Abandoned w/ Tank Help Please: Mixing Randy’s Standard

[TinyReefObsession]

Hi All, Well I’ve made 3 attempts & am at my wits end, feeling overwhelmed with my beautiful little tank, relying on the R2R crowd to help me out once again!

I keep trying to make Randy’s standard to calibrate my new TM High Precision Hydrometer, which indicated that my tank had high salinity (1.029!). I have no idea how old the swing arm I was given with the tank was…

So the calibration fluid- first attempt, I could NOT get the salt to dissolve over 3 days of stirring.

I’m about to start my 4th attempt
- using hot water from my Keurig and
- tripling the recipe (483ml & 3 tsp Morton’s salt)

I don’t have a tank heater since my tank conveniently stays at 77 naturally (I did reheat the solution in the microwave after it cooled too much overnight)..

I’m figuring whatever I’m doing wrong is user error since I am new to all of this- but my hydrometer is sitting on the bottom of my beaker reading 1.023 at 77 right now.. I’m exhausted and jet lagged- maybe I used 1/2 tsp last night?? Trying again…

Please let me know if I am missing a better way to mix, or the hot water for mixing is an issue (even though I’m letting it cool before reading…).

Many many thanks in advance for any tips you can provide. I NEVER would have accepted this tank had I known I would be ditched with it- but I absolutely LOVE these little guys and will do whatever I need to to keep them thriving.

 

[radfly]

TM High Precision Hydrometer is factory calibrated. You do not calibrate it with a standard.

 

[TinyReefObsession]

TM High Precision Hydrometer is factory calibrated. You do not calibrate it with a standard.

Thanks for your reply. I was erring on the side of caution, in case there was some damage during shipping (not that I can see any)… trust but verify

EDIT: for some context, based on Randy’s article below http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/

 

[BeanAnimal]

As much as I trust Randy and his contributions over the decades, I just don’t get the DIY calibration solutions. Most folks have no realistic means of accurate weight or volume measurements to (IMO) come anywhere close to creating reasonable standard.

 

[TinyReefObsession]

As much as I trust Randy and his contributions over the decades, I just don’t get the DIY calibration solutions. Most folks have no realistic means of accurate weight or volume measurements to (IMO) come anywhere close to creating reasonable standard.

Thanks, I thought I could do it with the teaspoon measuring spoons and the 500ml graduated cylinder I bought for the TM hydrometer… but it’s definitely shaking out to be more difficult than I expected! lol I would happily just buy some, but the reviews are all over the place for the fluids- so would I even trust the results?

if anything, first attempt when the salt didn’t all dissolve, the TM showed 1.024, 2nd attempt with a little extra salt (when i tried the scale) was 1.028 so i know it’s close! haha