[Lucid]

Just got in some new goodies in the mail today, one of which was a new hydrometer. So I read the directions to see if I had to calibrate etc. Nope, so I rinsed it and dipped... then it read 1.030!!! Woah! Ok well it had a couple small bubbles that took forever to get off. So I retested and it read 1.028/9ish.

My old hydrometer is a SeaTest and was reading 1.025 on the nose. The last water change I did, I actually measured the gallons & cups of salt. The Manufacturer says that should yield about 1.021, which my SeaTest confirmed... New one is an Instant Ocean.

Later tonight I am going to mix up a new batch of salt and measure with the new meter to see what it yields. Until then, would a high specific gravity be very bad? If so, how can I actually tell if my SG is really that high? (aside from ordering new testing eq.)

*On a side note, my tank does have a lot of micro bubbles in the water and it's not coming from my skimmer. Could a high SG be causing this? I noticed when I poured the water back in the tank, fine bubbles formed and floated away to join all their millions other brothers.

Live Rock and sand in tank, nothing else right at the moment till cycle finished.

[Poseidon]

Hydrometers are a waste of time and money I am afraid. Please do not take offense, none is intended, but those plastic swing arms never seem to be accurate, or consistent. With all the money that we invest in this hobby, we have a tendency to cheap out where we can, and this is just NOT the place to do that.

As an alternative, please consider a refractometer. THey are both accurate and consistent, and not really that expensive anymore. Several Reefland sponsors sell them for less then $50.

[Lucid]

no offense taken and I agree. However, I only had an extra $10 when I was ordering test kit galore and wanted a hydrometer with salinity numbers (seatest doesn't have them). I was mainly concerned with the possibility that the new hydrometer is correct and my SG is really 1.028+.

I will be ordering probably a multitest meter, like one with pH/temp/conductivity/tds in a month or so. I didn't want to waste the money on a refractometer. Though, what do you-all use? refractometer or digital meters?

[weez1959]

refractometers are in no way a waste of money, if anything it's a much better investment than some tests!
You spend too much on everything else in your tank to cheap out on something as important as salinity testing. Crazy swings in salinity could kill off several things in your tank and then you'll have to replace whatever died and get a refractometer

[NanoReefer1]

I have used my refractometer a billion times in the last 6 day period I now know I made the right decision, and that the 40+ extra bucks was ALOT better than making a mess and getting inaccurate data.

[Poseidon]

Use the refractometer, the multi meter is not necessary at all. How much money have you spent on the rest of the filtration system to keep your tank clean? Then you make it easy to mess things up by not buying a reliable instrument to mix the salt?

There is no way to know which of your hydrometers are correct, it is possible (likely even) that they are BOTH wrong. Until you compare the readings they give you with the reading you get with that refractometer.

As for the test kits, I rarely use anything but pH, Ca and Alk tests, after the tank completed its initial cycle.

[weez1959]

I use the same tests and occasionally mag, that's it.

[Lucid]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

As for the test kits, I rarely use anything but pH, Ca and Alk tests, after the tank completed its initial cycle.

I thought pH test kits were unreliable? That's what I ordered, Salifert kh/alk, ca, mg. Will high salinity make kh/alk, ca, mg high?

Once a client gets paid up with me, I'll be getting a new 'meter. (hopefully soon) Wanted something reliable for salinity and something for ph.

[weez1959]

I have a 2 pinpoint monitors for my pH, so far they've been great!

[SalTee]

Hydrometers are just fine- remember that when it comes to salinity the exact SG isn't as important as it being constant. Corals are very adaptable and i've found that given sufficient acclimation, they can adapt to a surprising range of SG, Temp., and Lighting. When you use a hydrometer, it may not be showing the exact SG, but it doesn't need to if you can get it to point at the same spot every single time. This takes a little experimentation and skill- especially when there are microbubbles involved- but with patience you can get a hydrometer to give the same reading over and over again. Besides, high tech gadgets are very nice, but the hobby has got to this point by low tech ideas, so one can't be too harsh on good ol' hydrometers. Peace.

[SalTee]

Also- the Instant Ocean Hydrometers are the only ones I use. When you first get one they seem to need to be "broken in" by being used a few times before they will give a good reading. I don't know why.

[weez1959]

my opinion on that is that if you have to experiment and become skillful and be patient then it becomes a PITA!
That's why I prefer my refractometer, I KNOW I'm getting the right reading and it's not "maybe it's swinging to the right reading today"
Just my opinion!

[SalTee]

Then again, I've never had the money for a fancy high tech Refractometer- I really can't say anything about them... I gather they are nice to have.

[Lucid]

SalTee - yeah I've been using my old hydrometer for years and it was pretty consistent with its readings. I wanted to get a new one while I waited till I could get a new high tech toy. It will be interesting to find out if they are off and by how much.

weez1959 - how often do you have to replace those pinpoint probes? I was looking at those and hanna's.

Client paid me up last night plus a fat tip. Sweet. Ordered a refractometer, calibration solution, and one of those new Koralia pumps.

[weez1959]

[quote=Lucid;178150] It will be interesting to find out if they are off and by how much.

It's very rare, never happened to me yet!

weez1959 - how often do you have to replace those pinpoint probes? I was looking at those and hanna's.

I've had one for about a year now and it's still fine. I had to recalibrate back when I was using batteries but since they're on constant power now I haven't seen anything go wrong. I don't know what the probes go for since I haven't replaced one yet...

Client paid me up last night plus a fat tip. Sweet. Ordered a refractometer, calibration solution, and one of those new Koralia pumps.

Never tried calibration solution, just plain distilled water is good enough I think, but then again I could be wrong or maybe that's what the calibration solution is!