Specific gravity perfect before adding live sand

[Heyitslauren]

Help! I mixed all my water in my tank (40 gallon) specific gravity was right where I wanted it. Let it mix for a couple days. Heated it properly and left the power head on. I added the live sand and everything changed. I let the sand settle all night tested it again today and the specific gravity is still so low. Now I’m trying to mix in more salt and the specific gravity is still barely budging. Tell me what the best way to do this would be pleaseeee

 

[DancingShark]

Welcome, what are you using to measure it.

 

[cracker]

hello, is the water still a little silty? You will like it at R2R. There are lot's of friendly knowledgeable people here

 

[redfishbluefish]

Could be a couple things...

You measured the specific gravity when the water was "cold" and then heated it. Cold water has a higher specific gravity than warmed water.

As already asked, what did you use to measure. Swing arm hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate.

Oh, and welcome @Heyitslauren to R2R.

 

[Heyitslauren]

It was already heated before I added sand for a couple days. so I don’t think it’s the cold. I am using a hydrometer. I’ll have to go get a refractometer.

Could be a couple things...

You measured the specific gravity when the water was "cold" and then heated it. Cold water has a higher specific gravity than warmed water.

As already asked, what did you use to measure. Swing arm hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate.

 

[redfishbluefish]

It was already heated before I added sand for a couple days. so I don’t think it’s the cold. I am using a hydrometer. I’ll have to go get a refractometer.

Let me clarify specific gravity of cool versus warm water. If I mix up my salt with water, with the water cool, and measure SG, I'll get maybe 1.030. By the way, best to mix new saltwater with cool water....the calcium portion dissolves better in cool water...kind of counterintuitive. So now I heat that water up to 78 F and take another reading and find my sg is now 1.026. Hope this is clear in what I'm trying to say.

 

[Heyitslauren]

Let me clarify specific gravity of cool versus warm water. If I mix up my salt with water, with the water cool, and measure SG, I'll get maybe 1.030. By the way, best to mix new saltwater with cool water....the calcium portion dissolves better in cool water...kind of counterintuitive. So now I heat that water up to 78 F and take another reading and find my sg is now 1.026. Hope this is clear in what I'm trying to say.

Ahhh I see what you’re saying now!! Thank you that definitely helps. I’m going to continue to check over the next couple of days. But it seems to be good now