Question about mixing salt.

S

Samcorp

New member
I am mixing salt water for my first time; not having too much luck. I just followed the directions (1 lb per 4 gallons of water) and I don't know exactly what a pound is but I just mixed 2 cups of salt instead. Then I put it in 4-6 gallons of water and put a hydrometer in it (this water is in a 14 gallon sump) but the hydrometer isn't even detecting a salinity level. Is the hydrometer broken? The arrow is pointing down as if nothing was in it.

Or should I just keep adding salt and messing around with it until it works?
 
DO some research. It sounds like your hydrometer has a stuck needled....Im assuming its the swing arm type....shake it when its empty...if the needle doesnt flop up and down when empty keep adding hot water and shaking it up and down.......

Sounds like someone let it dry without rinsing it with fresh water...
 
Has the salt completely dissolved? Did you stir the water?
Two cups in 4 g should be detected by the hydrometer.
The hydrometer should be taken out of the water when full.

The best way is to fill the water with RO or dechlorinated water (tap water contains chlorine and chloramine that will kill your fish and need to be eliminated with dechlorinating products such as Amquel before it can be used) mix the salt. Put a powerhead in the bucket to agitate the water, read specific gravity after several hours. Better overnight. make needed adjustment adding more salt or more water and wait some more. Do not use just mixed water because it will hurt your fish. It needs to be aged at least 12h.

I think if the hydrometer is not reading anything either you are not using it correctly or the salt has not dissolved yet.
 
Double check your test equipment. If you want to keep messing around with it, use an 8 ounce cup and add salt. This way if your calculations are off, you dont end up making gallons upon gallons of sw.

Invest in a refractometer. We spend too much money in this hobby to trust a hydrometer.
 
Well, the hydrometer is not stuck. I guess the salt is not dissolved enough. However, at this point, can I still put some live rock in it? This is just a test, nothing serious. The waters not in the 90 gallon tank, its in my 14 gallon sump (seperated). Also, I do have a powerhead agitating the water but the hydrometer isn't detecting anything.
 
Is the rock live? If it is and your salinity is not right, you will kill off any benificial bacteria on the rocks.
 
Well this is pretty annoying. Does anyone have any ideas of why the salinity isn't even being detected? Is the hydrometer supposed to have its arrow pointing down when its out of the water and then in the water also pointing down (so the arrow doesn't "float") ?
Also, the box says 1 lb per 4 gallons of water. How much is 1 lb of salt cup wise or gallon?
 
Swingrr is right. I figured it out! I put about half a cup more in totalling about 2 cups of salt and now the salinity is at 1.012 according to the hydrometer! I'm going to add more salt now. Thanks for all the help everyone! The float arm is not stuck, by the way. When it flip it upside down it does drop.

By the way, is the float arm supposed to be pointing upwards in the water and go down gradually as salt is increased or is it supposed to do the opposite, with the arm pointing downwards and rising as the salt increases? I'm asking this because mine was pointing downwards and as the salt increased the float arm moved upwards.

Thanks,

Sam
 
you should throw away the cheap float arm hydrometer it will be nothing but problems and will probably break within a few weeks..even with the vinegar baths and RO water cleaning i've had them crap out pretty quickly.. my adivce is obtain a glass float hydrometer or go the high end route and invest in a refractcometer
 
I've just recently decided to invest in a refractometer. Actually they are not that expensive. Less than $50 ob ebay or most online stores. Anyways, i'm scared to test my SG and find out how far i've been off for the last couple years.
 
Andrewk, after reading this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/index.php

I believe that they are accurate when you add/subtract the specific gravity to the temperature. In my case, i have a Marine enterprises hydrometer which is currently reading 1.023. I then multiply 3 (My temperature in the water is 80 degrees AND I ASSUME THAT THE CALIBRATED TEMPERATURE IS 77 DEGREES) times .0019 and add that to 1.023 to get the full specific gravity, around 1.024.

Is this a correct way of getting the true specific gravity ?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15372179#post15372179 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Samcorp
Andrewk, after reading this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/index.php

I believe that they are accurate when you add/subtract the specific gravity to the temperature. In my case, i have a Marine enterprises hydrometer which is currently reading 1.023. I then multiply 3 (My temperature in the water is 80 degrees AND I ASSUME THAT THE CALIBRATED TEMPERATURE IS 77 DEGREES) times .0019 and add that to 1.023 to get the full specific gravity, around 1.024.

Is this a correct way of getting the true specific gravity ?
Click to expand...

but why go through all that effort? like i stated before i have used the plastic float arm hydrometers in the past just decided after my experiences that they are worthless
 
002-5.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15371439#post15371439 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cbravo212
Double check your test equipment. If you want to keep messing around with it, use an 8 ounce cup and add salt. This way if your calculations are off, you dont end up making gallons upon gallons of sw.

Invest in a refractometer. We spend too much money in this hobby to trust a hydrometer.
Click to expand...

Took the words right out of my mouth...

Ditch the hydrometer... moving parts stick and lead to disaster...You can buy a decent refractometer on eBay or any of the online dealers...

Also, invest in a RO/DI filter system. I recommend that you NEVER put straight tap water anywhere near a marine aquairum. Amquel and similar products might be okay for a guppy tank, but are snake oil for a saltwater system, IMHO.

A wise old reefer once told me, "never put anything in your tank unless you know all of the ingredients, and have the ability to measure it in your water..."

Good luck.

LL
 
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