Buy a Refractometer!!!

J

jw10604

New member
I have been using a couple of different make swing arm style
hydrometers. Salinity registered consistantly at 1.023. I just purchased a refractometer and salinity showed at 1.030! I checked the calibration and it was correct. If your starting out spend the money and get a refractor. Trying to save a few dollors could have been disastrous for me. I will slowly bring my salinity back in line.
 
The ad says "accurate to Ã"šÃ‚± 0.0005 at 77Ã"šÃ‚°," which sounds pretty darn good to me. We actually used to use hydrometers like that in my marine biology class, so I would assume they're pretty accurate.
 
Refractometer

Refractometer

My tangs developed HLLE and it was driving me crazy. I checked and rechecked everything and all was "fine". I have had these fish for 3-4 years and they were healthy and beautiful. Suddenly they looked awful. My tank has been running for 7 years with minimal problems. I was at my LFS and saw the hydrometers on display and though I should buy a new one as the one I was using was 3 years old. When I tested my salinity with the new swing arm hydrometer my specific gravity was 1.042!!! My old swing arm was reading 1. 023.

I gradually bled in fresh water over the next week to lower the salinity and my tangs showed signs of fin regeneration in 1 week and the head erosions are healing after 3 weeks! I ordered a refractometer yesterday. I feel so stupid relying on a swing arm hydrometer all these years. When I think of all the time and money I put into my tank it was stupid not to spend $100 on something so important.
 
I bought a refractometer from the get go and couldn't imagine anything else, its a no brainer for me, and i highly recommend them.... no guessing
 
i love mine, you dont have to dip this huge floating device in your tank, and then have water drip every where when you pull it out. Just get a refractometer, much easier, and much more accurate.
 
I just bought one from MD for 49.00. I think the same one was at DRS Foster and Smith for about 39.00. I went with MD since I was ordering a pump from them anyway.
 
I always used a swing arm hydrometer. Well after everyone said get a refractometer ,I did and my swing arm gave me the exact same readings. iI was right on the money. I guess I have been lucky.
 
I had a similar experience. I was using a swing arm hydrometer, and my readings were consistently reading 1.024.

Imagine my surprise when the refractometer I purchased (and calibrated properly) told me my readings were actually 1.028.

I now have it set optimally at 1.026.
 
I bought a refractometer from an eBay vendor, and it's worked well for me for the past two months. I wasn't pleased, though, when I found that my IO swing-arm hydrometer had been off by 0.005 :mad2:
 
Based upon this thread I purchased a refractometer. I ensured proper calibration using the handy-dandy coke bottle method and sure enough...

my swing arm read 1.025
my refractometer read 1.030

enough said? its $40.
 
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