reefpeeper
Valuable Member
how many of you guys use this product? do you find it to have good readings? is it necessery to season the needle?
deep six swing arm hydrometer?
- Thread starter reefpeeper
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btkrausen
Fish Hoarder
Swing Arm Hydrometer = bad
Get a refractometer and save yourself some grief. The swing arm ones are accurate to a degree(at first), but I wouldn't bet your tank on it. Spend a few extra bucks and pick up a refractometer.
Get a refractometer and save yourself some grief. The swing arm ones are accurate to a degree(at first), but I wouldn't bet your tank on it. Spend a few extra bucks and pick up a refractometer.
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
I love mine... Hate refractometers fwiw.... I own the hydrometer, refrac, and apex salinty probe I feel the plastic hydrometer is the best of all three... Sorry for the derail but just like 2 weeks ago I almost lost my tank to a stupid refractometer...:sad:
OP
OP
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
Are they inaccurate right from the beginning?
OP
OP
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
that is a totally different answer than the others. Lol
macawmagic
Valuable Member
I used to use a hydrometer thinking it was super accurate till my friend came over with his refractometer because I was having some problems...turns out my salinity was at 1.031 even though my hydro said 1.025. I ordered a refractometer that day and am SUPER glad I finally bought one!
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
They might be off a tad but there consistently off... Trust me if they were garbage we wouldn't be here today... How many years did people only have them??? The ones today are produced better than the ones that started it... I'm not worried if I'm at 1.024 or 1.026 as long as it's steady and gives me the same reading every time I'm good to go... Just my 2
OP
OP
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
They might be off a tad but there consistently off... Trust me if they were garbage we wouldn't be here today... How many years did people only have them??? The ones today are produced better than the ones that started it... I'm not worried if I'm at 1.024 or 1.026 as long as it's steady and gives me the same reading every time I'm good to go... Just my 2
I guess I will have my water tested with a refractometer and see what it is at. Then compare reading to the hydrometer. I was just surprised because my old hydrometer broke and water was reading .026. Now the new one read .031
OP
OP
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
My old one could have just been that far off. I never had water tested with anything else.
the swingarm will stay consistent as long it doesn't have a lot of precipitate on it. borrow someone's refractometer and see what it reads on the hydrometer and you're ready to go. i have both and use the hydrometer for daily maintenance and check every few months with the refractometer.
They are accurate enough if you keep them clean (wash in fresh water and dry as best you can after use) and make sure there are no air bubbles on the arm when doing a reading. I prefer a calibrated refractometer, but used a swing arm for many years without bad readings.
Gary
Gary
I've used nothing but a hydrometer now for 9 years never had a problem all of my friends who have had refractometers have all gone back to hydrometers because of the hassle associated with hydrometers like mentioned before just keep clean it doesn't say to do so in the instructions for no reason lol!
I still have the 2 deep six hydrometers that i bought like 10 years ago. and that is all i use. the both are dead on, and i check them about once a year against my friends refractometer that was recently calibrated with known salinity solution.
The trick with hydrometers is to rinse them in ro water after they are used, and to make sure there are no bubbles on the swing arm when you are taking a measurement
bob
The trick with hydrometers is to rinse them in ro water after they are used, and to make sure there are no bubbles on the swing arm when you are taking a measurement
bob
bige
Valuable Member
Hydrometers can be consistant but off. So if you stay consistant then they will be. Having said that, mine read 1.026 but when tested against a refracto it was actually 1.020. So I got a refacto and calibrated with ro water. Which only does absolute 0 not 35ppm. So I never had to adjust it until I bought calibration solution. Now I am having to calibrate all the time.
So the point is, if you use a the swing arm, keep it clean and check against some refractos to see if it is off. If it is off, then adjust accordingly. But you can absolutley use a swing arm and have a great reef.
So the point is, if you use a the swing arm, keep it clean and check against some refractos to see if it is off. If it is off, then adjust accordingly. But you can absolutley use a swing arm and have a great reef.
spscrazy
Well-Known Member
the only time I had a problem with my swing arm is when I forgot to rinse it a couple of times did a 50/50 cleaning with water & vinegar & it reads the same as my friends refracto been using it 3 years & other than that no problems
OP
OP
reefpeeper
Valuable Member
I guess i better check it then
I use a hydrometer. I rinse it after every use and soak it once a month in vinegar. I use ro/di water to see if the swing arm is accurate. If the ro/di test reads 1.0 I know it is accurate. If the arm is higher or lower than the 1.0 reading I just add or subtract the reading from my tank sample.
A poorly calibrated refractometer is just as accurate as a poorly taken care of hydrometer.
A poorly calibrated refractometer is just as accurate as a poorly taken care of hydrometer.
Not sure if anyone has noticed, but running through all of the replies in this thread is an underlying fact: If you take care of your equipment, it'll take care of you. In other words, whatever you use to measure salinity needs to be kept clean to perform properly. The same goes for pumps, heaters, lights, skimmers, and on and on.
gary
gary
