need help salinity keeps dropping

808saltyboy

808saltyboy

New Member
hey guys & gals,
i'm new to this forum and to saltwater fishes was wondering my slinity keeps dropping always have to add salt to tank need help? thanks
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure salinity/specific gravity?
Don't add salt directly to the tank.
 
indy2009

indy2009

Member
What do you mean your salinity keeps dropping? are you testing it everyday or everytime you do a waterchange? If your using a Hydrometer you have to make sure that it is run under clean water after ever use, otherwise your going to have misread..there is no reason you would have to have a refractometer regardless of what these people in this forum tell you, as long as it is keep clean..if your testing daily and your getting different readings your meter is not cleaned properly, i've been using a hydrometer for many many months now and I have had very good readings.
 
808saltyboy

808saltyboy

New Member
i just check it the other day and the sg was about 1.016 and yes i clean it with water before and after each use. the last time i check it was last week.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
its pretty much imposible for the salinity to drop. I would take your water to the lfs and have them check it. Hydrometers are know to be inaccurate and to get differant reading each time its used.
T
 
joe 09

joe 09

Member
the only way the sg could drop, is if you took water out of your tank and replaced it with fresh water.
 
keith burn

keith burn

Active Member
Originally Posted by Indy2009
http:///forum/post/2992061
..there is no reason you would have to have a refractometer regardless of what these people in this forum tell you, as long as it is keep clean...
A refractometer is a relatively inexpensive yet essential piece of test equipment used by not only
(these people on this forum) refractometer meet the needs of the Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Essential Oil, Flavors, Fragrance,gemological and food industries and in saltwaterfish keeping.
And not to say the Medical industry may have one or two in use aswell.
but imo the refractometer is the best tool for its accuracy, reliability and durability.
Originally Posted by Indy2009
http:///forum/post/2992061
i've been using a hydrometer for many many months now and I have had very good readings.

And the people with not month at saltwaterfish keeping but many,many years will and do use and rec them...
 
naclh2o nut

naclh2o nut

Member
Originally Posted by 808saltyboy
http:///forum/post/2992066
i just check it the other day and the sg was about 1.016 and yes i clean it with water before and after each use. the last time i check it was last week.
When do you take the readings, before/ after top off. If you are not adding top off water on a consistant basis. Then you SG will differ slightly during the day, week. So if you took a reading on one day then added two gallons of water you will get a slightly different reading (lower) until the water evaporates out.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by 808saltyboy
http:///forum/post/2992066
i just check it the other day and the sg was about 1.016 and yes i clean it with water before and after each use. the last time i check it was last week.
Use two different hydometers. Then check to see if they read the same. Something is very off. After your Sg is set, topping off with RO water is all you need to do. When you do a water change make sure the Sg of the new water matches the old.
It is not impossible to get a bad, non fuctional, brand new hydometer from the store. Take YOUR hydometer to the LFS and have them use it to test their water...
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2992138
Refractor all the way.

+1 just spend the $30-$40 on a refractometer, you and your tank will be better off for it.
Oh yeah make sure you get one that temperature compensates.
 
reeftanker84

reeftanker84

Member
I uesed a hydrometer for the longest time and cleaned before and after but mine was way off! while it was reading .025 my water was really about .030! so i got a refractometer and i fell much better with my results now, i got the VEE GEE brand and wouldnt go back to a hydrometer ever againbut this is my opinion
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by 808saltyboy
http:///forum/post/2992109
thanks for the reponses, but was wondering could it be my filters is making the sg drop?
No.
I doubt that your SG is actually dropping. That is why I asked what you used to test SG.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
your SG should never lower, but it will raise due to evaporation. i used a hydrometer when doing my testing. it was properly seasoned the first night and i always rinsed it before/after use. i'd test the water 2-3 times on testing day, and every reading was different, so it got pointless to even use it. eventually i had an ich problem and HAD to get a refractometer to lower the SG properly. there is no guessing when using these things, if they are calibrated correctly. this may have been my favorite $40 put into my tank thus far.
 
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