Berlibee
.Wen Game.
Hello guys, 
Several months ago a friend sent me a link to this topic:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296532-nanotopias-zeovit-80l/
[!] This post:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296532-nanotopias-zeovit-80l/?p=4781871
Here is the main post if you don't want to read in details:
++++++++
NO MORE REFRACTOMETER
After educating myself on salinity measurement and talking to some very successful reefers around the world I have decided never to trust a refractometer (digital or not) ever again. Initially, I doubted the reading I was getting from my new conductivity probe, it was just that far out from my traditional digital refractometer results ( 31.5ppt - much lower), I found it hard to believe. So, I consulted some experts and treaded with caution, increased salinity slowly to 33.7ppt (according to the conductivity probe). This gave me a ~36ppt (or 1.027) when using the digital refract. Nervously, I watched the corals and all aspects of the tank for any slight sign of negative response. For a week I watched, nothing bad happened, only good. Stubbern corals that would'nt reach the colours I expected suddenly (within 2 days) began to show changes, yes hints of colour on tips I had not seen. Coralline changed colour and began to pop up everywhere (unusual for my tank). PE increased on corals that previously had little in the day time. All this (and more) in such a short time? Can't be... right?
Well it is. Call it anecdotal, call it what you want, I am calling it nothing short of a revelation.
Seems I was keeping corals at the very lowest range acceptable to sustain them (~32ppt) based on my fancy Milwaukee digital refractometer, not the optimum (34-35ppt) or 53,000 mS/cm. The increase in salinity to what I now believe is a TRUE ~34ppt has made a unmistakable improvement with all aspects of the tank in a week. I can't imagine what's to come.
If you still believe your refractometer because everyone else does or told you to, do yourself a favour, have a sample of your water tested for conductivity at a reputable lab. Feel free to post your results here
Happy reefing everyone !
++++++++
Sorry I'm not sure if links to other forums are allowed but it's critical in my story.
Please, take several minutes and read it and several pages after it to understand what I'm talking about.
After this I've decided to give a try as well. So my probe was calibrated very carefully, temperature control, no bubbles etc. to 35 ppm. At that point my salinity was 35 ppm by regular refractometer. When Apex probe was ready, reading was 32 ppm so 3 ppm of difference what is huge!
But I've decided to trust the probe and slowly got my salinity to 35 ppm by Apex probe, it was 38 ppm by refractometer when I've tested later. Honestly I've expected I'm going to lose all what I've and everything will die very soon. So I've got a digital refractometer as well and tested the water. Reading was 38 ppm ( 1.029 ) as well.
Today it's already one month passed with stable salinity at the level of 1.029 and the system is very happy. New frags from @Battlecorals are very happy as well and growing, especially the bird nest ! Green corals changed the color to a very beautiful intense green LPS are very happy with large PE. Anemone that I've added a week ago is very open and happy too. So what we have ...
Regular Refractometer: 1.029 ( From BRS )
Digital Refractometer: 1.029 ( Milwaukee Seawater Digital Refractometer )
Apex Probe: 1.026 - I run the system by that reading.
So when I mix my salt I'm checking with calibrated digital refractometer to be sure it's 1.029 with compensation to the probe. System have no issue, fishes are healthy and active. No dead snails or hermits absolutely healthy CUC.
What do you think about ? Do we all run our systems at low salinity because we trust refractometers ...
Several months ago a friend sent me a link to this topic:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296532-nanotopias-zeovit-80l/
[!] This post:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296532-nanotopias-zeovit-80l/?p=4781871
Here is the main post if you don't want to read in details:
++++++++
NO MORE REFRACTOMETER
After educating myself on salinity measurement and talking to some very successful reefers around the world I have decided never to trust a refractometer (digital or not) ever again. Initially, I doubted the reading I was getting from my new conductivity probe, it was just that far out from my traditional digital refractometer results ( 31.5ppt - much lower), I found it hard to believe. So, I consulted some experts and treaded with caution, increased salinity slowly to 33.7ppt (according to the conductivity probe). This gave me a ~36ppt (or 1.027) when using the digital refract. Nervously, I watched the corals and all aspects of the tank for any slight sign of negative response. For a week I watched, nothing bad happened, only good. Stubbern corals that would'nt reach the colours I expected suddenly (within 2 days) began to show changes, yes hints of colour on tips I had not seen. Coralline changed colour and began to pop up everywhere (unusual for my tank). PE increased on corals that previously had little in the day time. All this (and more) in such a short time? Can't be... right?
Well it is. Call it anecdotal, call it what you want, I am calling it nothing short of a revelation.
Seems I was keeping corals at the very lowest range acceptable to sustain them (~32ppt) based on my fancy Milwaukee digital refractometer, not the optimum (34-35ppt) or 53,000 mS/cm. The increase in salinity to what I now believe is a TRUE ~34ppt has made a unmistakable improvement with all aspects of the tank in a week. I can't imagine what's to come.
If you still believe your refractometer because everyone else does or told you to, do yourself a favour, have a sample of your water tested for conductivity at a reputable lab. Feel free to post your results here
Happy reefing everyone !
++++++++
Sorry I'm not sure if links to other forums are allowed but it's critical in my story.
Please, take several minutes and read it and several pages after it to understand what I'm talking about.
After this I've decided to give a try as well. So my probe was calibrated very carefully, temperature control, no bubbles etc. to 35 ppm. At that point my salinity was 35 ppm by regular refractometer. When Apex probe was ready, reading was 32 ppm so 3 ppm of difference what is huge!
But I've decided to trust the probe and slowly got my salinity to 35 ppm by Apex probe, it was 38 ppm by refractometer when I've tested later. Honestly I've expected I'm going to lose all what I've and everything will die very soon. So I've got a digital refractometer as well and tested the water. Reading was 38 ppm ( 1.029 ) as well.
Today it's already one month passed with stable salinity at the level of 1.029 and the system is very happy. New frags from @Battlecorals are very happy as well and growing, especially the bird nest ! Green corals changed the color to a very beautiful intense green LPS are very happy with large PE. Anemone that I've added a week ago is very open and happy too. So what we have ...
Regular Refractometer: 1.029 ( From BRS )
Digital Refractometer: 1.029 ( Milwaukee Seawater Digital Refractometer )
Apex Probe: 1.026 - I run the system by that reading.
So when I mix my salt I'm checking with calibrated digital refractometer to be sure it's 1.029 with compensation to the probe. System have no issue, fishes are healthy and active. No dead snails or hermits absolutely healthy CUC.
What do you think about ?
Do we all run our systems at low salinity because we trust refractometers ...
