I was sooooo wrong!

[wickedfish]

First off wanna say, "D-Bone, you were right!" My salinity is way high. It's 1.031 and it is very likely the salinity in that bucket was 1.034. I had my water tested by Robert Ellis, out of fear that my calibration fluid was "too salty". Sure enough he tested it and it was off.

I've been doing wc's with 1.032 water for the last few weeks including a 45 gallon water change that killed my favorite acro a week ago. All I can say is my Sps that are alive are some diehard mothaf$&-@&!

So What did I do wrong? I didn't cross check my calibration fluid with rodi. By that I mean I didn't ZERO out my refractometer ( I never do this in fact.) and then test the actual calibration fluid. If I had done this it would have saved lots of acropora and especially years of growth on other corals.

I guess moral of the story is, your refractometer is probably one of the easiest tools to use and also the best tool to keep your tank balanced when you calibrate it correctly. If you put all of your eggs in one basket you are bound to fail. Always cross reference.

Esteban is feeling: retarded

 

[Usingthejohn]

Esteban thank you for being honest about what you did wrong. Its the only way to share knowledge and gain experience.
For sake of discussion what calibration fluid did you use? And is calibrating a refractometer via Rodi foolproof?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[puggsli]

Happened to me as well. Now I just use rodi instead of the calibration fluid.

 

[wickedfish]

Esteban thank you for being honest about what you did wrong. Its the only way to share knowledge and gain experience.
For sake of discussion what calibration fluid did you use? And is calibrating a refractometer via Rodi foolproof?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

It was the large bottle of pinpoint. But I've had it for over 6 months. I think it wasn't too bad till recently because as soon as I did the last wc I had two long time acros melt on me.

 

[wickedfish]

Happened to me as well. Now I just use rodi instead of the calibration fluid.

I'm gonna use both from now on. But if not the RODI is the way to go.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I read this online before I bought my refractometer. That's why I went with the VeeGee, calibrate it with distilled water. Never trust pinpoint.


Hot Dogs are GOOD!

 

[wickedfish]

I read this online before I bought my refractometer. That's why I went with the VeeGee, calibrate it with distilled water. Never trust pinpoint.


Hot Dogs are GOOD!

At least you're not using your Hydrometer anymore. I regret not buying the VeeGee 18 months ago when I started the thread.

 

[OCReefMadness]

Get the Apex Gold package, you can check and monitor tank salinity from your Iphone.

 

[wickedfish]

Get the Apex Gold package, you can check and monitor tank salinity from your Iphone.

I just traded it. Talk about irony

 

[Confuse]

I haven't calibrated my refractometer in YEARS! Wonder where my salinity is at...

 

[pciscott]

Sorry to hear about the problems Estaban, You need to leave the bottle of calibration fluid in your sump and calibrate with test fluid the same temp as your water you are testing. Salinity changes with temp on a refractometer, so if you calibrate and measure your water at 77 degrees, you will get a different reading when your tank drops to 74. So if your bottle of calibration fluid is at 65 degrees in garage and you calibrate then test your 77 degree water it will be way off in accuracy. I like the Apex as well and keep mine at 35ppt with an email if it goes up or down 1ppt.

 

[Reefomeez]

Bwaaahahahahahaaaa!!!!

 

[lurking]

hahahahahahaahah el gordo chef salinity fail

 

[SanClementeEric]

As a newbie, I can say thank you for this post. I am just now looking at getting a refractometer and had never even heard of this kind of issue.

 

[solitude127]

Isn't that twice it's happened?

 

[OCReefMadness]

Are you using tropic marine pro?

 

[wickedfish]

Bwaaahahahahahaaaa!!!!

I just so pooped myself laughing!

@Scott, I don't think I'll be doing calibration fluid and just rodi from now on. But ya that makes perfect sense that my 67f cal fluid would give a false reading.

@mikey, yes this is twice and I'm sure I'm not the last one this happens too.

@ everyone else enjoy the meme.

 

[wickedfish]

Are you using tropic marine pro?

Does a bear sh!t in the woods?

 

[wickedfish]

Sorry to hear about the problems Estaban, You need to leave the bottle of calibration fluid in your sump and calibrate with test fluid the same temp as your water you are testing. Salinity changes with temp on a refractometer, so if you calibrate and measure your water at 77 degrees, you will get a different reading when your tank drops to 74. So if your bottle of calibration fluid is at 65 degrees in garage and you calibrate then test your 77 degree water it will be way off in accuracy. I like the Apex as well and keep mine at 35ppt with an email if it goes up or down 1ppt.

How often do you calibrate the probe? I got my pm2 when they came out and since has been replaced with a new one that is now Roberts. The old one would have to be calibrated once every 8 days. But the new one was solid for 3 weeks

 

[solitude127]

Does a bear sh!t in the woods?

I bet the bears at the zoo don't