I don’t get it?!…..

[Nhjmc]

I don’t get it…I have a brand new Milwaukee digital refractometer as well as a brand new Hanna digital refractometer both calibrated per the manufacturer instructions and using with what came with the kits also tested with good old BRS refractometer and yep a $9 instant ocean hydrometer which the later two are almost reading identical. What am I doing wrong here??

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Do you have calibration solution and Good new rodi water?

 

[j.falk]

What am I doing wrong here??

Probably giving yourself too many options.

 

[Nhjmc]

Here’s the pics of readings couldn’t really post from handheld bra refractometer

 

[Rmckoy]

Too many options.
Pick one and stick with it .

But …. If the Hanna was recently calibrated the solution should be 35ppt
And through the settings you can switch it to sg and not ppt

Why it’s only 32 ppt and the other is 1.026 is weird

 

[Nhjmc]

Probably giving yourself too many options.

Prob right. Just trying to figure out why almost after three years my tank looks worse than six months into it. I can’t keep corals alive only softies but barely and they don’t grow. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong here. I have an old red sea max 130d with every possible upgrade done to it (I e removed lid and stock T5 lighting replaced with one AI Hydra 26 HD, replaced stock skimmer with a Tunze 9001, replaced stock return pumps with the recommended upgrade pump, added a wavemaker, added an ato, consistent 10% water change every 7-10 days with 0-3 tds rodi water same salt mix since day one. I’ve got every Hanna checker they make idk what else I can do here.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

3 tds water is not good,

 

[John Bolden]

some times its best to go back to the basics.

 

[j.falk]

some times its best to go back to the basics.

That's what I was thinking. Sometimes overdoing things can be the problem.

It's only a 34 gallon tank...you might have went a little overboard with the upgrades. Your protein skimmer might be stripping too much out of the water. Softies need nutrients in the water to thrive. Try turning your skimmer off for a couple of weeks and see if things improve.

As for the salinity reader...pick one thing, discard the rest and stick with only using it. Tip: I wouldn't recommend the IO Hydrometer.