Refractometer

[reefrealtors]

So I set my tank up with just the water and then waited close to a week to add two clownfish , maybe even under a week. I noticed my return pump was making a weird noise and it looked like the water was low , so I poured more SALTWATER to the top. But today I realized that I needed to top it off with the rodi water , so this time I poured a good amount of rodi water and it’s sitting a couple hairlines below 40 , I calibrated the refractometer a couple times to make sure it was working , I tested my salt water for when I do my water changes , and I had to add more water because it was showing well above 40 on the refractometer. So I added more water and it corrected to 35 where I’m trying to keep it . EVERYTIME I check the tank water tho , it doesn’t seem to be going down , at this point I’m not sure if the tank or the refractometer is accurate . Any tips ?

 

[Aquachristik]

As water evaporates the salinity goes up. You add salt-less, RODI, to reduce the salinity. This is best done with an auto top off system (ATO) to keep stability.

Also, are you checking the refractometer with 35 ppm calibration liquid?

 

[reefrealtors]

As water evaporates the salinity goes up. You add salt-less, RODI, to reduce the salinity. This is best done with an auto top off system (ATO) to keep stability.

Also, are you checking the refractometer with 35 ppm calibration liquid?

Yea I was watching that on the 5 minute series , I kept adding salt water to top it off a couple times at first but then today for the first time (it’s been probably around a week totals include the tank abs had a top off ) I topped it off with regular ro water, but it still reads just below 45

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I used to calibrate with tank water. Than i calibrated with a trusted lfs water. Calibration seawater fluid is the way to go!
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

No i used to calibrate with rodi water. Not tank water. Lol
Than i tried the trusted lfs water at 1.026. Like i said seatwater calibration fluid is best

 

[reefrealtors]

As water evaporates the salinity goes up. You add salt-less, RODI, to reduce the salinity. This is best done with an auto top off system (ATO) to keep stability.

Also, are you checking the refractometer with 35 ppm calibration liquid?

And yes I’m using the calibration fluid off the BRS website

 

[dedragon]

if you want to lower the salinity it is best to do a water change using water of the target salinity. If there arent corals and the tank is large enough, I might even take a gallon of tank water out and replace with rodi water.

 

[reefrealtors]

if you want to lower the salinity it is best to do a water change using water of the target salinity. If there arent corals and the tank is large enough, I might even take a gallon of tank water out and replace with rodi water.

I didn’t think of that , it seems like the water change would make since, but I think it’s barely coming on a week but only a couple days with clown fish and the dr Tim’s one and only

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

That dr. Tims stuff was absorbed into your water within the 1st 24hrs of you adding it.
D

 

[minus9]

If you have to shake well before using the calibration fluid, just throw it out. You should never have to shake calibration fluid for a refractometer. The only trusted fluid that I've ever used is made by Aqua Craft. Aqua Craft Calibration Fluid
Or you can make your own following RHF's recipe. Recipe
My advice, start pulling water out daily and replace with RO, as mentioned above. If you really want to go old school, try this. TM Glass Hydrometer
While you get your salinity back on track, take your time and really do your homework on keeping a reef tank. Watch all of the BRS series that you can. If you have fish in there, then you can bring the salinity down over a couple days, your fish will thank you. You can go down in salinity faster than you can raise it.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

The aqua craft is what i have and use
D