Throw away Plastic hydrometers !
- Thread starter AdamB
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Dr. Dendrostein
Marine fish monthly
Also electronic Gravimeter for saltilinity, to slow. By the time they're ready to take reading, I'm done with a refractometer.
Let the bottle set in your sump for 5 minutes to match your tanks temp. I know most refractometers today are temperature compensated but it's just a little extra piece of mind. Also I've been using that same small bottle for two years and it's still half full. All it takes is a couple of drops. I use a pipette.
Wish I still had mine from the early 90's. Just for nostalgic reasons along with what we had to learn by before the internet was born, ha. This book taught me how to get into this hobby as well as a marine biologist that was taking care of the fish tanks at the lfs. I even wrote a paper on how to setup a saltwater aquarium in college using that book as a reference.
Daniel92481
Valuable Member
Sorry boys and girls...I had to! 
OP
OP
AdamB
Valuable Member
I’ve got that book somewhere !Wish I still had mine from the early 90's. Just for nostalgic reasons along with what we had to learn by before the internet was born, ha. This book taught me how to get into this hobby as well as a marine biologist that was taking care of the fish tanks at the lfs. I even wrote a paper on how to setup a saltwater aquarium in college using that book as a reference.
LegendaryCG
Valuable Member
Hydrometer are great for a quick check of whether that bucket is fresh water or salt though. Doesn’t need to be exact to provide you with a gravity reading.
Welcome to the club! I thought they were extinct. My kids use macbooks in school now and a library to them is sitting on the computer at the actual school library. They will never know the joy of skimming thru the pull out drawers to look up an actual book on a rolodex card and hoping it's not checked out already. Gimme back the good ol days, ha!
cmaxwell39
Valuable Member
Wish I still had mine from the early 90's. Just for nostalgic reasons along with what we had to learn by before the internet was born, ha. This book taught me how to get into this hobby as well as a marine biologist that was taking care of the fish tanks at the lfs. I even wrote a paper on how to setup a saltwater aquarium in college using that book as a reference.
I read that same book when I set up my first saltwater tank. Brings back some memories.
It's not just refractometers. Salinity Probes also have to be recalibrated every few months.
Can you come to my house and calibrate both my APEX conductivity probes please?
I end up (after wasting the fluid a few times) just calibrating them to my water which has worked out OK for a few years.
Calibrating refractometers is simple. APEX probes...not so much.
SeaJay
Well-Known Member
My Instant ocean Hydrometer was reading 1.025, a refractometer and another hydrometer revealed the reality was well over 1.030. I won’t use a hydrometer as my primary measure any more and I also won’t rely on any one tool alone.
jd371
Valuable Member
When mixing water I only use the hydrometer to get me in the ballpark of where I want to be. When I get near to where I want my water mixed at I then switch to the refractometer for accuracy.
Braves Fan
Valuable Member
I will never buy one of these again ,, I learned my lesson ,, I have one as a back up though ,,
