Should I trust hanna salinity checker

[LxHowler]

So I just bought a Hanna salinity checker for my tank.
A little reason why I bought the checker. I travel a lot for work and so a lot of the time I’m not home to look after the tank. My family do a good job of the basics and then I do the water changes when I’m home. Recently they needed to do a water change whilst I was away (a lot of food got spilt into the tank) and they really struggled to read the refractometer.

so the checker arrived today and I decided to test it. I gave it a rinse in ro water, dried it then calibrated it. I then tested my tank and it read 1.023, my refractometer read 1.026. I calibrated the refractometer with calibration fluid and it still said 1.026. Now I’m confused as to what I should trust. I admit my refractometer is only a cheap Amazon one but I thought it was accurate until now.
What should I do, slowly raise the salinity to match the Hannah checker or send it back and carry on with my refractometer.

Im abit stuck on this one. I see everyone say how accurate the checker is but I dont know if I should trust it or not.

 

[MoshJosh]

So I just bought a Hanna salinity checker for my tank.
A little reason why I bought the checker. I travel a lot for work and so a lot of the time I’m not home to look after the tank. My family do a good job of the basics and then I do the water changes when I’m home. Recently they needed to do a water change whilst I was away (a lot of food got spilt into the tank) and they really struggled to read the refractometer.

so the checker arrived today and I decided to test it. I gave it a rinse in ro water, dried it then calibrated it. I then tested my tank and it read 1.023, my refractometer read 1.026. I calibrated the refractometer with calibration fluid and it still said 1.026. Now I’m confused as to what I should trust. I admit my refractometer is only a cheap Amazon one but I thought it was accurate until now.
What should I do, slowly raise the salinity to match the Hannah checker or send it back and carry on with my refractometer.

Im abit stuck on this one. I see everyone say how accurate the checker is but I dont know if I should trust it or not.

I have suspect that my Hanna always reads 1.022 or 1.023. My water was consistently reading that, and yes I calibrated it, but when I took a test to LFS, their computer said waster was 1.027

 

[mrpontiac80]

So the hanna has been my go to since I started this hobby over two years ago. I started to question it because my friend uses a Milwaukee to check his. They both came up with different numbers every time when compared. So I bought a Tropic Marin glass hydrometer and using 3 temp probes to get an average I determined the salinity at 1.025 and my Hanna read low by about 1.023

now obviously electronic devices have a tolerance. What I have since done was mentally note the difference and use the Hanna for ease to the number that gets my salinity where I want it. I trust the TM hydrometer so that’s what I do.

 

[TheBear78]

As above, like @mrpontiac80 says.
My experience with the Hanna salinity meter is that it accurately reads 0.002 low!
This isn't an issue as I just use to to ensure new water and my DT read the same prior to water changes. The built in temperature gauge comes in handy too.

 

[Gtinnel]

I’ve never trusted my Hanna salinity pen. I regularly use and trust my Milwaukee digital refractometer.

The only way to know what to trust is to make or buy some solution of a known salinity and see which tester reads correctly.

 

[LxHowler]

So the hanna has been my go to since I started this hobby over two years ago. I started to question it because my friend uses a Milwaukee to check his. They both came up with different numbers every time when compared. So I bought a Tropic Marin glass hydrometer and using 3 temp probes to get an average I determined the salinity at 1.025 and my Hanna read low by about 1.023

now obviously electronic devices have a tolerance. What I have since done was mentally note the difference and use the Hanna for ease to the number that gets my salinity where I want it. I trust the TM hydrometer so that’s what I do.

So I have just ordered one of these hydrometers. It arrives tomorrow so I’ll update this thread when I know what that says

 

[woodyarmadillo]

I have a Milwaukee and a cheap Amazon telescope refractometer. Honestly, I feel that the cheap Amazon one is more accurate and reliable, and I love having it to double check my Milwaukee when I feel it’s giving a weird reading. I would also double check your calibration using plain distilled water too. Sometimes those calibration fluids can be off. If you’re still feeling uncertain, having that 3rd verification hydrometer should help make it more clear.

