Due to my recent salinity issues I thought this would be a good discussion topic. Please post your experiences and your preferences as to which way is the best method to achieve the desired Salinity. Feel free to talk about various brands and what makes them better then others. Hopefully this will help people out in understanding proper Salinity. I have always used my swingarm and I was off significantly from what my salinity should have been...in result I lost corals. Post away!
Refractometer vs Hydrometer
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Ziad...
Check Ebay. I bought mine for around $30 shipped. Made in China...but what isn't now-a-days? They are much more reliable but from now on I am using a salinity/temp combo as back-up.
Check Ebay. I bought mine for around $30 shipped. Made in China...but what isn't now-a-days? They are much more reliable but from now on I am using a salinity/temp combo as back-up.
Not to burst any bubbles here,but my 2 hydrometers are right on with my refractometer.I have had the hydrometers for 3 years now and they are still where they should be. The trick to hydrometers is you have to wash them out and shake them with fresh water everytime you use them. Im sure with any cheap plastic items you are going to have one here or there that is a defect,but for me they have worked just fine.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~refractometer~action~view~idProduct~MD2101~idCategory~FITEOPRF~category~Marine_Depot_Aquarium_Refractometer_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Testing_Equipment_Optical_Refractometers~vendor~.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~refractometer~action~view~idProduct~MD2101~idCategory~FITEOPRF~category~Marine_Depot_Aquarium_Refractometer_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Testing_Equipment_Optical_Refractometers~vendor~.html</a>
I use this one. It works fine. Long ago and far away I had a saltwater tank with a hydrometer--one little bubble unnoticed on the swingarm and the reading would be off. I'm much more confident with the refractometer.
I use this one. It works fine. Long ago and far away I had a saltwater tank with a hydrometer--one little bubble unnoticed on the swingarm and the reading would be off. I'm much more confident with the refractometer.
I have had the vital sine refractometer for almost 4 years now, I calibrated it when I bought it, it has stayed put since.
I also use the swing arm when mixing new water since it is much easier for quick measures and will cross check with the refractometer.
My swing arm usually is .002sg higher so I take that in to account, but any tank measurements are done by the refracto...
I also use the swing arm when mixing new water since it is much easier for quick measures and will cross check with the refractometer.
My swing arm usually is .002sg higher so I take that in to account, but any tank measurements are done by the refracto...
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+5 to the above posts. I have tried and tested a lot of hydrometers on the market. From leave in tank ones to tall ones to surface ones, they all are pretty much crap and you never know if one was made right even in the same brand. I have heard of people checking their hydro agains a refracto just to find out where 1.025 SHOULD be, marking it and using that for a baseline. To me that just seems like too much work and open still to too much error eachtime you use the hydro. Spend the $30-40 on a refracto and be done with it.
E-bay ones are the ones that I have used. You just want to make sure it auto adjusts for temp (most do) and a backlit one might be a nice feature. I have never used one but I can see where it would come in handy).
E-bay ones are the ones that I have used. You just want to make sure it auto adjusts for temp (most do) and a backlit one might be a nice feature. I have never used one but I can see where it would come in handy).
skriz
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I bought a cheap refrac too. Works well, no issues. Like Anand said, there are uses for the hydro's, but just not for your main display.
If you can't afford $40 for an extremely critical piece of equipment that will last a lifetime, then you're in the wrong hobby!
If you can't afford $40 for an extremely critical piece of equipment that will last a lifetime, then you're in the wrong hobby!
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Not to open the can of worms on the calibration debate but I just noticed this from the site that Raj just posted:
I wonder why it is "normal" for it to read negitive when measuring RO water after it has been calibrated with a salinity fluid?!?
I wonder why it is "normal" for it to read negitive when measuring RO water after it has been calibrated with a salinity fluid?!?
First few months in salt I had the proverbial Hydrometer then some one convinced me to buy a refractometer. After calibrating the refractometer mySG was 1.030
Fortunately I had very little in the tank and lost nothing.
Later on in my saltwater carreer I learned what a QT was for and ended up running 7 fish thru hyposalinity and leaving the DT fallow for 4 weeks 3 days.
Cant run fish thru hypo without a refractometer!
Fortunately I had very little in the tank and lost nothing. Later on in my saltwater carreer I learned what a QT was for and ended up running 7 fish thru hyposalinity and leaving the DT fallow for 4 weeks 3 days.
Cant run fish thru hypo without a refractometer!
Hey guys,
Just a word to the wise... you get what you pay for. Those cheapo refacto from china have a tendency to be off. The prism inside is not very good so even after calibration it won't read correctly. As with test kits, I always recommend that you check yours with someone to see what it reads. The good news is if yours reads a little wonky (eg maybe yours is 3pts off) it'll ALWAYS be 3pts off and you can compensate for that.
Even if they are off, they still read more accurately than hydrometers.
Just a word to the wise... you get what you pay for. Those cheapo refacto from china have a tendency to be off. The prism inside is not very good so even after calibration it won't read correctly. As with test kits, I always recommend that you check yours with someone to see what it reads. The good news is if yours reads a little wonky (eg maybe yours is 3pts off) it'll ALWAYS be 3pts off and you can compensate for that.
Even if they are off, they still read more accurately than hydrometers.
