Tank Maintenance - Seeking wisdom from the greats

[element291]

Originally Posted by corallivore

most refractometers for the hobby come with a some calibration fluid initially.

I find they don't need calibration that often if you store them at room temp and don't bang them around much but you're always better safe than sorry.

Correct here. I got my new Milwaukee digital refractometer today and it came with a bottle of calibration steam deionized water and a checker bottle to make sure you are getting 1.025 with it after calibration.

I am making some RO/DI water right now for a water change to help my salinity level and parameters. Got about 60 gallons now making 25 more.

This is what I measured just now with my new hanna calc, alk and digital refractometer:

Alkalinity - 105 ppm x 0.056 = 5.88 dkH
Calcium - 448 ppm
Salinity - 1.023

My nitrates are starting to climb now - around 60 ppm so this water change will be followed by another one before I move the tank to my new house the week of halloween.