Salinity help

[BlueWavesReef]

Hi everyone

I recently did ICP test for my fish tank and it came out my salinity need to be higher from 30 ppt to 35 ppt and I'm mixing my own salt and on the mixing instructions it says my salinity should be 1.025 ,I dont understand if I should higher my salinity to 35 ppt won't it be too high ?

 

[blaxsun]

35ppt is 1.0264 - which is pretty much near perfect. Many of us keep our salinity in the 35.0ppt to 35.8ppt range.

 

[homer1475]

We typically keep our tanks in the 1.026sg range which is 35ppt. Anywhere between 1.024 and 1027 is acceptable though.

 

[Saltyreef]

Hi everyone

I recently did ICP test for my fish tank and it came out my salinity need to be higher from 30 ppt to 35 ppt and I'm mixing my own salt and on the mixing instructions it says my salinity should be 1.025 ,I dont understand if I should higher my salinity to 35 ppt won't it be too high ?

Hi, i suspect your refracto needs to be calibrated if ICP says 30ppt and your measuring 33ppt.

 

[BlueWavesReef]

Hi, i suspect your refracto needs to be calibrated if ICP says 30ppt and your measuring 33ppt.

That's the fresh mixed salt water in photo , my tank sitting on 29 ppt atm and I'm gonna top up with salt water instead of ro, slowly to bring it up , just wanted to make sure before I get it up to 35ppt

 

[Saltyreef]

That's the fresh mixed salt water in photo , my tank sitting on 29 ppt atm and I'm gonna top up with salt water instead of ro, slowly to bring it up , just wanted to make sure before I get it up to 35ppt

Gotcha. Yes 1.025 to 1.026 is what i would shoot for. Good luck!

 

[BlueWavesReef]

Thank you everyone for the help

 

[gbroadbridge]

That's the fresh mixed salt water in photo , my tank sitting on 29 ppt atm and I'm gonna top up with salt water instead of ro, slowly to bring it up , just wanted to make sure before I get it up to 35ppt

How did you calibrate the refractometer?

I would not make any adjustments until it has been correctly calibrated with new calibration solution.

 

[BlueWavesReef]

How did you calibrate the refractometer?

I would not make any adjustments until it has been correctly calibrated with new calibration solution.

I used distilled water to calibrat the refractometer

 

[gbroadbridge]

I used distilled water to calibrat the refractometer

It's not a good idea to calibrate that way.

Also is the refractometer designed for sea water?
Many that are designed for saline solutions are are inaccurate when used with sea water.

If you have access to an accurate scale and some table salt you can make an accurate calibration solution very easily.
Simple dissolve 3.65 grams of Table salt into 96.35 grams of RODI water and that is a 35 ppt calibration solution.

You can also purchase calibration solutions, but you will need a scale anyway further down the track so it ends up cheaper to make your own.