I try to not ask for help unless absolutely necessary, but here it is.
I've been using a hydrometer (cue the comments) for quite some time, specifically the last month since I've rekindled my old flame with the reef hobby...I know it's heracy and sacrelige to even use the word hydrometer, and I should have known better, I KNOW!
We're beyond that now.
Fast Forward to this evening when I came home to find my new BRS (Bulk Reef Supply) refractometer at my doorstep (amongst a 200gallon box of reef crystals and gallon of kalkwasser)...and I decided to try it out immediately. Apart from being extremely difficult to read, this thing probably does the job quite well. I took a reading with my hydrometer for the sake of science...and it read the normal 1.0245 (between 1.024 and 1.025) SG and I was pretty happy as that is what I have come to expect after coming home to my new Tunze ATO that keeps my parameters while I'm slaving for the man.
I un box and calibrate this new fanged refractometer with the calibration solution at 1.026 SG...actually read the Please do not attempt to circumvent the auto censor manual...and now it looks like I'm getting a reading of 1.028 with my tank water...now I'm nervous. Am I missing a step?
I'm panicking right now...so my first step was to remove a few cup fulls of tank water and let the ATO compensate for the loss. How many times can I remove approximately a liquid measure cup from a 30 gallon tank in an allotted amount of time to get to the desired specific gravity of 1.024-1.025 without effecting my corals or inverts (assuming my two Mai tai clowns will only welcome the change in salinity).
Hold the comments about the hydrometer...I feel like an ************** for trusting such an archaic instrument, but it was really only supposed to be a temporary solution to a permanent issue. I knew better...but I did it anyway.
Thanks in advance.
-Uber Noob (again) Mike
I've been using a hydrometer (cue the comments) for quite some time, specifically the last month since I've rekindled my old flame with the reef hobby...I know it's heracy and sacrelige to even use the word hydrometer, and I should have known better, I KNOW!
We're beyond that now.
Fast Forward to this evening when I came home to find my new BRS (Bulk Reef Supply) refractometer at my doorstep (amongst a 200gallon box of reef crystals and gallon of kalkwasser)...and I decided to try it out immediately. Apart from being extremely difficult to read, this thing probably does the job quite well. I took a reading with my hydrometer for the sake of science...and it read the normal 1.0245 (between 1.024 and 1.025) SG and I was pretty happy as that is what I have come to expect after coming home to my new Tunze ATO that keeps my parameters while I'm slaving for the man.
I un box and calibrate this new fanged refractometer with the calibration solution at 1.026 SG...actually read the Please do not attempt to circumvent the auto censor manual...and now it looks like I'm getting a reading of 1.028 with my tank water...now I'm nervous. Am I missing a step?
I'm panicking right now...so my first step was to remove a few cup fulls of tank water and let the ATO compensate for the loss. How many times can I remove approximately a liquid measure cup from a 30 gallon tank in an allotted amount of time to get to the desired specific gravity of 1.024-1.025 without effecting my corals or inverts (assuming my two Mai tai clowns will only welcome the change in salinity).
Hold the comments about the hydrometer...I feel like an ************** for trusting such an archaic instrument, but it was really only supposed to be a temporary solution to a permanent issue. I knew better...but I did it anyway.
Thanks in advance.
-Uber Noob (again) Mike
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