Mixing salt

[colsoscar120]

Hi I'm mixing my salt for the fist time when testing salinity do I fill the hydrometer all the way to the top . The less I put in the reading is more accurate the more water I put in the hydrometer

 

[ilovereefing <3]

It's been a while since I used a hydrometer, but I did always fill it as high as it would allow. Then I would tap the hydrometer a couple of times on the side of the tank, or whatever you're mixing the water in, to release any air bubbles that may skew the results. That would give me the final reading. Just a little tip...refractometers are much more accurate and are quite cheap. I'd invest in one when you can. Hope this helps!

 

[colsoscar120]

Great thanks how long till the salt mixes and the reading is accurate. The deeper I go the mixes reads high if I dip it shallow reading gets lower

 

[LetItReef]

+1 on investing on Refractrometer.

 

[ilovereefing <3]

I usually measure salinity about 30 minutes after adding salt to the water, as long as the water is clear and there are no salt crystals at the bottom of the container. But I do let the salt mix for about 2 hours once I've gotten the salinity correct. Check the directions on your salt mix too, some salts can only be mixed for 4 hours, then it must be used or precipitation happens.

 

[KJ]

I'm mix my salt water over night

 

[twilliard]

Great thanks how long till the salt mixes and the reading is accurate. The deeper I go the mixes reads high if I dip it shallow reading gets lower

More circulation if you are getting different results at specific heights

 

[ilovereefing <3]

I'm mix my salt water over night

I used to do that too, but I noticed my mixing container gets this weird brown stuff on the sides that I have to scrub off like a maniac when I do that, and I have to clean it more often. Trying to lessen my cleaning load...LOL!

 

[Russ265]

I think hydrometers get a bad rep because people follow the swing arm and dont realize at what temp the hydrometer was calibrated at.

The instant ocean ones are calibrated at 60 F so that would mean if the swing arm read 1.022 it is really at 1.025 if the mixed sea water is 78

http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

Use that until you get a refractometer. HTH

 

[KJ]

I used to do that too, but I noticed my mixing container gets this weird brown stuff on the sides that I have to scrub off like a maniac when I do that, and I have to clean it more often. Trying to lessen my cleaning load...LOL!