Shocked how far off it was!

[padi200]

So, after some discussion here, I decided to purchase a salinity monitor. The pinpoint monitor from American Marine seemed pretty good and I have been happy with their stuff in the past. So it came and I checked it again the calibration fluid. The monitor was right on and needed no calibration. UNFORTUNATELY, I can not say the same for my tank.

I had been using a swing arm hydrometer. It said my spec. gravity was 1023-1024.
The meter let me know it was really 1029!

WOW, that is a big difference.

Well, 130$ seems like a lot to spend on a meter compared to what the hydrometers cost.
But I wish I had done it a long time ago. When I look at how important salinity is and how much the fish and corals cost, I realize I was being foolish to trust an inaccurate swing arm hydrometer. I hope others who read this consider doing the same.

What’s next? Check my water temp with a GOOD thermometer. LOL

It pays to buy decent equipment, both in the long and short run.

Now, I wonder over what time period I should bring my SG to 104-1025? A few days?
A week?

Please let me know

 

[padi200]

Will try to get SG t0 1024-1025 , sorry about the typo above

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

thats why we always suggest using a properly calibrated refractometer .

 

[padi200]

that would have been ok too

that would have been ok too

That one have been ok too, just NO MORE SWING ARMS.

Sounds like a shirt or a bumper sticker

 

[padi200]

so how slowly do people think I should bring the salinity down?

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

.001 a day would be best IMO.

 

[padi200]

ok , will do, and since i can pick exact SG now, would you go for 1025 or 1026

 

[chatyak]

1.026

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

1.0264 is natural SW.

 

[jimbo78]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12975376#post12975376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kau_cinta_ku
1.0264 is natural SW.

not exactly. it changes down here all the time

 

[JEFFR259]

ok, speaking of refractometers, I've been told that they do not measure the salinity, just the ppt. My refractometer has salinity graduations in the scope as well as the ppt. Therefore, I wonder why I've been told they don't measure salinity, or am I just crazy?

Besides, what ppt should I shoot for? According to the refractometer, I run about 1.025-1.026 in the tank and around 34-35ppt. I do have a good ol glass float hydrometer, but that's usually used for mixing new water....

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12975404#post12975404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimbo78
not exactly. it changes down here all the time

OK so it is the average

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12975449#post12975449 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JEFFR259
ok, speaking of refractometers, I've been told that they do not measure the salinity, just the ppt. My refractometer has salinity graduations in the scope as well as the ppt. Therefore, I wonder why I've been told they don't measure salinity, or am I just crazy?

Besides, what ppt should I shoot for? According to the refractometer, I run about 1.025-1.026 in the tank and around 34-35ppt. I do have a good ol glass float hydrometer, but that's usually used for mixing new water....

35ppt is what most ppl shoot for. not sure where you heard that but most sg refractometers have both sg and ppt.

 

[jimbo78]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12975459#post12975459 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kau_cinta_ku
OK so it is the average

yeah, but the red sea for instance averages a good bit higher than that. close to 1.030 . i just thought it was funny that you put that 4 in 1.0264. that pretty precise :rollface: :lol:

 

[padi200]

The average ocean salinity is 35 ppt. This number varies between about 32 and 37 ppt. Rainfall, evaporation, river runoff, and ice formation cause the variations. .

 

[jimbo78]

Different oceans have slightly different specific gravities. The tropical Indo-Pacific has an average specific gravity of 1.022 - 1.025. The Caribbean has an average specific gravity of 1.023 - 1.026. The Red Sea has an average specific gravity of 1.028 - 1.035. The specific gravity changes in each area are due largely to rain fall

 

[Kootch]

I'm interested to know if your high salinity level had any negative effects.
Keep us posted after you lower it and let us know if you see any noticeable difference in growth rates, algea, etc.

 

[padi200]

I will do that. I should have had a clue when water from bags from LFS had such a different salinity whey I opned then to let things out. Usually, I try not to let the water get in my tank, but when it did, I could see it was a very different SG