Okay I am about to pull my hair out trying to understand Salinity and the effect temperature has on it. Here is my situation. Ideally I would like to run my reef tank between 34 and 35 ppt I keep the temperature of the tank between 78 and 78.5. My room temperature is around 70 degrees.
Now onto my refractometer it is made by red sea. The instructions for calibration say I need to calibrate it using RO water when room temperature is between 71.6 and 77(converted Celsius to Fahrenheit).
I have some calibration fluid and ro di water and if I calibrate using either they back each other up both are left sitting in the same room as the refractometer so I would guess they are around room temperature. Unfortunately the refractometer doesn't seem to hold the calibration and is off by about three points the next day so I need to calibrate every day I plan to use. I got another one same brand and it does the same thing.
So now onto measuring my water. I have made up a batch 100 gallons of water it is heated up to my around my tanks temperature 78.5.
Now I understand temperature and salinity are bound not sure the math behind it but that a change in temperature will change salinity reading. So how to I compensate for the difference of temperature of what I calibrate at which is slightly outside of spec and test at versus the temperature I keep my tank at? Also when I test do I need to pull a sample from the tank and allow it get to room temperature? It says it does automatic temperature compensation and to use it in temps between 15-35 Celsius. So I think I'm okay to just put a few drops on the refractometer and let it sit for a minute and take the reading. My biggest concern is that I have to calibrate it daily and the room temperature is below the low point for calibration so I am not getting correct readings.
Now onto my refractometer it is made by red sea. The instructions for calibration say I need to calibrate it using RO water when room temperature is between 71.6 and 77(converted Celsius to Fahrenheit).
I have some calibration fluid and ro di water and if I calibrate using either they back each other up both are left sitting in the same room as the refractometer so I would guess they are around room temperature. Unfortunately the refractometer doesn't seem to hold the calibration and is off by about three points the next day so I need to calibrate every day I plan to use. I got another one same brand and it does the same thing.
So now onto measuring my water. I have made up a batch 100 gallons of water it is heated up to my around my tanks temperature 78.5.
Now I understand temperature and salinity are bound not sure the math behind it but that a change in temperature will change salinity reading. So how to I compensate for the difference of temperature of what I calibrate at which is slightly outside of spec and test at versus the temperature I keep my tank at? Also when I test do I need to pull a sample from the tank and allow it get to room temperature? It says it does automatic temperature compensation and to use it in temps between 15-35 Celsius. So I think I'm okay to just put a few drops on the refractometer and let it sit for a minute and take the reading. My biggest concern is that I have to calibrate it daily and the room temperature is below the low point for calibration so I am not getting correct readings.
