Dumb Question...

causeidm

Member
I don't think so, I am pretty sure they are used to measure electrical current in your tank. Some people use them, some people don't, I personally don't see a use for one in my current setup.
 

causeidm

Member
who knows, it might be, maybe it uses a current to see how many ions or something is in the water. Haven't had chem in a long time, but I remember something about pure water not carrying an electrical current
 

robchuck

Active Member
My understanding of conductivity meters are that they measure the electrical current of water. Depending on the conductivity of the water, the amount of dissolved salts in a tank can be measured and converted to salinity.
 

spmnarciso

Active Member
I just read that it can be used to measure general hardness of the water. I like to know if its possible to use it to measure salinity or spG.
 

sammyg

Member
You can certainly use a conductivity meter to figure out salinity, and it would actually work quite well; you just need to calibrate it. Beware that it will measure not just NaCl but Mg, Ca, etc. You'd have to make up standards at various concentrations and construct a standard curve - classical scientific techniques but likely not worth the trouble unless the one you have is has some calibration built in.
 

sammyg

Member
What I really meant to say was that you could measure salinity but would have to know how much of the conductivity was due to other ions in the water, which would have to be done experimentally.
 
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