Apex salinity/conductivity question.

[Adam]

I never recalibrated mine. Once I found the problem with the refractometer and adjusted the salinity of the system it's been very accurate. I still have the new sample bag.

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I'm happy with what I'm seeing and my refractometer agrees with the probe. As a result the Mag/Cal/Alk are all where their supposed to be.

Yesterday I brought 2 BRS reactors online. I blew about a gallon or so into a bucket to remove the fines and let the ATO correct the lost volume and what ever the reactors hold. You can see the slight drop on the graph. I'm pretty impressed with that.

 

[danh]

Mine has been reading 30.2-30.6 for like the last 3 weeks. I have a new apex so no PM2 and only one temp probe. So just make sure that it's the same temp?

I guess I can just float the bag. This stuff was $12.99 at Optimum when I went in there Saturday while my wife was getting her ring cleaned at DGellar.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoint-salinity-calibration-fluid.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw5vu8BRC8rIGNrqbPuSESJADG8RV05rSAj3sQQb0-Uwj_6-pIYKb1ZjrV1x0xYIu_msF12RoCsdrw_wcB">http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoint-salinity-calibration-fluid.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw5vu8BRC8rIGNrqbPuSESJADG8RV05rSAj3sQQb0-Uwj_6-pIYKb1ZjrV1x0xYIu_msF12RoCsdrw_wcB</a>

[IMG]http://s936.photobucket.com/user/dherrmann8616/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Capture_zpsq8t4grnn.png.html">[IMG]http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad207/dherrmann8616/Mobile%20Uploads/Capture_zpsq8t4grnn.png alt="" /></a>

 

[Adam]

The Pinpoint can be used to calibrate a refractometer as well.

I got this at Pure Reef for $2.99...
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neptune-systems-conductivity-calibration-solution-53-0-ms.html">http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neptune-systems-conductivity-calibration-solution-53-0-ms.html</a>
This can't be used with a refractometer.

I don't know about the new Apex and how it handles the temp comp. Maybe ask on Neptune's forum. There's an active thread there now but it's on the "Classic" version using a PM2. I've seen your posts too but in my searching I don't see anything about the actual calibration process on the new Gold systems.
This is just an assumption... but I would think that with the addition of the salinity to the base unit that it would use the single temp probe for this compensation. If this is the case then you would want this probe pretty close the the Condux probe and set the comp to 2.2 when calibrating.

 

[danh]

Ok. I'll get one of those. I need to bring the bag to water temp close to the probe before I calibrate and set comp to 2.2.

 

[Adam]

I didn't phrase my last post right. Ideally you want the temp & condux probes in the same container at the same temp for calibration. I like a measuring cup hung to a baffle/weir in the sump. Then when done mount them in the sump within a few inches of each other in a spot that is free of bubbles.

 

[danh]

As far as mounting, they are less than 2 inches apart and in the pump chamber. 3-4 inches from from pump.

I'm missing something with regards to the measuring cup hung in the sump. Can I just stick the temp and the cond probe in to the bag to calibrate?

 

[Adam]

The cup, with enough water in it to hold it in place, keeps the bag in place above the surface of the water in the sump while keeping the temp constant. This way you don't have to hold the bag for up to a half hour.

 

[danh]

A half hour to calibrate or to bring to temp??? I can sit it through the bubble trap where I have my carbon and it won't harm anything. But the calibration only takes a minute or so.

 

[Adam]

Both, 10-15 to bring up to temp and 15-20 to stabilize & calibrate.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=24517924&postcount=8">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=24517924&postcount=8</a>

When I did Ricky's a few weeks ago it took about 20 minutes for the number to remain steady for more than 30 seconds. I'm happy with the way ours are calibrated. Ricky just needs to find a spot with no bubbles... ;)

Again, in my 250 gallon system you can see when I flushed and brought 2 reactors online Sunday afternoon. A little more than a gallon was removed and 2-2.5 of rodi was added.

 

[danh]

Ohh... the new apex auto calibrates. It tells you when it's done. You don't wait to see that it's stabilized. I think.... I've only done it once and I think I remember seeing that before I bought it too. I followed the rest from that thread - other than putting the probe in the tank for a while before calibrating. I did it fresh out of the box.