Salinity struggle is real!

[flatlander93]

I have tried most options for messing salinity in my 32 gallon reef. I bought the calibration fluid and have been relying on a handheld Refractometer. According to it my water is 1.026. Great! I read a lot of reviews for cal fluid and they seem poor for the one I have which is brightwells. So, I bought a tropic Marin hydrometer. It reads at 1.029. Is it possible for these things to be off from the factory? I’m quite frustrated. I do feel that since I have elevated levels for calcium and mag it’s possible. What would you all believe?

 

[sc50964]

Hydrometers are rarely accurate to the 3rd digit after the decimal pt

 

[Pod_01]

What would you all believe?

I would follow TM hydrometer.

I hope it is this one, the huge torpedo. If it is some small type not so much.

I had zero success with refractometers. Five readings in a row gave me 5 different results, very different results.
Some success with salinity probe on GHL P4 but that also likes to bounce around.

Good luck on your salinity journey.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Personally, 1.026 or 1.029 would not stress me out. So I would call this issue annoying rather than truly problematic.

I would suggest getting a good calibration solution. My favorite is the TLF Accurasea. I like this solution because it is not some brine solution it is actual Sea Water that is Micron-filtered and treated with UV. With many calibration solutions, the conductivity may be 35ppt but the SG will not be 1.026 because the solution is not made with seawater it is made with lab chemicals.

https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RTL50700

You can then test both devices against this known standard and see what they read. They may be off or they may agree. With the Hydrometer you will just need to note that it is off by say + or - 1 and then add or subtract that from what it reads.

 

[flatlander93]

It’s is the big torpedo version and I bet it would take a lot of calibration fluid to check that monster for accuracy. It seems that it’s a big difference to me. I would like it to be at nsw levels. Not sure what u mean that they aren’t accurate to the third decimal. I thought that was the point of the hydrometer. ‍

 

[Pod_01]

It seems that it’s a big difference to me.

I am with you but there are some that run successful reef tanks at elevated salinity:

!!!HIGH SALINITY, AM I A ONE MAN GANG? OR ANYONE ELSE IN??

Not so curiously, this is another one of those subjects that I seem to find myself and explaining and repeating more often than others. Anytime I'll send over some system param's if someone ask's, the very first response, and usually alarmingly so, goes "Whoa! is that a typo, or do you really...

www.reef2reef.com

My suggestion, pick a number and try to stick with it. Also pick a device that you trust.

It’s is the big torpedo version and I bet it would take a lot of calibration fluid

Yup agreed 100%, getting calibration fluid for that torpedo is $$$.
There might be a DIY solution but I suspect you would need lab grade scale so still $$$.

 

[jda]

Floating hydrometers can be accurate if you take out tank water into another container with perfectly still water and then still be able to read them right.

 

[brandon429]

For more than ten years my scratched up oceanic swingarm is perfection

Occasionally benched by lfs refract it reads .024 when the real reading is .023, harmless

Why do you guys pay for this expensive gear you can't trust without calibration fluid, misreads, more than one kit to verify

Nobody is keeping basket stars where this would matter

This is one thing 1996/86/76 got way better than today's tech

Refracts are expensive crapola

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have tried most options for messing salinity in my 32 gallon reef. I bought the calibration fluid and have been relying on a handheld Refractometer. According to it my water is 1.026. Great! I read a lot of reviews for cal fluid and they seem poor for the one I have which is brightwells. So, I bought a tropic Marin hydrometer. It reads at 1.029. Is it possible for these things to be off from the factory? I’m quite frustrated. I do feel that since I have elevated levels for calcium and mag it’s possible. What would you all believe?

Tropic marin is one of the best and most accurate from what I saw more than once when demonstrated

 

[flatlander93]

I feel there are a great deal of variables in a reef tank. The more variables I can change to constants the better I can manage any issues in the tank. This explains some things I am dealing with and it’s worth getting things as close and repeatable to me as I can.

 

[00W]

Yeah....
Don't beat me up.
All I've ever used.
Don't know how long I've had this one.
Longer than my kids?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have tried most options for messing salinity in my 32 gallon reef. I bought the calibration fluid and have been relying on a handheld Refractometer. According to it my water is 1.026. Great! I read a lot of reviews for cal fluid and they seem poor for the one I have which is brightwells. So, I bought a tropic Marin hydrometer. It reads at 1.029. Is it possible for these things to be off from the factory? I’m quite frustrated. I do feel that since I have elevated levels for calcium and mag it’s possible. What would you all believe?

Is that 1.029 a temperature corrected reading? What was the water temp when reading it?

 

[vtecintegra]

Go with the hydrometer, but use this to adjust for temp: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/SalinityCorrection.php

Hydrometer is calibrated to 77F. I set my tank to 1.0264 with the hydrometer, and icp came back at 1.0263. Dead on for all intents and purposes. I've had my share of bad calibration fluid and drifting refractometers, so I only trust hydrometer.

 

[flatlander93]

I did temp correct. Now I just need some help on how much to lower salinity a day.

 

[Dbichler]

Take a cup out from dt add rodi water instead of saltwater all the way down to 1.025 and your good going down won’t hurt anything in my experience. Going up fast on the other hand will cause issues.