holy cow!!! I just recieved my refractometer and im blown away it says my salinity is at 1.005 but my hydrometer is saying 1.025. Any suggestions, should i drive it up fast or a little at a time, maybe go to my lfs and test it on their water. Thanks in adavance
Salinity
- Thread starter Ken C
- Start date
- Tagged users None
First I would check to make sure that the refractometer is calibrated and accurate (this can be done with calibration solution or just use RODI for a fast and crude method) and if it is, I would very slowly raise the salinity. You could do this by by simply doing water changes that have the correct salinity. How big is the tank?
Willz
Valuable Member
As others have said, check the refractometer before you make any changes.
My favorite method to correct low salinity is to add via ATO. Seems to be gradual enough not to shock anything. Of course, I'm usually correcting like 0.003 or less off.
If it turns out your salinity really is that low I don't know how anything has made it, but you would probably want to get it up quicker than an ATO.
Good luck.
Willz
Valuable Member
Automatic Top Off used to add water as it evaporates. Do you just keep fish?
Great idea but yea as you mentioned, with this large of a change it could take a very very long time to get it up high enough. ATO is the method I use when its off just a little bit
jenreefer
Well-Known Member
Do nothing until you figure out what the true salinity is. Then go very slow and steady. Nothing good ever happens fast in marine aquariums (only bad stuff
) What are you keeping in the tank right now? Foxface, file fish, blenny, damsel, maroon clown, cleaner shrimp, some snails, and hermitsDo nothing until you figure out what the true salinity is. Then go very slow and steady. Nothing good ever happens fast in marine aquariums (only bad stuff
alyee5
Active Member
+1...seems odd that you are measuring so differently....the refractometer calibration solution I use is 35ppt or ~1.026...make sure you aren't calibrating the refractometer to 1.000 if you are using a similar solution. Here is the calibration solution I use...
Do nothing until you figure out what the true salinity is. Then go very slow and steady. Nothing good ever happens fast in marine aquariums (only bad stuff
Willz
Valuable Member
Take your refractometer and some of your water to your LFS and let them test both. Your livestock would have been toast already if that measurement is right.
I am going to guess that the solution that came with it is plain i followed the directions and it said the set it at 1.000, maybe i need to order a different solution+1...seems odd that you are measuring so differently....the refractometer calibration solution I use is 35ppt or ~1.026...make sure you aren't calibrating the refractometer to 1.000 if you are using a similar solution. Here is the calibration solution I use...
alyee5
Active Member
Ok...I believe you...I am a still a newbie...I just would find it strange to buy a calibration fluid of 1.000 when you can use water (free 
)...also, it seems unusual to calibrate to a value not close to value you are trying to commonly measure...
)...also, it seems unusual to calibrate to a value not close to value you are trying to commonly measure...
