I think i messed up my salt content

rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
So either im having a blonde moment right now or i have been for the last 4 months. I originaly bought a hydrometer that you stick 6 inches into the water and it fills up and the needle moves to whatever the salt content is, but it was kinda hit or miss with it and gave me different readings almost everytime. So i bought a floating hydrometer/thermometer combo, and its way better, but i guess its only as good as the user. there is a small green section on it that is supposed to be the "safe zone" but its not too accurate. When you all say your salt content is at 1.025, you actually mean 1.025 right? My hydrometer has increments of 2 and i keep my salt slightly higher than the first line past 1. So wouldnt that mean i actually have a salt reading of 1.25 instead of 1.025? Anf if so, is it dangerous to have it this high? My fish (1 yellow tail damsel) seems to be doing great, he hides about half the time, swims around in the open the other half. He eats anything i put in the tank, and i mean ANYTHING, dog hair even one time. All my inverts are alive and well, crabs molted (can only find 2 crabs the last 2 days) and my peppermint shrimp hides alot, but comes out everytime i feed. Am i not reading this hydrometer right or do i actually have a higher reading than i should?
 
canman

canman

Member
Ditch the hydrometer and buy a refractometer. They are 100% accurate and are not that expensive. You should be able to pick one up at any lfs.
 
nordy

nordy

Active Member
Originally Posted by RotaryGeek
http:///forum/post/2545740
So either im having a blonde moment right now or i have been for the last 4 months. I originaly bought a hydrometer that you stick 6 inches into the water and it fills up and the needle moves to whatever the salt content is, but it was kinda hit or miss with it and gave me different readings almost everytime. So i bought a floating hydrometer/thermometer combo, and its way better, but i guess its only as good as the user. there is a small green section on it that is supposed to be the "safe zone" but its not too accurate. When you all say your salt content is at 1.025, you actually mean 1.025 right? My hydrometer has increments of 2 and i keep my salt slightly higher than the first line past 1. So wouldnt that mean i actually have a salt reading of 1.25 instead of 1.025? Anf if so, is it dangerous to have it this high? My fish (1 yellow tail damsel) seems to be doing great, he hides about half the time, swims around in the open the other half. He eats anything i put in the tank, and i mean ANYTHING, dog hair even one time. All my inverts are alive and well, crabs molted (can only find 2 crabs the last 2 days) and my peppermint shrimp hides alot, but comes out everytime i feed. Am i not reading this hydrometer right or do i actually have a higher reading than i should?

Salinity of 1.25 would be very, very, very, bad. That reading just sounds like a case of what we in the engineering field call "operator error"

Seriously, it sounds like your salt level is fine!

I kown most peeps recommend refractometers, I don't have one. Comparison tests posted here seem to indicate that the 2 methods of measuring salinity are actually pretty close, assuming a good hydrometer and careful use by you, the operator. I have found that if your curculation isn't all that good, there can be a significant height gradient on salinity readings in your tank. Since I got some good circulators (2 Koralia #2's, plus the skimmer, sump, and canister filter outputs) in my 55 gal reef tank I have taken a number of salinity readings at different depths and they have been consistently consistent.
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
Well i just tested it with the older hydrometer (the one with the needle in it) and it read 1.0215. I have more than the recommended 20 times the flow. its a 30 gallon with a penguin biowheel 350 hob filter and a powerhead that flows 110 gph and one that flows 170 gph. So i guess im just freaking out over nothing. Icant afford to get a refractometer just yet since im on short term disability from work after an aquarium exploded cutting my hand up pretty good, so it will just have to wait for now.
 
cdangel0

cdangel0

Member
rest assured your salinity is not at 1.25 - nothing would be alive.
Check out the big

[hr]
site for a good deal on refractometers. In the mean time the other side of your hydrometer should have a Specific gravity (SG) number. Shoot for 35 and you'll be good.
 
veni vidi vici

veni vidi vici

Active Member
If your going to use the glass hydrometer ,this is the best way to use it, and btw it reads pretty dang close to my refractometer every time ive checked.
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
yeah the one pictured is the one i have. maybe you could do a close up picture and draw me a line where i should be shooting for my salt to be. if its not too inconveniant....
 
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