Best salinity tester???

[Reef.]

I think I'm going to get one of these with a 500 ml plastic test tube.

good choice, remember to test at 77f so get a good thermometer, if the temp is not at 77f it will read high/low, you can use this to correct it.

Salinity Correction Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Correct a relative specific gravity (sg) measurement taken with a non-temperature-correcting unit.

www.hamzasreef.com

but I run my tank slightly higher than 77f, time I get it into the container it’s exactly 77f so no chart needed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If we could all afford one of these....
And the calibration fluid you reference.....


You can keep your fancy gadgets lol.

Before dissing the method, you might read more about it.
No one is suggesting you need "the best" of everything (unless, of course, you literally claim, as some did above, that it is the best lol).

A used high quality conductivity meter can often be had on ebay for not any more than your favorite hobbyist devices, and calibration fluids can be bought for not very much, or best yet, made yourself.

 

[Saltyreef]

Before dissing the method, you might read more about it.
No one is suggesting you need "the best" of everything (unless, of course, you literally claim, as some did above, that it is the best lol).

A used high quality conductivity meter can often be had on ebay for not any more than your favorite hobbyist devices, and calibration fluids can be bought for not very much, or best yet, made yourself.

I think the disconnect there is the accuracy of the device and the accuracy of the calibration fluid. This is a reason i really dont trust my miluakee without checking against my hydrometer. (Yes i know its a refracto)

If my TM hydrometer was not calibrated to 77 degrees (same as my tank) i would have a harder time using it ans therefore probably would be using something different.

Also, the temperature and salinity of the ocean differs greatly between areas so a device capable of a wider range should be used in ocean surveying.

I have a $30 conductivity pen at work as well as a $1400 temp calibrated meter. Accuracy matters greatly.
So does keeping the conductivity standard air tight.

Something not needed to store a sealed glass bulb.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Before dissing the method, you might read more about it.
No one is suggesting you need "the best" of everything (unless, of course, you literally claim, as some did above, that it is the best lol).

A used high quality conductivity meter can often be had on ebay for not any more than your favorite hobbyist devices, and calibration fluids can be bought for not very much, or best yet, made yourself.

I ended up getting a Hanna salinity tester, I like the quick and easy use

 

[fachatga]

I just got so put off using calibration fluids. I’ve made them myself to test how off some were that I bought. All I know is i can so easily use my hydrometer to get consistent results. My bucket of water when mixed gets to the same temp every time. For me it’s just the easiest way to be consistent with how I do things. Maybe I’m always .0003 or something different than I’m actually reading. Don’t really care for that level of accuracy as long as I’m consistent. It’s in a good range and my tank is healthy and I can keep it pretty stable this way.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, if folks are worried about standards and do not want to make your own, and do not trust hobby companies (a possibly reasonable worry), it is easy to buy high quality scientific standards for conductivity that are not very expensive and last forever if kept closed:

Conductivity Solution, from Cole-Parmer

Buy Conductivity Solution, and many other lab and industrial products from Cole-Parmer

www.coleparmer.com

 

[Saltyreef]

I just got so put off using calibration fluids. I’ve made them myself to test how off some were that I bought. All I know is i can so easily use my hydrometer to get consistent results. My bucket of water when mixed gets to the same temp every time. For me it’s just the easiest way to be consistent with how I do things. Maybe I’m always .0003 or something different than I’m actually reading. Don’t really care for that level of accuracy as long as I’m consistent. It’s in a good range and my tank is healthy and I can keep it pretty stable this way.

Couldnt have said it better myself.
Less variables required for a consistant & accurate reading 100% of the time.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Tropic Marin precision hydrometer with a glass 500 mL graduated cylinder. Plastic is nice but unless you have the hydrometer at the very top, you will not be able to read it...

be careful with glass on glass = breaks very easy.

 

[justinkdenny]

High Precision Hydrometer

Ensure that your equipment is reading correctly and your aquarium is at the right salinity with Tropic Marin's High Precision Hydrometer. Many tank inhabitants are sensitive even to minor changes of the water conditions. Unfortunately as we've all experienced, salinity reading equipment as...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

The best....
And cheap

Fwiw my miluakee is close enough not to care.

I use this also! I really like it.

 

[Spare time]

I'm curious about which salinity tester is best and used by people here, and why.

Right now I have a issue with my Hanna salinity tester not working properly, so I got a hydrometer for the time ( nothing else available in my city) but would like to get something soon, as I don't fully trust the hydrometer.

