Hydrometer Help

[marchingbandjs]

I know ok, i know. Im POed right now. I fill it up like told, and immediatly the pointer things flies to the top... so i thought well maby too much salt.... so then i tried with fresh water and.... same thing, and i doing something wrong or is the hydrometer broken

 

[sickboy]

Are there air bubbles on the arm?

 

[marchingbandjs]

nope i just dont get it... im very annoyed right now...

 

[gli0sca]

id also say check for air bubbles stuck to the arm, i had that problem when i first got mine. there was little bubbles stuck on the back, knocked it a few times and the arm came crashing down haha

 

[katsafados]

Dont use them, they suck! I use to use one and it gave me inaccurate levels. Buy a refractometer! There like $30 and well worth it.

 

[jackri]

Rinse it really well and try it again, double check the air bubbls... let it sit.
I don't know how "accurate" mine is... but I believe mine to be constant. I won't get 1.025 one day and 1.022 the next and then 1.027 the next.... my "cheap" hydrometer is reliable in the fact it reads a constant level whether or not it's not "perfectly accurate" and my tanks look great. So my 30 (or 50 bucks) is going for another ATO for my frag tank instead

 

[aquaguy24]

give it a good tap..use fresh water to calibrate it...like others said make sure theres no air bubbles..even the smallest of bubbles will give u a wrong reading..

 

[marchingbandjs]

Thank you all, for ur support, lol.... i feel better now, and it works.... magically the 30th time... and i do an average of 3 tests to make sure its accurate

 

[gmann1139]

Originally Posted by Marchingbandjs
http:///forum/post/3072547
Thank you all, for ur support, lol.... i feel better now, and it works.... magically the 30th time... and i do an average of 3 tests to make sure its accurate
If you are going to use a hydrometer (and I'm not recommend it), that's the best thing you can do, take 3 to 5 measurements at the same time and average them.
But as other posters noted, and I'm sure you've noticed yourself, accuracy aside, they are just frustrating to use.

 

[mkroher]

a refractometer is $40... that's pennies to what this hobby makes us spend.
do yourself and your fish a favor and get one.
I also started with a cheap hydrometer.. the stupid thing would float all over the place and give inaccurate readings.