mr_tap_water
Well-Known Member
When doing your next batch of Salt water why don't you take a sample to your local shop to compare, just for peace of mind.
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HELP! Perimeters are to high
- Thread starter MaryAnn
- Start date
SPR
Well-Known Member
As a matter of interest, if your doing the changes to get rid of hair algea what are your Nitrate and phosphates running at ? For example what were they 7 days ago and what were they today/yesterday after all those changes ?
It is rather unusual to have all these readings high all at once. It's possible but unlikely.
Are you really, really sure your water is at 1.024? In other words, has your refractometer been calibrated correctly?
I calibrate mine with 35ppt calibration solution and with RO/DI water. It better read 1.026 and 1.000 when I'm done.
1.024 - 1.026 is generally considered correct, but if your refractometer isn't properly calibrated, you'll be keeping the water either too high or too low.
As an example, lets say your water should be 1.025, but your refractometer is not calibrated correctly and reading 1.025 when the water actually is 1.030. That "small" difference will usually not hurt fish or corals as long as they are adjusted to it slowly, but it will skew your reading for calcium, alkalinity and magnesium by 20%.
As an example, lets say your water should be 1.025, but your refractometer is not calibrated correctly and reading 1.025 when the water actually is 1.030. That "small" difference will usually not hurt fish or corals as long as they are adjusted to it slowly, but it will skew your reading for calcium, alkalinity and magnesium by 20%.
I don't know for sure that your refractometer is not calibrated correctly. I suspect this is the case because the reading for calcium, magnesium and alkalinity are all reading high. This is unusual because these readings are indirectly related to each other. In other words if you increase one, it usually means one or both of the others will decrease. There is sort of a balance between them.
Here is an article that explains all this much better than I can (offsite) - http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry
Florida Sunshine
Member
If you are doing the water changes for nutrient export you are better off doing fewer larger water changes. I'm not saying do a huge change but instead of 10% a day try 30% twice a week or something. The reduction you get in nutrients all comes down to percentages. So as an example if your nitrates are at 40 and you do a 10% change they will be reduced by 4 and you will be left with 36. The next 10 percent change will reduce by 3.6 so you will have 32.4 etc. Whereas one 20% change will reduce that 40 down to 32. Depending on the size of your problem it can help a lot.
I usually do 30-40% water changes on my tank.
I usually do 30-40% water changes on my tank.
a good read... Refractometers and Salinity Measurement
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/
lots of us use this Salinity Calibration Fluid 1.026
http://www.marinedepot.com/American...arine_Pinpoint_Monitors-AM1437-FITECL-vi.html
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/
lots of us use this Salinity Calibration Fluid 1.026
http://www.marinedepot.com/American...arine_Pinpoint_Monitors-AM1437-FITECL-vi.html
MaryAnn
Member
Salinity Refractometer, Aquarium & Seawater -in Dual Scale (1.0 to 1.070 S.G.) by Agriculture Solutions
Salinity Refractometer, Aquarium &...
Delivered Feb 24, 2017
This is the one i just got and am using my salt was a little high i am bring it down slowly
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Salinity Refractometer, Aquarium &...
Delivered Feb 24, 2017
This is the one i just got and am using my salt was a little high i am bring it down slowly
Sent from my SM-G930R7 using Tapatalk
if your asking about the calibration fluid... it's just like testing your tank water now with your refractometer, only your are testing "lab salt water" at a know point 1.026 - so when you test it your refractometer should read 1.026, if it does not, you set it to read 1.026 and your good
Then test your tank water... and you will know what it "really is at"
When you test with the calibration fluid, if you read 1.026 - nothing to do
your refractometer is accurate, most have to be calibrated and adjust from time to time, I check mine & make small tweaks a couple times a year.
SPR
Well-Known Member
So after calibrating what was the salinity reading in your tank?
I have some calibration fluid as well at 35ppm but to be honest I've found 0 TDS RO water to be just as accurate on my Red Sea Refractometer. That's quiet fortunate as it needs calibrating before every use so I just check occasionally with the calibration fluid at 35ppm as well.
Also remember that temperature can affect the Refractometer readings as well so just read the instructions to see if you need to make any adjustments to take this into account especially were your based which I assume can get very warm.
mr_tap_water
Well-Known Member
I find I have to recalibrate mine every time I use it and as above found RO water just as good just add free droplets on the Refractometer and reset to the bottom line then wipe with a dry cloth then add three drops Salt water to get your reading.
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SPR
Well-Known Member
+1 that's exactly what I do every time.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
I've always used distilled water (like $1.50 from walmart or wherever) instead of RO water. As a young un, I was told to do that instead of RO. I don't know why.
Whatever works, though.
I do have the calibration water you get specifically for calibrating refractors, but it's pointlessly expensive, so I don't really recommend it per se.
Whatever works, though.
I do have the calibration water you get specifically for calibrating refractors, but it's pointlessly expensive, so I don't really recommend it per se.