Testing Salanity

[psycho-killer]

hi there,

i got an floating hydrometer for a while now that seemed to work ok, last week i bought another cheapy and it gave me a diff reading, the 1 says 1025 the other 1030. and then i bought an expensive Tropic Marin quite a large tester and it says its higher than 1028 wich one to believe ? probally the Tropic Marin ? im waiting for a refractometer as well,but dont want to lose corals or fish before then ? should i use RO/DI water and bring the salanity down to 1025 on the Tropic Marin tester ?

 

[Colin_T]

take them both to the LFS and compare a sample of your tank water with both hydrometers and the shops hydrometer or refractometer.

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Best thing is to get a refractom as it make adjusting the salinity so much easier. In the long run, if you are making your own salt water it will pay dividents and save you trips to the LFS. I have had an aqua medic for the past 3 years and its has never failed me yet

 

[SkiFletch]

Actually, your best bet is to make your own calibration solution with a known volume of salt and water and then check your measuring devices against that calibration solution .

*hint, marine chit chat section, stickies, realm of knowledge, page 2*

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Actually, your best bet is to make your own calibration solution with a known volume of salt and water and then check your measuring devices against that calibration solution .

*hint, marine chit chat section, stickies, realm of knowledge, page 2*

Ski, Cant agree more with you on that one, the bit around owning your own kit, is that by using your own kit you should get consistant results even if the kit is slightly out. Your not going to believe this but I was trading in a coral at my LFS at the weekend and a couple turned up with tank water in a old shampoo container, which the shop guy refused to test as there were bubbles in the sample when he shuck it up!

I appreciate everyone is running to a tight budget (me included) but I would rather get good basic equipment, TDS meter, RO unit, Refractometer etc than go rushing into getting the tank stocked.