Hydrometer Help please

[saltnewb]

So I've setup my saltwater tank and feel like a doofus already. I have an Instant Ocean hydrometer and seem to be struggling with it. When I first submerge it and pull it out it reads high, off the charts high. I flick it to get the air bubbles off the pointer and then it drops way too low. Then I dump it out and re fill it and it reads at 1.022. Which one do I go with? Does anybody use a cup to pour water into their hydrometer? What is the best technique? Share your secrets!.....please...

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Best thing I've found to do when using them is to run them under warm water from the sink a couple times. Then try to shake them dry and get the swing arm to flap a few times to loosen up. Fill with tank water slowly to avoid as many bubbles as possible. Reads pretty constant for me when I do it this way. All that said, I now use a refractometer. If you upgrade to a refractometer, make sure to get calibration fluid and calibrate it before each use... mine loses calibration fairly fairly easy, but it was a cheap one off Amazon. If you have the money to swing for it, a digital refractometer would be the way to go.

 

[Shep]

So I've setup my saltwater tank and feel like a doofus already. I have an Instant Ocean hydrometer and seem to be struggling with it. When I first submerge it and pull it out it reads high, off the charts high. I flick it to get the air bubbles off the pointer and then it drops way too low. Then I dump it out and re fill it and it reads at 1.022. Which one do I go with? Does anybody use a cup to pour water into their hydrometer? What is the best technique? Share your secrets!.....please...

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/refractometer-for-reading-salinity-with-calibration-fluid.html
https://www.amazon.com/Lab-Refractometers/b?ie=UTF8&node=393272011
Save yourself the trouble and annoyance and buy a refractometer, they are much easier use and more accurate. Don't feel like a doofus! I know I had the same problem when I had a hydrometer.

 

[Psiber_Syn]

Ime hydrometer never seem to work right I would invest in a refracotmeter

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I've setup my saltwater tank and feel like a doofus already. I have an Instant Ocean hydrometer and seem to be struggling with it. When I first submerge it and pull it out it reads high, off the charts high. I flick it to get the air bubbles off the pointer and then it drops way too low. Then I dump it out and re fill it and it reads at 1.022. Which one do I go with? Does anybody use a cup to pour water into their hydrometer? What is the best technique? Share your secrets!.....please...

You can make a DIY standard to get in the right ballpark:

Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm