Salinity swings

[aerotiy]

I have been measuring my salinity using a refractometer and my readings have been between 1.024-1.025. I'm trying to keep it as consistent as possible and watching for evaporation but I haven't really seen any so I don't know why it moves around. I was looking at getting a digital refractometer so I wouldn't have to squint at the tiny lines and take my best guess as to where exactly the salinity is, but on the product page for the Milwaukee seawater refractometer it says it's accuracy is +/- 0.002 s.g.

 

How am I supposed to get an accurate reading every time and to what extent does a 0.001 swing affect my tank critters?

 

Thanks

[seabass]

1 minute ago, aerotiy said:

... to what extent does a 0.001 swing affect my tank critters?

Very little.

 

3 minutes ago, aerotiy said:

I'm trying to keep it as consistent as possible and watching for evaporation but I haven't really seen any so I don't know why it moves around.

Top off to a fill line.

[Clown79]

Make a mark in an area not very visible on the tank, when the water evap,  top up to that line.

 

Top up every day manually or get an ato

[flatlandreefer]

IMO an ATO is one investment that is a no brainier especially with a nano tank, they really are not that expensive and you wont regret it.

[Lugmos12]

What I do is that I use my heater to measure my "water line"; so the moment the top of my heater is visible I add some water. I usually keep  1 gallon of RO/DI nearby just in case. I usually have to top off about 2-3/week. Temperatures are getting colder here so I don't see a lot of evaporation.

[aerotiy]

I was doing a little bit of research into the ATOs but not sure which one to buy. Tunze osmolator Nano or AutoAqua smart micro?

 

I’m also noticing my protein skimmer filling slowly with water so I’m gonna assume that’s taking salt with it as well.

[scurvy dawg]

33 minutes ago, aerotiy said:

I was doing a little bit of research into the ATOs but not sure which one to buy. Tunze osmolator Nano or AutoAqua smart micro?

 

I’m also noticing my protein skimmer filling slowly with water so I’m gonna assume that’s taking salt with it as well.

I have the Autoaqua smart micro ATO and love it.  It's super small, reliable, and has nice built in safety features.

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, Lugmos12 said:

What I do is that I use my heater to measure my "water life"; so the moment the top of my heater is visible I add some water. I usually keep  1 gallon of RO/DI nearby just in case. I usually have to top off about 2-3/week. Temperatures are getting colder here so I don't see a lot of evaporation.

That's what I do too!

[seabass]

3 hours ago, aerotiy said:

not sure which one to buy. Tunze osmolator Nano or AutoAqua smart micro?

The Tunze Osmolator 3155 is better than the Osmolator Nano 3152.