 

[MoshJosh]

problem solved!

 

[EricR]

I like and trust my Hanna Salinity Checker calibrated with Randy's DIY conductivity standard (warmed to tank temperature).
*didn't have as much luck with the included Hanna calibration packets

Mine matches my Tropic Marin Precision Hydrometer well but I know it's a mass produced product so there could be some luck of the draw with QC.

 

[mrpontiac80]

So I have just ordered one of these hydrometers. It arrives tomorrow so I’ll update this thread when I know what that says

Awesome and good luck!! Those things are very fragile. It took two try’s to get one in one piece. Also, never use it in the tank as they can break if it hits against something. FYI, someone said they use the plastic sleeve it comes in as a container to measure. I personally just used a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[LxHowler]

problem solved!

I actually have one of these somewhere but I’ve never trusted these. I might try and find it out and see what it says

 

[woodyarmadillo]

One thing I’ve learned is having a trusted refractometer is priceless and having a couple more on hand just to feel confident about your main one is worth it in my opinion.

 

[woodyarmadillo]

I’ve never trusted my Hanna salinity pen. I regularly use and trust my Milwaukee digital refractometer.

The only way to know what to trust is to make or buy some solution of a known salinity and see which tester reads correctly.

I’ve sort of figured out if I’m aiming for 1.0265 with the Milwaukee, it takes about 30 seconds to settle. If I read it immediately, it will read about 1.025 and then after about 30 seconds be up to 1.026 and stay there. I do love my Milwaukee though. Having an easy reliable refractometer means I test more often too.

 

[Bozburn]

So I have just ordered one of these hydrometers. It arrives tomorrow so I’ll update this thread when I know what that says

Did the same thing. I dont trust the hannah I have. Might order a Milwaukee as well just to have a few options.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

It's no better than the Instant Ocean hydrometer. Gives you a ballpark reading. lol

 

[Lou Ekus]

Awesome and good luck!! Those things are very fragile. It took two try’s to get one in one piece. Also, never use it in the tank as they can break if it hits against something. FYI, someone said they use the plastic sleeve it comes in as a container to measure. I personally just used a 5 gallon bucket.

Just as an additional point for those wondering, a short length of PVC pipe, with an end cap glued onto it, makes a great and inexpensive "testing sampler" for the hydrometer. That uses much less water than a bucket.

 

[jrill]

Just as an additional point for those wondering, a short length of PVC pipe, with an end cap glued onto it, makes a great and inexpensive "testing sampler" for the hydrometer. That uses much less water than a bucket.

I use a plastic graduated cylinder from Amazon.

 

[Akersta]

I’ve learned to never trust a refractometer unless you calibrate with your own solution. None of the calibration fluids sold are consistently accurate enough. I’ve tried lab grade hydrometers as well but they were even less accurate. I used to believe that being off 1 or 2 points in salinity was not a big deal. However, once I stabilized at the proper salinity, my tank has never looked better. I confirm my salinity is correct through ATI regularly as well.

I’d also add that I sold my Alkatronic, Mastertronic and Dosetronicz. Now I only run a calcium reactor and dose amino acids occasionally. I’ve gone as far as throwing out all of my test kits. Instead I send in a sample to ATI every month or two to make sure nothing is out of range. This ensures that the measured parameters are very accurate as well as keeping several weeks between testing to make sure any changes have leveled out.

 

[LxHowler]

So the hydrometer arrived today, it also read 1.023 so I guess either my refractometer is in need of replacing or I’ve had 2 bad batches of calibration fluid on it. It is 3 years old and only cost £15 so I guess it won’t be the best.

 

[*unique*]

Honestly I got sick of all these digital stuff and went to the tropic Marin salinity checker , it’s like a glass tube and I love it