Preface this with "I'm still learning". About 7 months into the hobby now.
I buy my saltwater from the LFS. I read a post here related to good husbandry and not taking the LFS word the salinity is correct. I started doing my own checks with refractometer and found their salinity high. The next time, I added RO to get their salinity to 1.025 when doing a water change. The next time I took my water into the LFS for checks, the told me salinity was way too low at 1.022. I told them my problem. The next at the LFS, I took my refractometer and they calibrated it. I didn't see what they used. I ordered my own calibration solution. When it came in, did a check and found their calibration of the refractometer didn't match the solution. So, I calibrated and added RO water accordingly. The next time in the LFS, same thing, you're salinity is too low. At that point, I took my refractometer and the calibration solution in. The owner had to hunt for their calibration solution. The employees had been using RO water set to 1.000. He was going to order a different brand of solution to be able to double check. In the end, he told me my solution was bad and set my refractometer to his solution. I order another solution. While the two brands I purchased were not identical readings, they were very very close.
The next time I was in the LFS, they had an electronic salinity tester (not Hanna). I'm guessing my exercise with them caused that. Using it, they told me my water was 1.023. I decided to buy a Hanna electronic salinity tester. I've been very happy with the Hanna products I have. It came in with the satchets of calibration solution. I calibrated it. My aquarium was at 1.026. I added some RO. Not knowing how they calibrate their electronic tester, and that the Hanna and the refractometer are giving me the same readings, I'm saying they have something wrong. I had 10 gallon of saltwater from them I bought last weekend and 10 gallon I just bought yesterday. This morning, I used the Hanna tester on both of them. The one from last week is at 1.027 and the one from yesterday is 1.029. I'm saying their measurements are not right and will be adding RO with this water change.
Am I doing something wrong or missing something?
Thanks!
I buy my saltwater from the LFS. I read a post here related to good husbandry and not taking the LFS word the salinity is correct. I started doing my own checks with refractometer and found their salinity high. The next time, I added RO to get their salinity to 1.025 when doing a water change. The next time I took my water into the LFS for checks, the told me salinity was way too low at 1.022. I told them my problem. The next at the LFS, I took my refractometer and they calibrated it. I didn't see what they used. I ordered my own calibration solution. When it came in, did a check and found their calibration of the refractometer didn't match the solution. So, I calibrated and added RO water accordingly. The next time in the LFS, same thing, you're salinity is too low. At that point, I took my refractometer and the calibration solution in. The owner had to hunt for their calibration solution. The employees had been using RO water set to 1.000. He was going to order a different brand of solution to be able to double check. In the end, he told me my solution was bad and set my refractometer to his solution. I order another solution. While the two brands I purchased were not identical readings, they were very very close.
The next time I was in the LFS, they had an electronic salinity tester (not Hanna). I'm guessing my exercise with them caused that. Using it, they told me my water was 1.023. I decided to buy a Hanna electronic salinity tester. I've been very happy with the Hanna products I have. It came in with the satchets of calibration solution. I calibrated it. My aquarium was at 1.026. I added some RO. Not knowing how they calibrate their electronic tester, and that the Hanna and the refractometer are giving me the same readings, I'm saying they have something wrong. I had 10 gallon of saltwater from them I bought last weekend and 10 gallon I just bought yesterday. This morning, I used the Hanna tester on both of them. The one from last week is at 1.027 and the one from yesterday is 1.029. I'm saying their measurements are not right and will be adding RO with this water change.
Am I doing something wrong or missing something?
Thanks!