Anyone in NW Jersey Village area have a refractometer (1 Viewer)

[trb]

that could test my water sometime tomorrow?

My corals have not been looking that good, so I took some water to Aquarium World for a water test, and they said my salinity was about 1.031, everything else they test for was OK. And my nitrates were only about 5, where I've been testing them at about 10-20 or more. I've been using a hydrometer and mixing the salt to 1.025. I guess I'll order a refractometer, but I would like a second opinion tomorrow before I start lowering the salinity.

Thanks,

Thomas

 

[flexrac]

when you do a mix, how many gallons are you mixing and how much water do you actually change? 5 gal, 10 etc. what's your salinity after you remove the desired amount for your change?

 

[krjackso]

ha. its funny you say that. I actually took my water there to get tested today too, and they told me my water was 1.030. My hydrometer says 1.025. Not saying that my hydrometer is correct or precise, but that is a huge disparity either way. So I asked the guy to let me look through and read the hydrometer for myself, and it did read 1.030. So I dont know whats up. Please let me know when you do end up getting a second opinion please. I am curious, because then I could just calibrate my cheap hydrometer off of the difference.

 

[trb]

Yes, krjackso, that's why I was wondering, before I go crazy and drop the salinity if it is indeed correct. Yours is about .005 different too, like mine.

Felix, most of the time I mix either 15 or 30 gallons and swap out that much. I check the salinity with my hydrometer and match it to the tank, which has been reading about 1.025-1.026. That way I know they are just about the same, but if the hydrometer is off by .005, then everything is off too.

Now that I think about it, it has taken a bit more salt than the "prescribed" 1/2 cup per gallon to mix it up to 1.026. I usually get about 1.023 with 15 scoops, so I add a couple more.

 

[trb]

Well, Duston, DGTG, just left and with his refractometer he confirmed the salinity at about 1.030-1.031. SO it looks like I will be diluting the water over the next several days to bring it down. I cleaned my hydrometer and it now reads about 1.027, so I need to get the salinity down to about 1.021 or 1.022 or so on my hydrometer.

Thanks Duston!

 

[krjackso]

Well thanks for the update. How strange is it though that we both had the same problem, on the same day, and off by the same amount!? Very strange. Looks like I will calibrate my readings on my hydrometer down by about .05 too. Off to do some water changes. Thanks.