Using a hydrometer for hypo? My argument, tell me if I am wrong.

[Lionfish hunter]

I have had the same hydrometer forever, and just bought a refractometer from red sea to try hypo. Luckily I think I have flukes instead of ich. But this expensive refractometer is constantly off calibration, is tempermental, and just plain sucks! After watching videos on youtube, it seems many expensive refractometers read a few ppt off consistantly. So I did a test on my old 10$ hydrometer. It reads 1.000 in ro/di water and 35 ppt in solution. Now why does everybody say just dont use a hydrometer for hypo? Is there any reason not to use one that is working correctly? What am I missing, these expensive refractometers don’t seem to be all that great. My hydrometer has read 1.025 in my aquarium every time I have ever tested it (I have autotopoff). I’ve owned this refractometer for 2 days and it gives me a new number every single time.

 

[Jekyl]

I have had the same hydrometer forever, and just bought a refractometer from red sea to try hypo. Luckily I think I have flukes instead of ich. But this expensive refractometer is constantly off calibration, is tempermental, and just plain sucks! After watching videos on youtube, it seems many expensive refractometers read a few ppt off consistantly. So I did a test on my old 10$ hydrometer. It reads 1.000 in ro/di water and 35 ppt in solution. Now why does everybody say just dont use a hydrometer for hypo? Is there any reason not to use one that is working correctly? What am I missing, these expensive refractometers don’t seem to be all that great. My hydrometer has read 1.025 in my aquarium every time I have ever tested it (I have autotopoff). I’ve owned this refractometer for 2 days and it gives me a new number every single time.

I just calibrate mine before every use. Rather be safe then sorry.

 

[mdb_talon]

Now why does everybody say just dont use a hydrometer for hypo?

Because they are notorious for being innacurate(assuming you are speaking of a swing arm style) and they cannot be calibrated.

Your anecdotal experience with it always being correct for you does not really outweigh the combined experience of decades of users.

Personally i use both. A swing arm for a quick check of tank(it is off by .02 and always has been but it is consistent). A calibrated refractometer for my WC water change water and for occassionally checking the tanks if something seems off.

A calibrated refractometer is more foolproof. As long as it is clean you have no worry about bubbles, etc interfering with the readings.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Because they are notorious for being innacurate(assuming you are speaking of a swing arm style) and they cannot be calibrated.

Your anecdotal experience with it always being correct for you does not really outweigh the combined experience of decades of users.

Personally i use both. A swing arm for a quick check of tank(it is off by .02 and always has been but it is consistent). A calibrated refractometer for my WC water change water and for occassionally checking the tanks if something seems off.

A calibrated refractometer is more foolproof. As long as it is clean you have no worry about bubbles, etc interfering with the readings.

Like you said, your hydrometer is off by the same amount every single time. It seems refractometers are off sometimes at the very least. Seems most are hit or miss. If you have a swing hydrometer that is perfect at sea water and at ro/di, is there any real argument to not using it for hypo? I am in no way worried about bubbles or a level surface, I can control those variables.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I have used 1 expensive refractometer and watched different tests on youtube, they seem to be off a lot. My trusty hydrometer is solid as a rock, just wondering if there is any reason it wont work for hypo in the future.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Because they are notorious for being innacurate(assuming you are speaking of a swing arm style) and they cannot be calibrated.

Your anecdotal experience with it always being correct for you does not really outweigh the combined experience of decades of users.

Personally i use both. A swing arm for a quick check of tank(it is off by .02 and always has been but it is consistent). A calibrated refractometer for my WC water change water and for occassionally checking the tanks if something seems off.

A calibrated refractometer is more foolproof. As long as it is clean you have no worry about bubbles, etc interfering with the readings.

Also I am not somehow saying my anecdotal experience shows all swing hydrometers are great. They do seem give the same readings over and over. That is more than I can say about refractometers. If I had one of the MANY hydrometers that are off by .002 I probably wouldnt trust it for hypo. I’m assuming you ment .002 as .02 would make it unusable. But if it is on on the high and low scale, it seems logical, right? Not saying I’m right, looking for opinions on that.

 

[mdb_talon]

Also I am not somehow saying my anecdotal experience shows all swing hydrometers are great. They do seem give the same readings over and over. That is more than I can say about refractometers. If I had one of the MANY hydrometers that are off by .002 I probably wouldnt trust it for hypo. I’m assuming you ment .002 as .02 would make it unusable. But if it is on on the high and low scale, it seems logical, right? Not saying I’m right, looking for opinions on that.

Yes sorry .002.

My overall point in this though is refractometers can be easily calibrated. Hydrometers cannot be easily. Neither one can be considered 100% reliable and the far safer option is the one you can easily validate its accuracy. Without calibration you are just hoping it is correct.

I would also say in your scenario the swing arm may repeatedly give the same result and in theory they should if used correctly, but they are much more prone to being used incorrectly(not rinsing and getting salt buildup, bubbles caught on arm, etc)

 

[WVNed]

Because they are notorious for being innacurate(assuming you are speaking of a swing arm style) and they cannot be calibrated.

