Help with SG

gmwilk

gmwilk

Member
i just got a 29 biocube three days ago. i added the water and salt..i got my sg at 1.024 and the next day i got LR and LS, the LFS said it was ok to put it in if i had the correct SG, i put the LR and LS in and i checked the SG it was still ok, i just checked it again and it is 1.019 what could have caused this could i have not cleaned the hydrometer enough? and should i add more salt to the tank directly or not?
 
jba6511

jba6511

Member
hydrometer are not always accurate. Get a refractometer from this website and get accurate readings. Seems like a big drop in S.G. Did you add any RO/DI water during this time to top off?
 
gmwilk

gmwilk

Member
i added about a cup full because the sump in the back was near the min mark but i didnt think that would have such a big impact
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
if its a swing arm they are notorious for being inacurate from a bubble catching the arm to salt build up if not completely clean etc..
or if the glass type it can be anything from out of temp to bubbles on the glass causeing it to rise etc..
the refractometers as mentioned above are the best and most accurat type of equipment to measure salinity and only cost around $40
Mike
 
miaheatlvr

miaheatlvr

Active Member
Originally Posted by gmwilk
i just got a 29 biocube three days ago. i added the water and salt..i got my sg at 1.024 and the next day i got LR and LS, the LFS said it was ok to put it in if i had the correct SG, i put the LR and LS in and i checked the SG it was still ok, i just checked it again and it is 1.019 what could have caused this could i have not cleaned the hydrometer enough? and should i add more salt to the tank directly or not?
DO NOT ADD SALT TO THE TANK DIRECTLY, Maye your swing arm hydrometer was dirty, down the road invest in a refractometer, you wont regret it. 2 things, you can wait for the water level to go down naturally from evaporation then when you top off, add prepared salt water instead of Reverse osmosis water, or you can syphon a little water out little by little and add prepared salt water, its your choice.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
I missed that part that mia answered always mix your water seperately from the tank it can kill anything that undisolved salt gets on.
mike
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
no it wont but I dont think its low. what temperature is the water now compared to the last time you checked it?
Mike
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
ok I dont think the salinity is off since you first set up the tank if anything if you didnt get the salt disolved 100% it would go up not down. I think your swing arm has went bad or has build up on the arm or in the casing either one. I would however get a refractometer before adding any livestock though so that you know exactly where the tank stands. some fish and inverts and very sensitive to salinity.
mike
 
gmwilk

gmwilk

Member
the salt not beind dissolved 100 can that affect my LR? i waited 24 hrs before i added the LR and and about 30 or so for the LS
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
no problem.
yeah but from everything that your saying I dont think that is a problem. I think your hydrometer is the problem with the SG right now.
Mike
 
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