How do you know if you have too much salt?
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I floated years ago and did not remember ever having salt residue all over me after floating. I bought a hydrometer at http://vwrlabshop.com/vwr-precision-specific-gravity-hydrometers/p/0009308/ but it does not read any different in plain water or the tank with 500lbs of salt. I know it is too high but can not tell accuratly how high it is. Any other places to by a hydrometer that works?
Matthew Baer
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I hesitated to answer because I am a novice in the world of floating, but seeing as no one else has answered yet I will take a stab at it.
I was under the impression that you could not really have too much salt. In The Deep Self John Lilly recommends a specific gravity of 1.3, which is as far as I know maximum saturation. Seeing as he used as much salt as could possibly be dissolved in his tanks, I would conclude that you cannot really have too much. Many people recommend using a slightly lower saturation, but this is for the reason of not stressing out the pump. Tim Strudwick has previously suggested a buoyancy of 1.23 to 1.28. If you only have 500 lbs of salt in your tank, I doubt it is too much.
Are you sure you have not simply forgotten about being covered in salt after your floats years ago? I was under the impression that being covered in salt residue after floating was normal, thus the standard post float shower. Do you mean that you are still covered in salt even after a post float shower? Perhaps when you floated years ago you were using a powerful shower, whereas now yours is too weak?
Take my words with a grain of salt (teehee) as I am by no means an expert.
Actualy you are right, my hydrometer was giving me a false reading. I found I am actualy low and need more salt. Yea the salt residuale thing I belive is normal, it has been a long time. I built my tank a few months ago after a about a year of reseach and putting it off, and am still learning and testing the pump etc. Although I think I saved money on my pump it can not run for more than 30 minutes and uses 2" pipe so that also is a challenge working with large PVC. I appreciate the feedback did not see this site until after I finished building my tank so lot left to learn. Here are some pictures: http://www.knrventures.com/float/