Your anecdotal experience with it always being correct for you does not really outweigh the combined experience of decades of users.

Personally i use both. A swing arm for a quick check of tank(it is off by .02 and always has been but it is consistent). A calibrated refractometer for my WC water change water and for occassionally checking the tanks if something seems off.

A calibrated refractometer is more foolproof. As long as it is clean you have no worry about bubbles, etc interfering with the readings.

Mine hasn't been inaccurate for 10 years.
They can be calibrated. I bought a Pinpoint conductivity meter. Calibrated it and used it to check my hydrometer. Then I put it away and have never needed it again.
Just draw a line where it reads what salt level you want and it will be accurate for the next decade without any further input from you. Unless you let the line wear off. I redraw mine with a sharpie once in a while. All the color has worn off of it.
Fool proof? You mean drop on the floor, drop in the sump kind of fool proof? Ya, my hydrometer is that fool proof.
I can use it 100 times a day too. It's been dropped 100 times too, on concrete.
My actual experience with my hydrometer for a decade outweighs the anecdotal experiences of people on the internet that say refractometers are better. Right before they make a post about their screwed up salinity.

Dip it, bang it, read it, Done. Almost infinitely repeatable.
Okay it gets a bubble in it. It ALWAYS reads too high making it obvious. It never gets screwy and goes wrong in some random way. Just knock it sharply on something to get the bubble off and read it again.
Dirty, put it in some vinegar.

One of the best and longest lasting tank things I ever bought.

I think refractometers are silly. But use what you want.

 

[mdb_talon]

Mine hasn't been inaccurate for 10 years.
They can be calibrated. I bought a Pinpoint conductivity meter. Calibrated it and used it to check my hydrometer. Then I put it away and have never needed it again.
Just draw a line where it reads what salt level you want and it will be accurate for the next decade without any further input from you. Unless you let the line wear off. I redraw mine with a sharpie once in a while. All the color has worn off of it.
Fool proof? You mean drop on the floor, drop in the sump kind of fool proof? Ya, my hydrometer is that fool proof.
I can use it 100 times a day too. It's been dropped 100 times too, on concrete.
My actual experience with my hydrometer for a decade outweighs the anecdotal experiences of people on the internet that say refractometers are better. Right before they make a post about their screwed up salinity.

Dip it, bang it, read it, Done. Almost infinitely repeatable.
Okay it gets a bubble in it. It ALWAYS reads too high making it obvious. It never gets screwy and goes wrong in some random way. Just knock it sharply on something to get the bubble off and read it again.
Dirty, put it in some vinegar.

One of the best and longest lasting tank things I ever bought.

I think refractometers are silly. But use what you want.

Lol i was not suggesting anyone use something else. He asked a question on why hydrometers have a bad rep. I answered accurately.

 

[Saltyreef]

Mine hasn't been inaccurate for 10 years.
They can be calibrated. I bought a Pinpoint conductivity meter. Calibrated it and used it to check my hydrometer. Then I put it away and have never needed it again.
Just draw a line where it reads what salt level you want and it will be accurate for the next decade without any further input from you. Unless you let the line wear off. I redraw mine with a sharpie once in a while. All the color has worn off of it.
Fool proof? You mean drop on the floor, drop in the sump kind of fool proof? Ya, my hydrometer is that fool proof.
I can use it 100 times a day too. It's been dropped 100 times too, on concrete.
My actual experience with my hydrometer for a decade outweighs the anecdotal experiences of people on the internet that say refractometers are better. Right before they make a post about their screwed up salinity.

Dip it, bang it, read it, Done. Almost infinitely repeatable.
Okay it gets a bubble in it. It ALWAYS reads too high making it obvious. It never gets screwy and goes wrong in some random way. Just knock it sharply on something to get the bubble off and read it again.
Dirty, put it in some vinegar.

One of the best and longest lasting tank things I ever bought.

I think refractometers are silly. But use what you want.

I did the same thing to my swing arm
Calibrated it against my tropic marin that now sits in a desk drawer with my miluakee lol.
Thank god for the alien technology known as the sharpie lol.

 

[Timfish]

I have an old school glass hydrometer (I break them regularly but I think they are the easiest and most consistnat to use), several refractometrers and they seem to last a couple years before they won't stay calibrated long enough to use, several float type hydrometers (some can be finicky but I've had some also work consistantly for years until broken and Hanna Digital salinity testers which take longer than hydrometers but are easy to use until they quit.

 

[WVNed]

I suppose if I wanted to know the actual value for my salinity I would use a refractometer.

But all I want to know is okay or do I need more salt or more water. For that I use my hydrometer

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I suppose if I wanted to know the actual value for my salinity I would use a refractometer.

But all I want to know is okay or do I need more salt or more water. For that I use my hydrometer

I only bought 1 refractometer that was not cheap, but it left me having no clue what the salinity was. And the red sea refractometer has 1.000 sg equalling 2 ppt leaving me really scratching my head.