Salinity needs raised

[vetteguy53081]

So i made my own water and got the salinity to 1.0125 which is good. I did a water change today. Took out about 4 gallons and put my own water in the tank. Seeing as i dont have any fish or coral in it, how long will it take to raise it to the proper level ? I dont plan on adding anything to it for another 2 weeks so i got time, or should i add something to it soon ? Like hermits and snails. Any help would be awesome, thanks.

1.012 is low. Target is 1.024. You can raise salinity BUT slowly by taking out a large cup of water and replacing with higher salted water.

 

[czoolander]

buy a refractomerter for salinity too. don't buy a digitial . I wasted 2 years on that and was getting false results

 

[Justinv201]

buy a refractomerter for salinity too. don't buy a digitial . I wasted 2 years on that and was getting false results

Ya i got a refractometer, and i made my new water at 1.125.

 

[Justinv201]

Ya i got a refractometer, and i made my new water at 1.125.

Sorry meant 1.025

 

[czoolander]

Sorry meant 1.025

Perfect

Also you will want to calibrate it with RODI water weekly to 0.000 just to be sure you are getting accurate readings

 

[ReefLife_Guy]

Sorry meant 1.025

Depends on your size tank, you can use the calculator @Erin1971Texas posted to figure out how many 4 gallon water changes it would take to change the salinity. But if there is nothing in the tank, you could just drain it all into a container and add salt until it reaches the salinity you want then add it back to the tank. Calculator is below again for reference:

Target Salinity Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Create a water-change schedule that can be used to reach a target salinity.

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[Dburr1014]

Perfect

Also you will want to calibrate it with RODI water weekly to 0.000 just to be sure you are getting accurate readings

No, this is wrong. Buy or make a calibration fluid and calibrate the refractometer to that.

 

[czoolander]

No, this is wrong. Buy or make a calibration fluid and calibrate the refractometer to that.

Umm I think you are wrong calibration fluid is for digital reader . I am talking about calibrating a refractometer. Everyone I know calibrates with RODI water .

 

[Dburr1014]

Umm I think you are wrong calibration fluid is for digital reader . I am talking about calibrating a refractometer. Everyone I know calibrates with RODI water .

Refractometers should always be calibrated with a fluid that is as close you can get to what your checking. Otherwise it could be way off.

 

[Dburr1014]

Refractometers should always be calibrated with a fluid that is as close you can get to what your checking. Otherwise it could be way off.

Here's a read for you @czoolander

Use calibration fluid they said!

So after seeing soo many reefers saying to use calibration fluid to set my refractometers I grabbed a bottle while I was at a lfs. Got home and made up a batch of water in a 5 gallon bucket. I don’t weigh anything, just drop pump and heater in and add a little salt, wait and check, add more...

www.reef2reef.com

salinity calibration confusion

I have 2 tanks, both with apex controllers. I also sent out ICP tests and received the results for both tanks. The difference in salinity reading from the apex (compared to each other) and the ICP vary pretty significantly. I do bi-weekly water changes on both tanks from the same mixed source...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[T-J]

Umm I think you are wrong calibration fluid is for digital reader . I am talking about calibrating a refractometer. Everyone I know calibrates with RODI water .

No, YOU are wrong.
There is calibration fluid for refractometers. NEVER use RODI to calibrate. You want to use a calibration fluid that is (typically) 35ppt.

 

[Dburr1014]

No, YOU are wrong.
There is calibration fluid for refractometers. NEVER use RODI to calibrate. You want to use a calibration fluid that is (typically) 35ppt.

Ouch, a little harsh. I'm just trying to correct some beliefs that are wrong. Didn't want to bash anyone. I used to think rodi was the way also but, these forums are a learning tool.

 

[T-J]

Ouch, a little harsh. I'm just trying to correct some beliefs that are wrong. Didn't want to bash anyone. I used to think rodi was the way also but, these forums are a learning tool.

Perhaps, but I feel it's justified at this point.
They gave out incorrect information. You corrected them. They then said that you were wrong. They then said everyone they know does it this (the wrong) way.
This is my way of doing what every mom has ever done by saying "If all of them jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?"
Yeah, sometimes I don't beat around the bush. What you consider "harsh" I consider "direct".

 

[ZombieEngineer]

No, YOU are wrong.
There is calibration fluid for refractometers. NEVER use RODI to calibrate. You want to use a calibration fluid that is (typically) 35ppt.

I can tell you from extensive testing, that while RODI is not ideal for calibrating a refractometer, it is pretty darn accurate and will get you within 1-2ppt. I have used RODI as sanity checks many times and it is always within 1-2ppt of a freshly calibrated refractometer.

If the OP has access to actual calibration fluid or has a high accuracy digital scale to make the calibration fluid in a manner that the calibration fluid itself has less than 3% error, then using that is preferable.

If the choice is wait a week for fluid or calibrate now with RODI, the answer is obviously use RODI and calibrate with real fluid later.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Perfect

Also you will want to calibrate it with RODI water weekly to 0.000 just to be sure you are getting accurate readings

Calibrate with calibration solution

 

[czoolander]

Calibrate with calibration solution

A: To calibrate a saltwater refractometer, you should first fill it with distilled water. You then need to set the desired range for your refractometer on the side of the device. Once this is done, you can start measuring salinity levels in your sample. How do you use a refractometer in a marine tank?

 

[czoolander]

No, YOU are wrong.
There is calibration fluid for refractometers. NEVER use RODI to calibrate. You want to use a calibration fluid that is (typically) 35ppt.
Everyone you know is wrong.
Not surprising. They tend to form herds.

Ill take the advice of reefers with 40+ years experience and multiple sites on the internet saying the same thing of distilled water but thanks for your opinion

A: To calibrate a saltwater refractometer, you should first fill it with distilled water. You then need to set the desired range for your refractometer on the side of the device. Once this is done, you can start measuring salinity levels in your sample. How do you use a refractometer in a marine tank?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

A: To calibrate a saltwater refractometer, you should first fill it with distilled water. You then need to set the desired range for your refractometer on the side of the device. Once this is done, you can start measuring salinity levels in your sample. How do you use a refractometer in a marine tank?

You don't "fill" a refractometer. Do you mean a swing arm hydrometer?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Ill take the advice of reefers with 40+ years experience and multiple sites on the internet saying the same thing of distilled water but thanks for your opinion

A: To calibrate a saltwater refractometer, you should first fill it with distilled water. You then need to set the desired range for your refractometer on the side of the device. Once this is done, you can start measuring salinity levels in your sample. How do you use a refractometer in a marine tank?

Distilled water is not preferable. It works in a pinch but only calibrates the zero and not the span. 1-2ppt error is common at 35ppt if using distilled or RODI. If you use calibration fluid that is 35ppt that error drops to 0.5-1ppt.

Works perfectly fine as a quick sanity check, but long term you are better off with proper calibration fluid.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ill take the advice of reefers with 40+ years experience and multiple sites on the internet saying the same thing of distilled water but thanks for your opinion

A: To calibrate a saltwater refractometer, you should first fill it with distilled water. You then need to set the desired range for your refractometer on the side of the device. Once this is done, you can start measuring salinity levels in your sample. How do you use a refractometer in a marine tank?

You are more than welcome to refuse to learn new things, but for others who might find this thread in the future, the correct way to calibrate a refractometer IS to use calibration solution, aka saltwater at 35ppt.