Refracometers compared to Hydrometers....

[Kermit]

Ok as i've mentioned somewhere in this forum as a reply i was using a cheap Hydrometer to measure my waters salt levels, Other then breaking them every five minutes and having to run out and buy another one to replace it i found them to be inaccreate. The hydrometer was always reading 1.024-1.026 and i noticed my leather corals were always with drawn and one was receading, one sunday morning down at a LFS i heard a couple of people talking about salt levels when cheaked with the Refractometer they said that their salt levels were 1.030 when their Hydrometers read 1.025, so i took a sample of my water to be tested and the result was 1.030, since then i've never looked back at the old hydrometer and never will my corals are all lush and the one that was receading has recoved.

Todate i know of two more people that were using hydrometers and thought their levels were all good but their tanks were actually 1.030-1.032. I'm surprised in how far out all these tanks were and the end results as they were all out by around the same margins.

Some of the people i know of were using what is considered as a top line Hydrometer as well as the old cheapy.

Now i've told you my story i'd like to hear what other people on this forum have experienced and what their opinions are towards Hydrometers, or Refractometers are as i strongly recomend refractometers and concider them to be an essential tool.

Kermit

[lduncan]

I'd say they're essential for any tank (but for different reasons)

Reef tanks - absolute salinity matters and can have significant effects in my experience.

Fish only - hydrometers are too damn easy to break, a refractometer pays for itself in no time.

Layton

[Aquatopia]

Im glad this post has been placed. Ive been thinking the same thing. Saw a refractometer and thought - hmm, fancy gimmick, whats wrong with the tried and tested plastic one.

Now I have read this, its certainly on my list of necessaries.

For the chch guys, I have seen them in Organisms (guys if you read this free plug i expect a credit !!), for around the $140 mark.

Is this the right sort of price? Are there different makes? Or would they all be much of a muchness?

[lduncan]

Make sure it's an ATC version (automatic temperature compensation). Other than that it will be fine. No brands really.

Layton

[Ira]

My refractometer and hydrometer both read approximately the same, but the refractometer is MUCH easier to read, at least for me.

[Control]

Now there something I must get.

I have always used a hydrometer and kept it in a safe place in the tank.

Who makes the best one for the money with ATC.

Aaron.

[Fay]

SAME:

I was over salting my tanks for 2years at 1.030 until I got a refractometer

[chimera]

My refractometer and hydrometer both read approximately the same, but the refractometer is MUCH easier to read, at least for me

approximately the same? or the same? you dont have much 'approximate' to play with, 0.02 is a reasonable amount you are probably lucky more than anything else. have you ever noted how the water runs up the side of the hydrometer a mil or so? makes it so much harder to read. mine hydrometer and refractometer always read different, and the bloody thing wouldnt stop bobbing up and down!!!

[Kermit]

Sounds like its a common thing through out so far, how about the people that have made the move to Refractometers list the difference in levels they found from the Hydrometer to the refractometer.

Mine was as follows:

Hydrometer was reading 1.024-1.026

Refractometer reads 1.030 with same water.

Kermit

[Ira]

approximately the same? or the same?

]

As close as I could tell, the same.

have you ever noted how the water runs up the side of the hydrometer a mil or so? makes it so much harder to read.

Yeah, that's part of why I say the refractometer is easier to read.

[jetskisteve]

youre supposed to read the hydrometer from UNDER the water! then it looks level.

2 yrs ago when i imported a couple of refractometers i went round the local shops & tested their water pretty much all running at 1.029

including my own tank

[chimera]

youre supposed to read the hydrometer from UNDER the water

oh, "excuse me sir but does that hydrometer come with a free dive mask?" :lol:

[Ira]

I guess that would have the advantage of having any of your cleaner shrimp give you nice haircut, but then you'd get hair gel in the water!

[SteveA]

Use hydrometer.

Used refractometer for a while and when it arrived it proved my hydrometer to be sufficiently accurate if used correctly. Refractometer was a lot easier to use and got used a lot.

Refractometer developed a leak after a while and is now in bits waiting for spare parts (seal round prism) from the supplier (some hope I suspect). Failing spare parts it works out a very expensive option for only 18 month usable life.

Steve

[livebearer_breeder]

Whats the Price difference?

Shae

[Aquatopia]

$15-20/25 for a hydrometer generally

$140 approx for a refractometer.

But if its more accurate (and this accuracy generated better results as has been suggested) then i reckon its worth it. Thats the route im going on my setup.

[livebearer_breeder]

Were do salties generally purchase all this gear from?

Shae

[Kermit]

Failing spare parts it works out a very expensive option for only 18 month usable life.

I went through three hydrometers in nine months totaling $70 maybe i'm clumsy maybe i used it a lot, i do mix up fourty liters of water every sunday so theres four times a week.

So i brought my refractometer for $130 if i get 18 months out of it thats still $10 saving , not to mention that there are more expensive hydrometers out there around the $70-80 range and the easy reading of the refractometer over the hydrometer that constently bobs up and down, having to read under water why would you not.

I've got to admit when i heard the price of the refractometers at first i was put off but after breaking hydrometers like eating jelly babies it's defently worth the money in my point of view, i think this post has already made the concerns of not reading hydrometers correctly and the inaccuracy of the hydrometers known and i wouldn't be surprised if some people have found out what their salt level actually are by getting the LFS to cheack, if so thats what i wanted to do and it would be great to hear of peoples findings from hydrometer to refractometers weather they find the hydrometer to be accurate or not and vise versa, this way we can see the findings that each other have made and maybe do a % accuracy comparison of the two.