POLL: Do you mix salt using a scale?

[Mike Reef Addict]

I've noticed that in many (European) countries, ingredients for cooking and baking are usually measured on a scale whereas in the U.S. they are typically measured with measuring cups. I wonder if that carries over to salt as well? Americans are likely used to measuring things with cups and thus would default to a measuring cup for salt whereas Europeans may be more likely to default to a scale. Just a theory...

That makes total sense! I was a chef for years and the only time I ever weighted anything was baking bread (chef Shelly who taught me trained after school riding a bike arounf France an Italy! Learning regional foods) I was told that baking is a science Vs cooking so to speak...

 

[Mr. Bill]

I believe the fourth choice would be the best selection. At least that is how I intended that choice, for those who get satisfactory results through other means.

EDIT: I should have phrased it “Never needed to” not “Never cared to” but I cannot edit the text. Assume that choice is for those who find measuring cups sufficient

Of course I was just clowning with you. If one finds him/herself repeating the process of adding salt, mixing, and testing until they get it right, scales would definitely be a solid solution.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Of course I was just clowning with you. If one finds him/herself repeating the process of adding salt, mixing, and testing until they get it right, scales would definitely be a solid solution.

Right. I am returning to reefing after a long absence AND using a salt that is new to the market. That combination probably puts me in a different category than someone with an established tank using the same salt for years. I also had a digital scale handy, so that made it an easy choice.

 

[Syntax1235]

144 grams per gallon of tmpr yields 35ppm for me.

 

[LbulletM]

I weigh my salt, but I don't fill my buckets up the same every time. It gets me to a point where I just have to add a tiny bit more salt or a tiny bit more RODI at the end.

 

[Opus]

First I would have to actually do a water change.

 

[CNDReef]

There might be cons to weighing salt. It absorbs moisture. Your first batch my yield you 35 ppt with less weight than your last batch. I “think”the moisture also swells the salt so you’ll have somewhat the same issue by measuring. I guess what I want to say is,always check after it’s mixed.

 

[mfinn]

I have measuring cups that I have been using for years and know exactly how much to use in every different container I use.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Always.
800 grams of IO to 5g water.
740 RCSP(i think thats actually on the instructions)
760 (so far ) with Fritz. They don’t even list in cups or have directions on the box.

Water doesn’t have to be at temp.
Pour and stir , never adjust.
It’s like it’s science or something.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I highly recommend using a scale to mix salt. It can make this regular chore quick and easy.

It may seem rudimentary, but sometimes we all miss the obvious. Many reefers are like rock musicians, they can jam all night, but cannot read music to save their lives.

I use LiveAquaria salt (not to be debated here, but it hits my targets consistently and I really like it). The instructions call for 1/2 cup of salt mix per gallon. The reality is my RO/DI water takes just a little more salt to get to 35 SG.

This salt takes a while to mix, but the range and accuracy are more important to me than the speed. When mixing, I was adding a half cup per gallon, waiting, then calibrating and testing with the refractometer. Add more salt, wait, test, repeat, repeat. This was inefficient.

A couple of weeks ago I grabbed my digital scale and started weighing my salt. The newly mixed water has been dead on 35 SG on the first calibrated test every time. Even adjusting for different volumes, I still nail it.

For my LiveAquaria’s mix, I get the following:

1/2 cup = 140g
1 Tbs = 17.5g
152g mixes 1 gallon RO/DI to 35 SG

Digital scales are not too expensive. You may even have one (in the kitchen, for example). People who dose home made mixtures probably use them, but may not have thought to weigh their salt. I am curious if this is something most folks already do. So, how about it, do you weigh your salt?

This is a great idea!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

What scales are you all using?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

What scales are you all using?

I use this one now. Sleek, cheap and takes AAA batteries, so it doesn't use coin cells and I can use my rechargables in it. Before that I used a cheap $10 scale from Walmart, which was still reasonably accurate and worked just fine. It was just a bit ugly and bulky. I actually still have the Walmart scale as a backup since I use the scale with almost every meal I cook.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

What scales are you all using?

I use a digital scale I got from harbor freight.

 

[Greybeard]

I don't really have any idea how much water I'm mixing up this time. I've got a 55g barrel for water changes. When I do a water change, I generally leave whatever water is left over in the barrel, and add RO/DI water until the barrel is somewhere near full. Note, I didn't empty it, and have no way of knowing how much salt water was in the bottom. So... there is some salt already present. How much? 5g? 15g? Who knows. It varies every time. I also don't have any way of knowing what 'full' is... it's certainly not 55g, and I don't always fill to the same level, it'll vary by several inches.

Measure the dry salt? In relation to what? Don't know what my target volume is, no way to know what my target salt weight should be.

I use a refractometer. Until a year or so back, that device was calibrated every few months with RO/DI water... Randy Holmes-Farley pointed out the error in my ways, and I now do a 35PPT test fluid calibration, at about the same frequency. Honestly, I rarely have to adjust it, it's more a verification than calibration. Dump in salt, wait 20 minutes or so under circulation to let it fully dissolve, and test. A bit low? Add a little more salt. Been doing this long enough that it usually only takes me 1 or 2 additions, and I rarely overshoot.

 

[vic5hands]

Use 21 cups for my 50 gallon approx brings me to 35

 

[AdamNC]

1.6lbs of Red Sea Blue Bucket make me 5 gallons at 1.025sg.

 

[Burrito]

anyone know how far up a 5g Home Depot bucket 5 gallons is?

 

[NY_Caveman]

What scales are you all using?

I use a kitchen type scale mostly. Pretty cheap one. I also have a small jewelry scale I used for weighing small amounts of dry chemicals for making solutions. It weighs to 0.01 grams. It was about $50.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

anyone know how far up a 5g Home Depot bucket 5 gallons is?

The second rib from the top is as close to 5 as you need.

Top rib for lid. Next rib 5g.

 

[timfountain]

Yes, always. 700g x 5 with 26.5G or RODI gives me an SG of exactly 1.024 at 76F. I don't even measure the TDS anymore....