I use instant ocean hydrometers (these seem to be the most reliable and accurate hydrometers) or a freshly calibrated refractometer (I don't trust them unless I calibrate it every time since any bump seems to throw mine off).

 

[PokeFish]

I just have 2 basic hydrometers that I rotate around. I would say I have 2 because I could make sure that they are giving similar results, but I actually have 2 because I lost the first one and got another and then later found the first one

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

In a sometimes messy fishroom and one the ease of use of hydrometers... and easy verifiable calibration/correction via temp.... definitely a great choice...

 

[fachatga]

FWIW, if folks are worried about standards and do not want to make your own, and do not trust hobby companies (a possibly reasonable worry), it is easy to buy high quality scientific standards for conductivity that are not very expensive and last forever if kept closed:

Conductivity Solution, from Cole-Parmer

Buy Conductivity Solution, and many other lab and industrial products from Cole-Parmer

www.coleparmer.com

Thank you for posting this. Part of the issue with us amateurs is we just don’t know who to trust with this stuff. So it’s good to see a recommendation like this for us to work with.

 

[Croftsy]

good choice, remember to test at 77f so get a good thermometer, if the temp is not at 77f it will read high/low, you can use this to correct it.

Salinity Correction Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Correct a relative specific gravity (sg) measurement taken with a non-temperature-correcting unit.

www.hamzasreef.com

but I run my tank slightly higher than 77f, time I get it into the container it’s exactly 77f so no chart needed.

What’s a good thermometer to use to check water temperature?

 

[Reef.]

What’s a good thermometer to use to check water temperature?

If you can find one,, I use a Paterson photography thermometer as it is certified to without 0.1c accuracy, it is the old mercury filled thermometer, which are only available used now, I believe as mercury filled thermometers are now banned for sale, no batteries to deal with and errors creeping in…the newer type are certified to within 0.3c so still fairly accurate.

 

[Croftsy]

If you can find one,, I use a Paterson photography thermometer as it is certified to without 0.1c accuracy, it is the old mercury filled thermometer, which are only available used now, I believe as mercury filled thermometers are now banned for sale, no batteries to deal with and errors creeping in…the newer type are certified to within 0.3c so still fairly accurate.

Okay yeah I’ve found them but I m guessing they’re not the mercury ones. So if it’s within 0.3c not going to notice.
They have them on Amazon is it this

 

[Reef.]

Okay yeah I’ve found them but I m guessing they’re not the mercury ones. So if it’s within 0.3c not going to notice.
They have them on Amazon is it this

Seems to be similar to the link below but I cant be sure.

This is the new model, looks the same to me

Thermometers – Paterson Photographic Equipment

Worldwide Paterson is best known for the high quality darkroom equipment it manufactures here in the UK. In the late 80s it also took over the manufacture of Benbo Tripods and has continued to develop this range of tripods, beloved by both Landscape and Natural History Photographers.

patersonphotographic.com

Remember not to put it in hot water as they are only designed to be used in warm liquids…if you see an air gap in the liquid when you purchase it, just sit the bulb in ice water, this should fix that issue.

 

[Mechano]

The only one that never needs to be calibrated….tropic Marin high precision hydrometer.

Pens and probes, and the plastic hydrometers all seem to never match even after calibration. Not to mention I have had bad refractometer solution in the past that threw-out my readings.

Get the Tropic Marin Hydrometer and a graduated 500 ml cylinder to test it in and it’s easy-peasy and accurate.

 

[Croftsy]

The only one that never needs to be calibrated….tropic Marin high precision hydrometer.

Pens and probes, and the plastic hydrometers all seem to never match even after calibration. Not to mention I have had bad refractometer solution in the past that threw-out my readings.

Get the Tropic Marin Hydrometer and a graduated 500 ml cylinder to test it in and it’s easy-peasy and accurate.

I do have a glass sera one not big like the TM. Doesn’t the temperature have to be 77f for the readings to be correct?

 

[Reef.]

I do have a glass sera one not big like the TM. Doesn’t the temperature have to be 77f for the readings to be correct?

If you read on the side of a hydrometer the calibration temp will/should be printed on the side, it generally is either 20c or 25c, a refractometer with ATC is generally calibrated at 20c, so if you need to alter your refractometer you should really adjust it only when the device is at the calibrated temp of 20c, the ATC is not used for calibration.