Best way to measure salt for new water?

[ReefGrrl]

Originally Posted by GoFish

Good point. I only have the lid off for 30 seconds each time and buckets are kept in the closet (lowest humidity in the house) and i always scoop the top layer of salt off if that makes any difference who knows.

"....if that makes any difference who knows."

I LOVE THAT! Describes my day to day struggles with this wonderful hobby. We can read and read and read and then read some more, and still be not *quite* sure what we are doing is the right thing for that day's situation. And this is usually after very careful consideration and being sure not to respond in panic mode.

I apologize for the off-topic response, but just the way you wrote that made me laugh.

But hey - I guess I can in fact contribute - I use H2Ocean salt, with a level half cup of stirred-up salt taken from my big so-heavy-I-can't-move-it bucket, dumped into one gallon of room temperature RO/DI water in a two-gallon plastic former Milk Bone dog biscuit jar (clear plastic, cylindrical shape). I have three of these, and usually mix one gallon in each. Then I get my big plastic slotted spoon and stir it madly in one direction until there's a whirlpool in the middle, then abruptly stop and go the other direction (takes about 12 fast stirs), repeat, then walk away and let them all clear. Then I pour them into each other several times to aerate and mix the water further.

Measures 1.025 every time - I always check before using it. I also check the temperature before doing the water change and if it's more than 5 degrees different than the tank, I put the big jugs on the heated bathroom floor for about an hour - this always does the trick.

Well now. I didn't realize I actually had a "regimen." Huh.

[brisco]

I only do water changes on Wednesdays in months that have an R in them and a waxing gibbous moon! Lol

[ReefGrrl]

Originally Posted by brisco

I only do water changes on Wednesdays in months that have an R in them and a waxing gibbous moon! Lol

Oh, how I aspire to that type of schedule....but I don't run a skimmer in the 29 cube, so it's 10% every 4-5 days for me.

[Jordon]

I weigh mine. Currently using Aquavitro Salinity and 333g is perfect for 2.5 gallons. This gives you 1.025 SG

I just use a digital kitchen scale. In fact I haven't used a refractometer regularly in a looooooong time, although maybe every 10 water changes or so test it just to be sure, and it's always been 100% accurate.

[Craigdillman]

Lol I'm old school I dump in salt until it tests 1.025 on the refractomoter lol

[gregzz4]

I've found success with a measuring cup using IO. Maybe my measuring cup is off a bit but meh ...

When I add 9x375ml of salt to 26g of RO I get a perfect 1.026 the next evening

Any other volumes I just adjust the #s

[emerald crab]

I always weigh all the ingredients of my SW and the results are pretty consistent.
I weigh K, Mg and Ca chloride and the salt (I.O.), Lugols solution goes by the drop.