Marine Help Please.

[johny690]

Hi im in the process of setting a marine fish tank up have got coral sand as bottom covering and mixed water with Aqua safe for marine that treats the chlorine and heavy metals in the water and mixed salt into water too. I know I have to test the salt level before i even think about putting fish in it but im not sure how to use the kit i have for it can anyone give me any advice on how to use it, the equipment i have got is a Aqua Medic Portable Refractometer. Have attached some pictures of it. Does anyone know how to work it and where i need to read between? Thanks

 

[seastaar88]

refractometers will give you a very accurate salinity reading. they're super easy. all you do it put a few drops of your water on the glass (the flat piece of glass on the left side of the one in your pic). most have a little cover to put over the water. hold it up to any light you have in your home and loko through the eye piece. usually, on one side will have the reading in parts per thousands (you'll want between 31 and 35 ppt) and the other side will give the reading in specific gravity (like 0.125 etc).

 

[Fishchaser]

i think you shouldnt have got that you can got smaller cheaperthings that will tell yuo quickly and accurately for $5 and you cant not know how to work them

thats my opinion but im sure it will work even better than that but its just more expensive good luck on the tank im hopin to start one to put on some pics of the tank

 

[KahluaZzZ]

that's exactly what we should all get...the inaccuracy of some hydrometers are awful . This is the real thing..good buy

 

[1979camaro]

a refractometer is an excellent tool fishchaser...and as seastarr (edit: and kahluazzz) said it is very quick. the swivel arm and floating hydrometers you refer to are nowhere near as accurate.......

 

[seastaar88]

swivel arm and floating hydrometers you refer to are nowhere near as accurate.......

they're absolutly garbage. they make a better coaster!! hehehe. refractometers are 100% worth their price. when it comes to SW tanks, you need to be accurate since fluctuations will stress fish (espcially more sensitive ones).

 

[johny690]

Thanks

Thanks have a reading of about 20ppt so will add more salt. thanks again

 

[seastaar88]

no problem!!!!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Make sure to let the salt mix around in there good before you test again. Good luck!

 

[johny690]

Will do going to leave it til tomorrow now then tet it again. Thanks for all the help. It doesnt seem to be as clear as fw ones get.

 

[KahluaZzZ]

i use a powerhead ( ex seaclone powerhead ) to mix the salt. Altough i let it sit 1 day and more sometimes, the salt dissolves very fast. You could try that

 

[johny690]

I have got a biolife filter which pumps a lot of air into the tank aslo i have a skimmer working on it. This is my first marine tank so need all the advice i can get. Thanks

 

[FroggyFox]

Reading helps a lot when you're starting out with SW...mine took a few days to clear up completely the first time (actually like a week or so while the LR was curing etc) but then every time I do a water change now there's a little bit of cloudy, but it mixes within a few minutes.

 

[dbacksrat]

how long should you let salt mix? I only let mine mix for about 3 mins, test with my refractometer (rarely), and then add it to the tank (only 3 gallons at a time)--is there any problem with that?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

wetwebmedia suggest couple of days, altough i think it's too much. Couples of hours with a powerhead is good enough.
If i let it mix for 3 mn, i would get salt at the bottom of my bucket and FW at the top. The hydrometer would be useless.
I think the saltwater density change with temperature so it might be good to always check the salinity when it's the same temp as the tank.

 

[wayne]

I let mine sit a day. It gives it time for the salt to dissolve, some chemical reactions to take place and to then absorb CO2 from the air so the pH balances up. In emergencys I've had the time down to an hour, but I wouldn't go any less than that, and wasn't comfortable.

FWIW Refractometers are very nice, but so are lab grade hydrometers - while swing arms are indeed rubbish I would bet money my 25 dollar hydrometer is better than any refractometer you can get for under a hundred bucks, although both are perfectly accurate.
Always remember neither measure salinity directly, it's an indirect measure with a degree of inaccuracy/slop