Refractor and Hydrometer

[fishgirljockey]

Has anyone's refractor not match your hydrometer? I have two hydrometers and one refractor.

The refractor reads 1.026 on the dot
BOTH hydrometers read 1.022/1.023

Also, depending where I grab the water from as far as the hydrometer, it will give me a different reading as well. So, now I'm here experiencing mad anxiety because I am not sure which one is accurate. Nor do I want to add more salt if the hydrometer is "wrong." I have a ton of coral!

 

[Biglew11]

I'd trust the refractometer over the hydrometer.

 

[fishgirljockey]

I'd trust the refractometer over the hydrometer.

I do too. I just want to make sure. I like to keep mine at 26 for the corals, especially my anemone. I feel like they do better around this salinity. And the hydrometer gives me different readings depending where I scoop the water from...is that not weird? One area would say 21 and another area would say 23/24

 

[Biglew11]

Hydrometers are affected quite easily by bubbles. Are you sure there are no bubbles on it.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Hydrometers are affected quite easily by bubbles. Are you sure there are no bubbles on it.

I have a protein skimmer that creates a lot of micro bubbles if that is what you mean?

 

[Biglew11]

I have a protein skimmer that creates a lot of micro bubbles if that is what you mean?

Yes, any bubbles on the swing arm of the hydrometer will make it float a little more. This will make them read higher salinity than what the tank is actually at.

Some tricks are to tap the side to dislodge the bubbles. But ultimately this is why I prefer refractometers.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

the last time I checked (about a year ago) my refractor was off by about 5 points according to my hydrometer. But my hydrometer was off by 2 points according to my hanna.

Personally I would believe your hydrometer. Temperature and lighting both affect the result, which might be why you get different result each time.

I went nuts with these things until I got the hanna checker, its so much easier.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I wouldn’t trust a plastic hydrometer but a glass one is good!! And you do have to make sure you calibrate a refractometer correctly.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Okay, that is good to know! Also, my anemone is deflated (I know they do this sometimes), but he has this white stringy stuff. Is that poop? He literally looks like a 4,000 year old vagina and I'm losing sleep over this guy lol He is always doing weird stuff! I am new to this so I just want to make sure he's okay. I did a water change earlier today after putting Chemiclean into my tank 2 days ago because I had a algae flare. It has gone away so I did a water change. A few minutes ago he deflated, still has his foot pretty secure under the cave ceiling (this is where he likes to sit).

 

[trvrstnk4837]

I bought both when I set up my saltwater tank because I had never used a refractometer so I wanted a hydrometer around

it’s an example of one but my instant ocean matches the calibration fluid

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How new is your tank? Anemones dont do very well in new tanks. Also, algae phase is a normal part of a new maturing tank. Using chemiclean from the get go is a bad habit to get into, bottled stuff can have unintentional bad side effects, learning proper tank husbandry is the proper way for the long run.

 

[fishgirljockey]

I wouldn’t trust a plastic hydrometer but a glass one is good!! And you do have to make sure you calibrate a refractometer correctly.

it is

 

[Rmckoy]

Has anyone's refractor not match your hydrometer? I have two hydrometers and one refractor.

The refractor reads 1.026 on the dot
BOTH hydrometers read 1.022/1.023

Also, depending where I grab the water from as far as the hydrometer, it will give me a different reading as well. So, now I'm here experiencing mad anxiety because I am not sure which one is accurate. Nor do I want to add more salt if the hydrometer is "wrong." I have a ton of coral!

Pick up some 35ppt calibration solution ( which should have come with the refractometer .
Calibrate the refractometer . Test the tank water with it .

you can check with the swing arm hydrometer but as mentioned above it’s not accurate .
in the 1980’s they were the measuring device of choice

 

[fishgirljockey]

How new is your tank? Anemones dont do very well in new tanks. Also, algae phase is a normal part of a new maturing tank. Using chemiclean from the get go is a bad habit to get into, bottled stuff can have unintentional bad side effects, learning proper tank husbandry is the proper way for the long run

He is actually nice a fat now lol I love Chemiclean though. It does wonders. I have a freshwater tank that I have used it on and it gets rid of algae in a day or two and then I never see it again; my freshwater tank is about 1.5 years old (never had a bloom after I used it) and my salt tank is roughly 1 month. He is actually starting to get fat again. He defeats everyday towards the end of the day and I feed my corals reef roads. Everyone looks great! These are the things I have in the tank

Mandarin Goby
2 Wyoming Clowns (they have no hosted with the anemone. They are captive bred so I don't expect them to but I am praying).
Firefish
Citrus Clown Goby (MY ABSOLUTE FAV)
Chocolate Chip Starfish
3 Emerald Crabs
12 Snails (Astrea/Nassarius/Trochus) 1 XL Snail
6 Hermit Crabs
1 Porcelain Anemone Crab

GSP
Toadstool Leather
Zoas
Rhodactis Mushroom & Ricordea
Acan
Favia
Leptoseris
Cyphastrea Coral

 

[fishgirljockey]

Pick up some 35ppt calibration solution ( which should have come with the refractometer .
Calibrate the refractometer . Test the tank water with it .

you can check with the swing arm hydrometer but as mentioned above it’s not accurate .
in the 1980’s they were the measuring device of choice

It's calibrated! That is why I was asking. It was confusing to see both hydrometers have the similar number but not the refractor.

 

[fishgirljockey]

Yes, any bubbles on the swing arm of the hydrometer will make it float a little more. This will make them read lower salinity than what the tank is actually at.

Some tricks are to tap the side to dislodge the bubbles. But ultimately this is why I prefer refractometers.

Your tapping worked!! Wow lol Thanks! I gave both hydrometers a few taps and they raised up to 1.026

 

[fishgirljockey]

the last time I checked (about a year ago) my refractor was off by about 5 points according to my hydrometer. But my hydrometer was off by 2 points according to my hanna.

Personally I would believe your hydrometer. Temperature and lighting both affect the result, which might be why you get different result each time.

I went nuts with these things until I got the hanna checker, its so much easier.

Honestly, I have been going nuts all day lol Because I have a lot of coral and especially the Anemone. I know they like to be at 26, but I was deadly afraid to trust the hydrometer and add more salt. If the refractor was accurate at 26 and I added more salt... I don't even want to know lol But @Biglew11 mentioned bubbles affecting hydrometers. I have a protein skimmer that produces a lot of annoying micro bubbles. He told me to tap them. So, I gave both a few taps and sure enough it raised to 26 on the dot. Thank Heavens!!

I heard about a Hanna Checker. Where did you get one?

 

[Rmckoy]

It's calibrated! That is why I was asking. It was confusing to see both hydrometers have the similar number but not the refractor.

Trust the calibrated device .
You know it’s accurate as you just calibrated it with known salinity

 

[Biglew11]

There's a couple different ones. Theres a pen type that uses conductivity.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hi98319-marine-salinity-tester-hanna-instruments.html

And then there's one that's a digital refractometer.
https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/d...-seawater-analysis-hi96822-hanna-instruments/

Neither is necessary, but they do make it easy to test. And if you like gadgets. I use the digital one I linked myself.
Hanna
Milwaukee
Pinpoint
All make decent testers.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Also, depending where I grab the water from as far as the hydrometer, it will give me a different reading as well.

Unless the temperature varied a lot (say, collected by a heater) or you just added a lot of fresh water nearby, salinity does not vary by location in a reef tank.