goldendreamer Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 i haven't been gauging the salinity in my display, as i use a specific line on the tank as my 'water level'. when i do water changes, i top off evap, then pull tank water, then replace to the line. for top offs, i always bring it back to its line. sooo, i checked it, just to be safe, and it was pulling a 1.0275 (NOT on a refractometer, but a fairly reliable seeming gauge). i must have used saltwater as a top off by accident, it's really the only thing that seems possible. (especially since i use ro by the gallon, so my topoff water and saltwater are distinguishable solely by an 's' on teh salt gallons) i mixed up a bunch of 1.0245 water, and i currently have a drip going at about a drop a second pulling the 1.0275 water out, and another drip (1/sec) putting the newer 1.0245 water in. i figured i will keep doing this until i get to 1.024 (i don't like to ride the upper lines w/o a refractometer, so to play it safe i am aiming for 23/24). i just don't know how slowly to bring it down. all tank inhabitants seem good (mushies and neon gobies) Link to comment
JGard Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 I had 1.035 at one point for an extended period of time, because of a hydrometer. But yeah, over the course of three water changes (putting in 1.020 water) it worked itself out. Link to comment
scarf_ace1981 Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 small and frequent water changes. no problem Link to comment
sheen Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 that's not so bad in the short run. your inverts will be fine. bring it down by diluting with topoff slowly. Link to comment
NEVER SATISFIED REFFER Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 mine went to 1.035, some lps showed stress and I knew something was wrong, no losses, but u need to adjust the tank very slowly over like a few days. Link to comment
wheelspin Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 i haven't been gauging the salinity in my display, as i use a specific line on the tank as my 'water level'. when i do water changes, i top off evap, then pull tank water, then replace to the line. for top offs, i always bring it back to its line.sooo, i checked it, just to be safe, and it was pulling a 1.0275 (NOT on a refractometer, but a fairly reliable seeming gauge). i must have used saltwater as a top off by accident, it's really the only thing that seems possible. (especially since i use ro by the gallon, so my topoff water and saltwater are distinguishable solely by an 's' on teh salt gallons) i mixed up a bunch of 1.0245 water, and i currently have a drip going at about a drop a second pulling the 1.0275 water out, and another drip (1/sec) putting the newer 1.0245 water in. i figured i will keep doing this until i get to 1.024 (i don't like to ride the upper lines w/o a refractometer, so to play it safe i am aiming for 23/24). i just don't know how slowly to bring it down. all tank inhabitants seem good (mushies and neon gobies) You seem to worry a lot to Not have a refractometer?! "reliable seeming gauge" have you actually checked this? My Deep Six was four low when compared to a refractometer.... Link to comment
goldendreamer Posted March 9, 2006 Author Share Posted March 9, 2006 You seem to worry a lot to Not have a refractometer?! "reliable seeming gauge" have you actually checked this? My Deep Six was four low when compared to a refractometer.... reliable in that it gives consistent reasons. as stated, i want my tank around 23/24 just in case it's off a little. i also had a good idea of what my water was before getting this new one, and it matched fine, so i don't think it can have a discrepency of more than 1. refractometers are just too expensive. seems like 50$ no matter how you cut it, and it just makes it a little easier. if i can get consistent readings over and over with the same water sample, then what is wrong with that? i don't really care if i think i'm at 1.023 when i'm really at 1.024, or even 25, as long as it is consistent. anyways, about adjusting my salinity, alll you guys seem to be saying is 'slowly'..... i know i have to go slowly, i am asking HOW SLOWLY? i mean should i try to drop it from 1.027 to 1.023 in a couple hours, a day, a couple days, what?!? Link to comment
Sea_Of_Treachery Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 your saying refractometers are too expensive and you go and buy a bunch of rocks for 100 or some fish /coral for 50$, when its one of the best investments you can make for your tank. everyone should have a refracto, those swing arms are completely useless, no matter how much you rinse them off, there will still be salt crud on it. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 It's not salinity your talking about...it's SPECIFIC GRAVITY. Salinity is measured in percentage....s.g. does not have parameters. SH Link to comment
reffer9391 Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Doing it in abbout 6+ hrs or more with be ok Link to comment
MrDumass Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 I actually have a hydrometer...when I test the water in the display of my nc 24g I get one reading and if I test in one of the chambers I get a completely different reading all together. I think I need a refractometer... Link to comment
goldendreamer Posted March 10, 2006 Author Share Posted March 10, 2006 your saying refractometers are too expensive and you go and buy a bunch of rocks for 100 or some fish /coral for 50$, when its one of the best investments you can make for your tank. everyone should have a refracto, those swing arms are completely useless, no matter how much you rinse them off, there will still be salt crud on it. they are not completely useless. some may be, but i have kept tanks for years without refractometers, so OBVIOUSLY they work, otherwise my tanks woudl have crashed immediately. all petty bickering aside, i view it like this. if i can take 3 readings, and get the same each time (there is definitely an art to using these thigns i have found), then although I do not know if it is accurate, i know it is consistent. as long as i occasionally make sure it is not far off track, i will be fine. even if it loses accuracy, it will do it over time, so there is no quick shock. some things i have found important while using these: 1) you need to clean it very well. i rinse mine *immediately* after each reading, not after each session of use. when i finish a session of use and it will be dried out, i clean it with water from my filtered unit, so there are minimal/zero deposits on it. 2) you need to be damn sure there are no air bubbles. with my current one, if i use a heavy knife to bang the thing, i can dislodge 100% of all bubbles 3) clearly, you need to fill it to the line properly 4) always get multiple readings to be sure it is consistent when i folllow those rules, i find that it works for me. i want a refractometer, it is just that i can't justify it. i mean i have no doubt that my system is working for me. i like the convenience/pinpoint accuracy of a refractometer, but i just cannot buy a product to replace one that i find to be working sufficientlym (btw whoever commented on salinity v. sg, that is my bad, i use the two interchangably despite knowing i cannot) Link to comment
kyle102565 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 my cheapo hydrometer is dead on with my refractometer. Link to comment
Seabiscuit Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 my cheapo hydrometer is dead on with my refractometer. I've never used anything but a hydrometer, and never had water problems (except for the initial cycling time when first setting one of the tanks up). Link to comment
goldendreamer Posted March 10, 2006 Author Share Posted March 10, 2006 my cheapo hydrometer is dead on with my refractometer. which model hydrometer do you use? i'd assume most hydrometers, especially neglected ones, lose accuracy over time. however, if used properly they seem to work just fine for most, and even as their accuracy falls off, it shouldn't hurt the consistency. if you check it every few months to make sure it isn't varying from a refractometer that much, and you use the same procedure every time you use it, even though it may not be accurate, you should have a good enough idea of how far it is off, and you should be confident that it is consistent enough for your livestock Link to comment
NYReef Posted April 15, 2006 Share Posted April 15, 2006 Anyone even midly serious about reefkeeping should invest $40 in a refractometer. It is a silly arguement that a swing arm hydrometer is a close replacement, its not. If you are keeping a "Sponge Bob" tank fine, all others spending literally thousands on equipment, live rock, fish and corals are being penny wise and pound foolish. Rationalize it all you want. Link to comment
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