Which to believe...Milwaukee Refractometer or Tropic Marin High Precision Hydrometer?

[Tcook]

Hydrometer every time

Trust but verify

 

[jimk60]

My TM Hydrometer crashed my tank. 1.035.

How did it do that? It's all I use anymore.

 

[RichReef]

How did it do that? It's all I use anymore.

It was just off. I trusted it so much I didn't think salinity was my problem. I chased a problem in my tank for months. Spent a fair amount of money trying to figure it out. One day on a whim while at Petco I bought a refractometer to just try one out. It read 1.035. I was flabbergasted. So I checked it again with an old swing arm IO one I had. Same. 1.033. The TM still read 1.025. Started taking water out and letting it top off with RO. Things turned around almost immediately.

It was indeed faulty. I couldn't believe it. I felt so irresponsible. I thought I was using the best. Still may even be the best but now I'll stick with the refractometer.

That refractometer is now 4 or 5 years old and I still use it. I calibrate with BRS solution.

 

[Nano_Man]

Trust but verify

I was using other methods and used a hydrometer to be accurate is temperature I think Randy has a chart for this I bought the water tube so you can get a good reading instead of bobbing about in bucks and tanks . This is only my opinion

Trust but verify

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all. Wondering what you'd do...

My new Tropic Marin High Precision Hydrometer is reading my tank at 1.0235 SG while my Milwaukee Refractometer is reading 1.022. What gives? The Milwaukee was calibrated as instructed with RODI water (direct from my new BRS 5 Stage Premium Plus 150 GPD Water Saver RO/DI System). I've heard the Hydrometer is the ultimate in precision, but it's recommended to get the milwaukee for convenience (and accuracy). What would you do in this situation? Thanks!

After reviewing 5 different testers on a video, Milwaukee failed 3X and TM was found to be accurate

 

[KStatefan]

Trust but verify

I mix some of Randy's calibration solution to verify my Hydrometer. 19.2 Grams Morton Table salt in 500ml RODI

MIne reads 0.0002 high

 

[Dburr1014]

The Milwaukee was calibrated as instructed with RODI water (direct from my new BRS 5 Stage Premium Plus 150 GPD Water Saver RO/DI System).

This is a problem also. As said, calibrate it to a known solution not rodi. The slope could be off as many are.

 

[crannon]

This is a problem also. As said, calibrate it to a known solution not rodi. The slope could be off as many are.

I'm using the milwaukee as well. Would I calibrate to a 0 ppt solution or is there a way to calibrate to the 35 ppt? Should I use the included solution or buy some from a store like brs?

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Electronic Hydrometers can be thrown off by; High Powered Fluorescent Drivers, LED Drivers and Power Supplies, Hat Type LED’s. Inverter Motors in your Furnace, AC Units, Refrigerator, Clothes Washer, Dryer and any other Appliance, that has these motors. Also there is a residual charge in the Inverter Motor, after the Motor has stopped, that slowly fades away.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Is there a "reference water" brand/product that people are using?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Is there a "reference water" brand/product that people are using?

Yes, Randy's

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm using the milwaukee as well. Would I calibrate to a 0 ppt solution or is there a way to calibrate to the 35 ppt? Should I use the included solution or buy some from a store like brs?

It forces you to calibrate with RO/DI, I think, but then you can always check it with a 35 ppt standard.

 

[Tcook]

I mix some of Randy's calibration solution to verify my Hydrometer. 19.2 Grams Morton Table salt in 500ml RODI

MIne reads 0.0002 high

That was about the same mine was off by.

 

[BeanAnimal]

My TM Hydrometer crashed my tank. 1.035.

what does that mean?

 

[Dburr1014]

what does that mean?

That's a great question!

User error I thinks.

 

[RichReef]

what does that mean?

Read above. I'm not repeating it.

 

[RichReef]

That's a great question!

User error I thinks.

No. I don't think so.

 

[Muffin87]

Hi all. Wondering what you'd do...

My new Tropic Marin High Precision Hydrometer is reading my tank at 1.0235 SG while my Milwaukee Refractometer is reading 1.022. What gives? The Milwaukee was calibrated as instructed with RODI water (direct from my new BRS 5 Stage Premium Plus 150 GPD Water Saver RO/DI System). I've heard the Hydrometer is the ultimate in precision, but it's recommended to get the milwaukee for convenience (and accuracy). What would you do in this situation? Thanks!

Did you compensate for temperature using the hydrometer?

 

[Reef.]

It was just off. I trusted it so much I didn't think salinity was my problem. I chased a problem in my tank for months. Spent a fair amount of money trying to figure it out. One day on a whim while at Petco I bought a refractometer to just try one out. It read 1.035. I was flabbergasted. So I checked it again with an old swing arm IO one I had. Same. 1.033. The TM still read 1.025. Started taking water out and letting it top off with RO. Things turned around almost immediately.

It was indeed faulty. I couldn't believe it. I felt so irresponsible. I thought I was using the best. Still may even be the best but now I'll stick with the refractometer.

That refractometer is now 4 or 5 years old and I still use it. I calibrate with BRS solution.

Anything you buy can be faulty, all things being equal, I would trust the hydrometer every time.

Anyone thinking of buying a hydrometer, they are easy enough to test, either buy a reference solution to test, or better still make Randy’s DIY solution, to test its accurate before you use it.

 

[jimk60]

That's a great question!

User error I thinks.

This question was asked and answered yesterday in this thread. Try and keep up!