Salifert vs...?

[Gtinnel]

SO...I just pulled out my old refractometer....it's reading 1.035! with that being said...I'm going to get that right, and then try that test again. I'm thinking it may still be high mag., but I'm shocked that it's that high! so now I have to figure out why it's not reading right... and I dont have scales.

Wow if correct that would explain the high parameters. I would try to find someway to verify your salinity before lowering it. Sometimes it's hard to determine which test to trust, and reacting to one that could possibly be wrong can do more damage than good.
Didn't you say your husband uses refractometers at work, is it possible for him to take a sample to work to test. If not you could try having a trusted lfs test your salinity.

 

[Reef.]

yes, that's the plan, which is why I started checking the level of mag., with the original question of how to figure it out. I knew alk was getting too low, and have been using baking soda. the blue bucket wasnt available. I will lower my salinity, and see if that helps. again, THANK You sooo much!

pick up some 0.01g scales from Amazon, around $20, you can then make your own calibration fluid to calibrate your refractometer, using only table salt and rodi water.

I use a Tropic Marin hydrometer which gives me very accurate results, no calibration needed, not the most practical thing to use but worth the effort.

 

[saltyfins]

Wow if correct that would explain the high parameters. I would try to find someway to verify your salinity before lowering it. Sometimes it's hard to determine which test to trust, and reacting to one that could possibly be wrong can do more damage than good.
Didn't you say your husband uses refractometers at work, is it possible for him to take a sample to work to test. If not you could try having a trusted lfs test your salinity.

yes he does. He's working from home today, but will go in tomorrow, so he's taking it with him. If all else fails, he'll bring me one that he KNOWS is right. guess it's ok to wait 1 more day.

 

[Reef.]

yes he does. He's working from home today, but will go in tomorrow, so he's taking it with him. If all else fails, he'll bring me one that he KNOWS is right. guess it's ok to wait 1 more day.

make sure it’s a marine/salt refractometer, they are all not designed to measure the refractive index of marine salt.

 

[saltyfins]

so I borrowed one from a friend up the road, and indeed the new one is way off. although it calibrates, so idk but I brought 2 buckets of RODI and changed out 2 buckets, re tested mag., and sure enough it's coming down! so, what if any is the drawback from doing that too fast? should I do 1or 2 more, and get salinity down? Or wait a day or more before I do that?

 

[Reef.]

so I borrowed one from a friend up the road, and indeed the new one is way off. although it calibrates, so idk but I brought 2 buckets of RODI and changed out 2 buckets, re tested mag., and sure enough it's coming down! so, what if any is the drawback from doing that too fast? should I do 1or 2 more, and get salinity down? Or wait a day or more before I do that?

bringing salinity down is safer to do a little faster than putting it up.

If your inverts seem to be doing ok, then no great hurry.

I would look to do it over a week or two.