Do those plastic hydrometers work?

[New2Reefing]

My refractometer was broken, and i'm low on funds....do the LFS hydrometers work well enough to get one for now, or is it a waste of money? Thanks

 

[Andrew]

They work but I would get a refractometer as soon as you can. Hydrometers work but not as good and don't get a acutal reading.

 

[mikenpam]

They are not as accurate and you need to make sure that there are no bubbles on the arm. I would get one for sure if you can't spring for another refractometer at this time. Get one quickly and use it on your main tank assuming you are pretty confident about its salinity. Then you will know what salinity reading on the hydrometer is correct for your tank's salinity.

 

[paOol]

i got one at my LFS for $10, it works fine, but then again, i dunno what a refractometer is.

 

[colettem]

Mine seems to give a different reading every time you dip it in the water. Even the tiniest bubbles seem to affect it. I'm looking to get either a digital salinity monitor or a refractometer instead and am a bit annoyed about the Ã"šÃ‚£12.99 I spent on my hydrometer.

 

[kraze3]

theyre on sale
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

 

[stevebydac]

If you have a lot of sensitive reef animals, you should eventually get a refractometer. But you will be fine in the short run with a simple plastic hydrometer.

I NEVER had a refractometer in 18 years. I mostly have had FOWLR, and I doublechecked myself by reading two hydrometers, making sure they matched. I realize they aren't perfect, but they were accurate enough for my purposes. And before somebody shrieks and says how horrible that is, let me state that I have lost ONE fish in the last six years, likely due to old age. I don't recall having a fish loss due to illness in at least 8 years.

 

[colettem]

I guess having two hydrometers is a pretty neat idea - would be very unlucky if both were really inaccurate.