Help with our Salinity/Specific Gravity Please...

I hope you fish friends are patient with newbies...we just did our first water change and were checking our salinity/Specific Gravity (hope I spelled that correct) we have a floating hydrometer in the takn but also have a plastic mete. We're getting different readings, can someone tell me what is the "normal range" for this. Ours is reading 1.022 on the floater, and the plastic hydrometer is reading 1.027 how concerned should we be, and which reader do you prefer?

 

depends on what is in your tank. For fish only lower SG is fine...1.020 to 1.027, corals and inverts ideally should be at 1.025-1.027.

I would recommend getting a refractometer. They hydrometers in my experience are very hard to read and the littlest bubble can cause a reading to be off. You can purchase a refractometer on Ebay for really good prices. I simply find that those are just easier to use and more reliable.

It is hard to say which one that you have is more reliable. Maybe take a sample into your LFS and have them test it. I would not be concerned at all..how is the livestock doing?

If it is a little high or a little low...be sure to adjust VERY SLOWLY. The animals have become used to that reading and you can do more damage then good by making any sudden changes...(I know...)

 

The max I would keep is 1.027 but shoot for the 1.025 . As schackmel states - that's a good range to stay in. Just don't go above it!

I keep my redsea hydromonitor in the tank and use another one when I mix salt.

-fritts

 

1.025 ish towards 1.024. A refractometer is a great investment. Also when adding corals/livestock, sample SG of the LFS to see what their SG. It helps to understand the difference in SG when acclimating.

 

I know its an old post but before you use a hydrometer run warm water through it then read and it will be closer to accurate..a refractometer is the way to go if ya can through a 100 on it...

 

Get rid of the hydrometer - one drop on the floor and you can just throw it away. A refractometer is so much more precise and easily read. They are not that expensive either, you can get one for about $60 online shipped to your door. Seawater is 1.025, so I would keep it in the range of 1.024 to 1.026. Remember when topping tank water off, only top off with RO water and not salt water. Water evaporates leaving the salt behind....