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Reef Crystals Reading 0 on gravity.


slevin007

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Hey all,

 

This is my first post.

 

I have an IM Fusion 40 that I am just setting up, using RO/DI water and getting ready to let the tank start cycling. My question is why am I getting 0 on my refract, and hydrometer.

 

Ive checked the gravity in the bucket before I transfer to the tank, wait a few hours and test the gravity, its good going in, but then it says 0....

 

Im stumped,

 

For reference, Ive used 2 separate hydrometers, 1 refract.

 

I appreciate any help.

 

Thanks

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Forget hydrometers. Stick w/ refractometers. Did you calllibrate the refractometer to read zero first for RO/DI or tap water?

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Somebody's gotta ask it. Did you remember to put the salt in?

 

He said it was 'good' in the bucket, but when transferred to the tank it reads 0. New one to me.

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Cencalfishguy56

 

He said it was 'good' in the bucket, but when transferred to the tank it reads 0. New one to me.

Do you think he added it to the tank directly? Lol

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From what I gathered, he mixed a fresh batch of saltwater in a bucket. tested it and it was 'good'. then added the water to his tank and now it reads 0.

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What was it reading in the bucket mixed before being poured in? Not enough info. Was the refractometer callibrated to zero or 1.026?

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12_egg_Omelette

0. Have you ever calibrated you instrument? Just because you get a reading doesn't mean it's a precise/accurate

1. Was the tank empty before you put the salt water in?

2. If the tank had water in it, what was the SG of the water in the tank?

3. How much water did you add to the tank?

4. How much water did you remove from the tank before adding the water from the bucket?

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Cencalfishguy56

What was it reading in the bucket mixed before being poured in? Not enough info. Was the refractometer callibrated to zero or 1.026?

Could be the issue, but even the hydrometer should have read something not 0

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This is why I insist my son take physics before leaving high school.

 

You either used the wrong bucket or you added just a little salt water to a tank filled with just freshwater. :)

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Sorry for the delay,

 

I calibrated the refractometer before I used it and I have used it before with great results on a few of my other tanks in the past. When I took a sample out of the bucket (really a 55 gallon drum, where I mixed the salt with RO/DI water) it was about 1.027. I also tested the water with the hygrometer and it came to about 1.026. I let the water sit with a small rio inside to make sure the water kept mixing and tested 2 more times, about the same result.

 

I then transferred the mixed water into the Fusion and tested it a little later, and the refractometer and hygrometer both read 0. I am lost.

 

This is not my first tank so this has me really confused, and I promise I took Physics LOL.

 

Additional info, the tank was completely empty before I added any water.

 

and I used a large drum (BPA free) (food grade) and mixed up about 40 gallons. Not all of the water made it into the Fusion, according to the measurements on the Drum, I placed about 36 gallons of Saltwater into the tank.

 

I appreciate everyone's help. I am stumped.

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A few things to add that I forgot to mention. Inside the tank is a Ghost Skimmer (not on yet), the 2 acrylic filtration caddy's that came with the tank, a Jabeo wave maker (on), and the pump in the filtration chamber (on).

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Very odd. Is it possible you dumped in a bucket of RO in to the tank instead?

 

Just to rule out instrument error (which is highly unlikely as you have 2 separate instruments giving similar results) - try cehcking salinity of the 55 gallon drum again and then the tank again.

 

If the drum reads 1.027 and the tank 1.000, there's no salt in the tank!

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I'll double check when I get home but I don't see how I could have messed this up. I only have the 1 drum and that's where I mix. But I wouldn't say it's impossible I messed this up. I'll double check tonight and post the results

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Does the water taste salty? I know, I know, not good to be tasting your water, but I would risk it since the tank is new.

 

In fact, the salt mix I use (ESV) mixes so clear I have tasted water to confirm it was RO/DI and it was actually salty! Now I use different style containers so I don't mix them up.

 

Really, there is no way your salt magically disappeared after mixing it. You had to dump RO/DI in there instead or someone drained the tank and refilled it with plain water.


I'll double check when I get home but I don't see how I could have messed this up. I only have the 1 drum and that's where I mix. But I wouldn't say it's impossible I messed this up. I'll double check tonight and post the results

 

Is it possible someone monkeyed with your tank? Maybe they dumped something in there by accident and drained and refilled it so you would not know? Any teenagers around that might have had a party or something?

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My suggestion would be to empty the tank 50% and fill it up again. Then test the SG.

 

I'm not sure what that will accomplish. I think we can assume the tank water is not salty. The refractometer and swingarm confirm. The OP said there were no other containers of water--he took from the mixing barrel right to the tank--so no confusion on his part.

 

I think somehow the tank got drained and refilled with fresh water. I would drain all the water, clean the tank well, and start over. Then I would find out who F'd with my tank and we would have a talk.

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Is it possible someone monkeyed with your tank? Maybe they dumped something in there by accident and drained and refilled it so you would not know? Any teenagers around that might have had a party or something?

 

That's a really good point, and one I had not thought about. Ill have to ask a few questions when I get home to see if anyone did anything. We have some relatives with us right now with a few young teenagers who have been extremely interested in the tank setup. I really hope they didn't do anything.

 

On a side note, I had some additional questions.

 

this is my first venture into a sub 100G tank and also my first all in one design. Does anyone have any input with the Fusion 40's. ive read around the forum and people seem to generally like it, not many seem to be using it however.

 

I also bought the Radion XR15w Pro, the RMS, a JBJ ATO, and a handful of other things. Ive never used the JBJ ATO, Ive always made my own. Any thoughts on the XR15

 

thanks again for all of this help, I really appreciate everyones time.

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12_egg_Omelette

CCJon if the tank is at 0 SG - if he drains half of it and then fills it with water from his stock solution of salt water that's at the right SG he should see a rise in SG of his DT. If he doesn't see a rise then it's some sort of reaction and that should be look at future.

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CCJon if the tank is at 0 SG - if he drains half of it and then fills it with water from his stock solution of salt water that's at the right SG he should see a rise in SG of his DT. If he doesn't see a rise then it's some sort of reaction and that should be look at future.

 

I understand what you are saying, but it doesn't make sense. The salinity didn't change (and cannot change) by some sort of reaction.

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That's a really good point, and one I had not thought about. Ill have to ask a few questions when I get home to see if anyone did anything. We have some relatives with us right now with a few young teenagers who have been extremely interested in the tank setup. I really hope they didn't do anything.

 

 

Teenagers can never be trusted. They will most likely lie about it though. You might have to get creative to get at the truth.

 

Separate them and play one off against the other. Get to the younger or weaker of the group first and try and get them to place blame on the older, bolder ones. Punish them all the same though...

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