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04-10-2008, 09:34 AM
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 #1 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 46
Karma: 55
 |  Hydrometers
Hi Guys,
Word of warning to fellow newby's
If you are using a swing arm hydrometer throw it away and buy a refractometer as soon as poss.
Last friday both my fish (6 line wrasse and false clown) looked pretty happy. Sat morning couldn't see 6 line anywhere (thought he was just hiding in the rocks). Sat night saw him floating upside down looking very dead. On Sun morning clown was looking somewhat unhealthy (sitting on the sand bed and not moving much).
Tested my water, everything looked as it should but to be on the safe side took a sample down to my local LFS for them to test. All of the chemicals were as I had tested them, then they checked the SG. With my swing arm hydrometer I had been reading it as 1.024, they told me it was actually up at 1.029!
Did a water change straight away (after swearing and buying a refrac.) and lowered SG to 1.027 Clown perked up instantly. Have since down 3 more WC's during week to gradually lower SG to 1.024 and Krusty now looks V. happy.
On a more obvious note, don't put your hand in salt water when you have cuts on your fingers - this also made me swear a lot 
Edgar | 
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04-10-2008, 09:46 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: West Midlands,UK
Posts: 281
Karma: 77
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lol nice one m8 i too had high sg but this was because i added to much salt, all i had in there at the time was 1 hardy yellow tailed damsel thank god, now its sitting at around 1.023, and thank god for refractometers too. | |
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04-10-2008, 05:30 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Sailfin Tang
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tatamy, PA Age: 15
Posts: 1,708
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Holy krap! you named your clown Krusty also!?!?!?
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55gal semi-reef: 2 250 watt halides
Corals: Hammer Coral, Florida Ricordia,A recently split hitchhiker Acan, Xenia, Leather Coral, Green Starburst Polyps, and some Zoas.
Fish: Coral Beauty, Yellow Tang, 2 Bicolor Chromis (Yellow/blue), Pajama Cardinal, Ocellaris Clown, Firefish, Coral banded shrimp, large pink sea cuke
10gal fresh community (for my little bro., calm down...) | |
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04-10-2008, 05:40 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CT Age: 28
Posts: 295
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Once you're set up and running for a while, you should be fine. You'll have it all planned down to a science on how many scoops (1/2 cups) of salt for the bucket you mix your sw in for your water changes. Eventually you won't see sg levels fluctuate like that anymore. Also, the bigger the tank, the more stable your parameters will become.
I have been getting great (accurate) readings with my Deep Six hydrometer. I actually bought a refractometer a couple weeks ago, but I've been to distracted with my new powerheads to check if it's calibrated right before I trust using it.  We should be seeing rain all weekend, so I'll get around to it then. Good luck in the future with Krusty. Sorry to hear about your wrasse though. Sad, but better to learn this stuff now than later on a fully stocked tank. _________ http://www.3reef.com/forums/3reef-vi...deo-47998.html
55gal, 65+ lbs LR, 60Lbs LS, Coralife 125 ss, Fluval 305, HydorKoralia 2 + 3, 2 YellowTail Damsels, 2 Misbarred Clownfish, 1 Blue Tang, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Leopard Wrasse, 9 Nassarius snails, 8 asstd snails, 18 blue legged hermit crabs, 5 scarlet legged hermit crabs, 1 cleaner shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, and some corals.  | |
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04-10-2008, 09:27 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,112
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Refractometers are a great tool for the money.
Good catch. | |
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04-10-2008, 09:44 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 37
Karma: -15
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Yeah, they are a good catch if they are calibrated.
CORN CAN LEARN | |
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04-10-2008, 09:47 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,112
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Well hopefully people read instructions.
I was referring his awareness of his tank, spotting something wrong and rectifying the problem anyway. | |
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04-10-2008, 11:32 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 46
Karma: 55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aquaboy  Holy krap! you named your clown Krusty also!?!?!? |
It wouldn't surprise me if there are lots and lots of clowns out there called Krusty. Its a fun name but what else can you call a clown (except maybe Coco)? | |
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04-11-2008, 02:00 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Fire Shrimp
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 321
Karma: 66
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Mine are called 'Jaffa' and 'Cakes'! (No I didn't name them, the missus did!)
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80gal with live rock (35kg/70lbs), 30gal sump, refugium with live rock, chaeto and DSB, V2 skimmer, Fluidized Reactor, T5 lighting (4 tubes), 2 x Koralia 3's, OR3500 closed loop w/SCWD | |
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04-11-2008, 03:53 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Sailfin Tang
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tatamy, PA Age: 15
Posts: 1,708
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LOL, my first clown was Momo......then i was going to get another named coco.......but momo didnt survive while i was a noob  , so now i have krusty......... | |
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