. When I do hypo, I make up a buffering solution using Randy Holmes-Farley's recipe here (#1 for alkalinity). Using this solution, it only takes 1mL/gallon of buffering solution to raise pH of RO/DI from 7.0 to ~8.2. Given your system volume, you may prefer to prepare the solution instead of trying to dissolve dry sodium carbonate. It's much easier to work with.

 

[Humblefish]

^^ Good advice from @Deinonych

 

[andys]

So question. I'm almost a week in to this hypo and a customer comes in and we talk and he says he use hypo also but he did say he calibrates his refractometer with RO. I have been using 35ppt calibration solution. what he said is you get better resolution at the lower scale. so i tested this and with 35ppt calibration I get 1.009 with RO Calibration I get 1.011 So can some one explain

 

[chicago]

Please read my post from June 3 2016
I would recommend calibration with 35 ppt solution

 

[andys]

I have and just did but i don't see anything about refractometers besides calibrate at 35 ppt solution. wouldn't you get better resolution going from 1.000 to 1.009 then you would from 1.026 to 1.009. I'm asking what is going to be more accurate Ro or 35 ppt solution

 

[cmcoker]

I have and just did but i don't see anything about refractometers besides calibrate at 35 ppt solution. wouldn't you get better resolution going from 1.000 to 1.009 then you would from 1.026 to 1.009. I'm asking what is going to be more accurate Ro or 35 ppt solution

Rodi for hypo, I'm fairly Randy Holmes Farley has confirmed this in other threads as well.

 

[chicago]

What I can say is I recall reading somewhere after searching for hours that 35 ppt was the way to go. Perhaps someone else here can comment. as noted by CMCOKER.. keep us posted..

 

[Humblefish]

Supposedly you can calibrate a refractometer using RODI IF the TDS is 0.

However, the “proper way” is to use 35 ppt calibration fluid. Maybe the people who make the calibration fluid came up with that rule.

 

[chicago]

yes you can calibrate to 0 using rodi water.. but again.. not to repeat.. i still believe the way to do it is with 35ppt... that is what i used when i did my hypo for 10 months.. watch your ph...

. good luck and keep us posted..

 

[Deinonych]

It depends on the refractometer. Optical refractometers should be calibrated with 35ppt calibration solution. Digital refractometers like the Milwaukee model 887 should be done with 0 TDS RO/DI.