Adjusting salt mixing for temperature variations

[slingfox]

Thank you for your time.

I have an old refractometer from Marine depot about 12 years old. That consistently reads 1.024 while my tropic marin hydrometer reads 1.026( which also is what my LFS gets) . I just couldn’t see carrying this hydrometer out side every time I needed to make salt no matter how good it is . It is so fragile I’m sure I would break it in about two or three days. Plus, as you can see from my first post I knew that the hydrometer reading would definitely be altered by abnormally cold temperatures. I just didn’t know that no adjustment would be necessary in the salt mix

Going to take sling foxes advice, and get the Vee Gee stx 3

Got another ICP test back from ATI this morning. My salinity came back spot on with the help of the VeeGee refractometer. I have not had to adjust calibration for over two years now:

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I never said anything about using
40 degree water, I have central heat and even running water at my home lol Thanks for the tip

 

[TheReefAbides]

I mix my latter in 50 gallon barrels in the garage. Temperature various from 30 degrees to 95 degrees. I use high quality refractometer with ATC. I haven’t had any major issues with salinity since I got a new refractometer.

i am planning on building a mixing station in the garage in the near future. How big of a heater have you added to your res to prevent freezing in the winter months? I am in michigan, so it can get pretty cold.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I actually moved ro/ mixing station into my basement instead of doing it in the outdoor shower for that very reason

The exit nozzle between the two tanks now runs outside my house and up the back wall to two different levels since I have a 210 gallon tank on one level and a 70 gallon in a 120 gallon tank on the top level now I can pump water directly upstairs instead of lugging it in buckets

 

[TheReefAbides]

love your build. looks about like what I want to build.
I'm unfortunately on a crawlspace foundation. hoping to find some more insight on what others are doing in cold climates.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I have to give credit to the guy that installed the RO station and to another guy who was just a master contractor , he took over once the RO station was installed with Plumbing it to the outside and up the side of the house,. These people think outside of the box. I am so mechanically challenge no way that I could’ve ever have designed this. I know it’s all good when my wife is thrilled with it.

Thank you for your comments and good luck to you. I’m sure one of the fish experts on this site could tell you exactly what size heater you would need.