Hydrometer... REFRACTOMETER

wastememphis

wastememphis

AC Members
Sep 6, 2003
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Buffalo, New York
www.peccaviparty.com
The topic was brought up last week about the difference between a hydromter and refractometer.

Well, while trying to get my point across that a refractometer is much more accurate I realized that I havne't checked to see if my hydrometer was still working corecttly.

IT WASN'T

Hydrometer: 1.025
Refractometer: 1.030

Put a refractometer on your christmas list...

(I hope everything lives.)
 
Great point. I had the same thing. Hydrometer 1.025; refractomer 1.030. After my heart palpitations (from realizing my salinity was that far off) settled down, I threw out my hydrometer also.

Everything did live for me by the way. I took about 2 weeks to gradually bring the (real) salinity levels down to 1.025. Good luck to you.
 
The LFS where I work doesn't use a refractometer, they just have a few old hydrometers lying around. Their budget is very tight, which is probably why they haven't purchased a refractometer, but IMHO the price difference is negligible when you consider that a malfunctioning hydrometer could kill thousands of dollars worth of livestock... *shudder* I hate hydrometers, I think they're downright dangerous.
 
Because it's faster, I still use the hydrometer for everyday stuff. I just compensate for the fact that it lies. At least it lies consistently.
 
I was using a hydromter too because it doesn't have to be wiped down with a towel after. I haven't checked to see if it was still accurate in a few months. Should I do water changes with lower salinity to lower the tanks specific gravity? I've been just topping off with more freshwater than usual, and I did a water change with the right SG.
 
I think if you can get hold of a refractometer you can calibrate a hydrometer, that is see how far out it is and adjust acordingly on future readings
 
I'm not going to add .005 every time i read it, its so far off.
 
wastememphis said:
Should I do water changes with lower salinity to lower the tanks specific gravity? I've been just topping off with more freshwater than usual, and I did a water change with the right SG.
Click to expand...

I corrected mine by doing water changes with slightly lower salinity (around 1.024 I think) and then leaving the water level a little less than full after the water change (i.e. I took out a little bit more water than I put back in). I then gradually topped off with freshwater over the next few days until the tank was full. Then repeated the process with the next weekly water change. My thinking was that nothing was dying (although I knew the salinity level wasn't good for the livestock), so I concentrated on correcting it as gradually as possible.
 
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