What salinity checking method result do I trust?

[Cmooreinor]

Hi all I have a question. I noticed my salinity was high in my last ICP test so I wanted to make sure my method of checking was accurate. I use a Hanna salinity checker. I calibrate it often and it shows my water at 35 ppt. I check using a refractometer correctly calibrated using a brand new bottle of Brightwell calibration solution and my salinity shows a little over 37.... what do I go by? And, is this a reason my corals have looked annoyed. Thanks.

 

[Cmooreinor]

Also... this is making me question Hanna checkers! Which sucks because I love them!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hello,

To be honest this is why I use the old coralife hydrometers for 30 years. What I can recommend is take your refractometer. First calibrate it with Rodi to zero. Take a reading of the tank. Then calibrate with your reference solution and calibrate. See what you get then and compare to icp. I would have a fellow reefer of LFS also test Just to be sure before making changes. An extra day or so to be sure is being safer than making a wrong change In salinity

 

[Rjmul]

As much as it pains me to say this, I don't trust the Hanna salinity checker. I'll trust my $25 calibrated refractometer.
Trust the refractometer

 

[Cmooreinor]

I am beginning to feel the same. I really thought The @Hanna Instruments was going to be my go to. I guess I will have to pick up a digital refractometer some time then. Thanks!

 

[Devaji]

interesting I was just wondering if the hanna salinity checker was worht the investment or not. i kinda like using the refractometer anyway guess i just stick to that.

 

[Krixic]

I have a hanna, brs refractometer and a coral life hydrometer. The coralife and the refractometer and within .001 of each other so that can come down to user error or microbubbles. My hanna reads .002-3 below the accual measurement (unless both my refractometer and my hydrometer are wrong). I sent in a icp test a few days back so I will know for sure then. The other thing is that my hanna consistently reads that amount over so I still use it but just to get a general number then use the refractometer to confirm.

 

[kartrsu]

I have the Milwaukee digital and I love it. Has been consistent for me.

 

[Krixic]

interesting I was just wondering if the hanna salinity checker was worht the investment or not. i kinda like using the refractometer anyway guess i just stick to that.

Its hit and miss. Some are good, others not so much. I found that mine was not so great. I bought it as my first salinity measurment tool and got the refractometer and coral life after some suspicions that the hanna may be inaccurate.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

My old floating hydrometer seems to be the most accurate tool I've used

 

[Daddy-o]

Kinda going through the same thing here. I sold a frag to a guy yesterday and he texts me that my salinity is 1.028 So I check my refractometer and the calibration fluid shows 1.026 and my reef shows 1.026 I figured it was the other guys test that was wrong, but he had it double checked today at 2 LFS and he says his unit is spot on. I purchased a new unit that will be here in 10 days. I guess in the mean time I will drag it over to another reefers house and double check it.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Devaji]

man good to know. looks like I'll just stick to what I have then.
anybody know of the calibration fluid expires?

 

[Daddy-o]

man good to know. looks like I'll just stick to what I have then.
anybody know of the calibration fluid expires?

My fluid is at least 5 years old. I will find out tomorrow if it has degraded.

 

[Crabby48]

I use Hanna but keep my tank at 33 ppt and refractometer test 35. Either way I’m in a range that is ok

 

[X-37B]

I use a refrac. Also have a tropic marin floating and a swingarm.
If I get a weird reading I check with the TM floating.
Swingarm is acurate if you get all the bubbles off.
I just bought a new bottle of brs fluid for the refrac and it was reading 1.028 while all others read 1.026.
My old fluid is still 3/4 full and I will be using that.
I tested it at lfs and a friends and it still read 1.028.
Like all other tests its good to have more than one way to measure whatever you are testing imo.

 

[melanotaenia]

If comparing to Hanna, I would take the refractometer rating and use that.

 

[Kawiguy]

 

[Devaji]

out of my budget. sometimes I think we over complicate things with all this tech.
I used a swing arm for years just fine. maybe I should get one as a back up double check sorta thing.

 

[Krixic]

out of my budget. sometimes I think we over complicate things with all this tech.
I used a swing arm for years just fine. maybe I should get one as a back up double check sorta thing.

A refractometer and or hydrometer will be perfect. Unless you have ample amounts of cash laying around, I would not get a 500 dollar salt reader. Id much rather buy better lights, coral or fish with that money xD

 

[Luckyduck]

Hi all I have a question. I noticed my salinity was high in my last ICP test so I wanted to make sure my method of checking was accurate. I use a Hanna salinity checker. I calibrate it often and it shows my water at 35 ppt. I check using a refractometer correctly calibrated using a brand new bottle of Brightwell calibration solution and my salinity shows a little over 37.... what do I go by? And, is this a reason my corals have looked annoyed. Thanks.

I had an ICP test come back at 43ppt once! What??!! Yea no way. My corals looked fine and my refractometer had me @ 35ppt. I also use Brightwell calibration fluid. Re-calibrate every 2 weeks. Only thing I could think is some of the water evaporated from the sample tube leaving levels higher than they were in my tank. A handful of other things we ridiculously high as well. Next test 2 weeks later came right in @35ppt. So it's possible ICP was wrong but if your corals don't look happy it's possible you're devices are wrong. Have the LFS test for you.