refract calibration

[Jej34]

So I'm nothing thrilled on how my corals look so I check all the parameters

Am 0
Trites 0
Traces 0
Phosphates .027
Mg 1280
Alki 7.3
Calcium 440

All pretty good, alkalinity a bit low.

So I'm thinking, man, I use a refract and all. What's the deal!

Figure I run to the LFS and get calibration fluid for the refract ( no one at the store ever told me about that fluid, I've been using Rodi to calibrate for the 10 months the tanks been up)

I find, after calibrating, what I thought was 1.025 was actually 1.023!

Will now adjust salinty slowly and see what the corals do.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My only comment is that the salinity increase will boost all of the test results in your list, and I 'd go past 1.025 to 1.026 or so, but you'd not likely notice the difference in the creatures since they are very adaptable.

 

[Jej34]

Do you think 1.0225 could be a reason why the Corals weren't doing great?

T5 lights
30x turnover

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Probably not by itself, but it can only help to raise it.

 

[tcarter1936]

This may not be the source of your problem .however it's a good lesson to every one in the hobby, is lacked on calibratING mine for awhile and what I thought was 1.026 was 1.031 ,alot of corals suffered and took awile to be happy again. As randy stated our inhabitants are very adaptable so I suspect my change in calibration happened quickly. I remember having to raise my salinity shortly before which should have been a red flag lol.
I also recently checked my dates on most my salifert test kits and found some were out of date. My replacement kits were getting different results. Accuracy is key.

 

[Jej34]

Yep! Also, I believe the local fish stores should inform someone new, walking into their store and dropping 800.00 to get started, that a $2:00 bottle of calibration fluid is needed. Of course it's the responsibility of the newbie to do his research as well

 

[cmcoker]

Yep! Also, I believe the local fish stores should inform someone new, walking into their store and dropping 800.00 to get started, that a $2:00 bottle of calibration fluid is needed. Of course it's the responsibility of the newbie to do his research as well

I checked around several of my lfs for calibration solution, and all of them look at me like I was crazy, "you just need distilled water, that's what we use". Even when I started asking for probe calibration solution...
Ended up using diy KCl solution

 

[tcarter1936]

It's always best to calibrate closer to the range you want your instrument to read. Why would anyone want to calibrate a refractometer to 0 when your looking to consistently read 1.026. I take in all advice and then compare to what I know or have learned elsewhere. Beware that some people just like to give advise even when they know they don't have a clue.

 

[Jlobes]

i always test my refract, EVERY time I use it, sometimes more than once, just to be sure!

 

[Dekon]

I calibrate mine every time I use it now. Mine caused a tank crash, I thought my SG was 1.025 when it was actually 1.031.

 

[Jej34]

Youch!

 

[Jej34]

I checked around several of my lfs for calibration solution, and all of them look at me like I was crazy, "you just need distilled water, that's what we use". Even when I started asking for probe calibration solution...
Ended up using diy KCl solution

Lol, gotta love it!