29 gal FOWLR, eventual reef

[Ashurbarnipal]

I think it may have been the aeration. The number has already gone down to 1.28.

As for a refractometer, I'd really like to, but I'm already approaching the end of my budget, and cheapest one I can find on Amazon is 50 bucks.

[smaug]

When I mix my water I do it in 5 gal buckets. I start with 2 cups per 5 gals. That usually gives me about 1.020. When I have gone with the usual recomendation of half cup per gallon ,or 2.5 cups per 5 gal I end up around 1.027. Your number of 1.03 cannot possibly be correct.

[Cliff]

Hydrometers have been known to give you a 0.005 to 0.002 variance with the same water sample. At least that has been my experiance using one of the cheaper hydrometers.

[Ashurbarnipal]

Ok, rinsed it off with R/O water and tried it again a few times, and now it's consistently giving me a reading between 1.023 and 1.024

You guys were right, though. Should have done it outside my tank. Feel kinda dumb now.

[smaug]

Thats cool.Ive done ALL sorts of dumb things with my sw tank. This one for you was harmless.

[Ashurbarnipal]

So, now that it's stable and seems to be at the perfect salinity level, I'm thinking if in the morning it's still reading 1.23-4 I should go into the pet store with a water sample, have them test to make sure it's ok, then get my live rock and live sand.

But I just wanna make sure that sounds safe. Don't wanna make any more dumb mistakes.

(I do have a master test kit, just fyi, but I wanna be double safe)

[smaug]

Is it the so called live sand sold in bags? If so save the money and just get normal dry sand as the bagged live sand adds nothing to the system but xtra dirt.

[Ashurbarnipal]

No, it's in a tank.

[smaug]

That should be good then.Do they keep fish in this tank?

[Ashurbarnipal]

I haven't seen the tank, so I'm not sure. They do keep fish with some of the live rock, though.