Rising Mag

Just for clarification...


My tank water is at 78. So those tests are fine.


I don't have a way to heat my top off or WCWater without melting the bucket with a normal heater. This hasn't been a problem as the volume hasn't been enough to impact my tank temp. For now, I have no plans to correct this.


My tank hovers at 1.027 but drops to about 1.026 after about 6 weeks. I mix my water to where my hydrometer, at 70F, reads it at 1.028. Uncorrected. Using above calculater, it's 1.030 corrected.

After my WC (5G BTW), tank SG is back to 1.027.

It is similar story for the other measurements too. So while those numbers may not be accurate, the end result is (i.e. the measurements from my tank).

That's why I said as long as I'm consistent. I feel like this thinking is serving me just fine - but I admit I am novice here. So if that logic is causing you some mental strife, please let me know as I don't want to be shooting myself in the foot!

I could easily be fooling myself

 

Where is your top/WC water coming from? Why can you not warm it straight from the tap?
I can see your logic but in my eyes it almost seems backword..... In most people's tanks the SG tends to raise in time, from evaporation. Those that top off the correct water, should maintain a stable SG. For yours to drop, would mean, one of two things, either you are adding TOO much top off, which can easily be rectified, or your swing are hydrometer is off, which can be rectified for $60 at wherever nanoreefer found them.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Oh, by the way nano and others that wondered about the Mg comment before.... It was meant to be sarcasm towards the salt manufactors that try to skimp anyway they can

 

I didn't mean to insinuate that you were wrong. I apologize if it came across that way.:-[ I just thought the comment might confuse reefers who did not know why Mg is important. I was trying clarify for them.

 

four more characters

 

Something like this

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~Captive_Purity_Refractometer_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Testing_Equipment_Hydrometers___Refractometers_Refractometers~vendor~Captive_Purity~SearchStr~refractometer~action~view~idProduct~CP2111~idCategory~FITEOPRF~tab~0.html

 

A little off topic but why 1.027? That is on the high end of the SG scale.

I'm still confused as to why you are not heating your water prior to the water change. Measuring your WCW at an incorrect temp will corrupt your reading of the WCW. your Tank of course is kept at a stable temp and therefore your tests are accurate.

I to have falling SG between water changes. In my case it is do to wet skimming. Skimmers tend to pull salt out of the water.

 

My heater melted a hole in my first bucket (bucket = 5gallon water jug like you'd see at the company "water cooler" where you gossip)... I don't really know if there is anything simple I can do about that...

The hole wasn't really a hole... more like almost a hole. I caught it quick enough and then got a new bucket.

 

Yikes. I've never had that issue. do you have a powerhead in the water jug? I guess not. How do you mix the water? Shake

J

 

No I don't... won't fit and don't have one. Long term, I plan on getting RO/DI and a bigger bucket that will fit heaters and so forth... until then i'm limited... I still haven't figured out how I'm going to fit a 'reservoir' for RO/DI water...

Yeah, I roll the jug around and stuff. I give myself a good work out mixing that! Is there a better way? I've never even thought to ask about that. I mix it the same way I would mix Kool-Aid or Gatorade.


Oh and I do 1.027 because when I first set it up that's what it was (some thread at the time made me think that was better for reef). So, now, it's really just that I maintain more than I am arguing to keep it at 1.027. Consistency I guess.


I agree 100% with the nonheated WCW giving innaccurate results on SG. But my measurement (correct or otherwise) is always the same for it and it just so happens to bring my Tank SG back to 1.027. So while I may not have the actual reading (for now), I know that it achieves the end result... Again, I fall back to consistency as my guide to this novice :-/


I really appreciate the feedback I'm getting here. It's opening my eyes to different things.

 

When I did smaller volume water changes I just used an empty salt bucket.

Now a day I would need 8 buckets to do a water change LOL