Hydrometer + Refractometer

[fishstick4sale]

my hydrometer says 1.024
my refractometer says 1.028
i compared my hydrometer with the LFS about a year ago and it was off by 2.. my hydrometer would read 1.025 but the LFS read 1.027 so is the hydrometer losing even more accuracy???which1 should i believe i calibrated my refrac. with r/o water down to 0.000 but i always used my hydrometer so my salinity has always been 1.028 this whole time!!? but everything looks great so what should i do? i have the hydrometer with the temp adjust and fancy stuff, how long should i let the water sit in the refractometer to adjust to temp befor i read it

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by fishstick4sale
http:///forum/post/2987213
my hydrometer says 1.024
my refractometer says 1.028
i compared my hydrometer with the LFS about a year ago and it was off by 2.. my hydrometer would read 1.025 but the LFS read 1.027 so is the hydrometer losing even more accuracy???which1 should i believe i calibrated my refrac. with r/o water down to 0.000 but i always used my hydrometer so my salinity has always been 1.028 this whole time!!? but everything looks great so what should i do? i have the hydrometer with the temp adjust and fancy stuff, how long should i let the water sit in the refractometer to adjust to temp befor i read it
Most hydrometers are calibrated for water temp of 77 Deg

 

[fishstick4sale]

im going to float a bag of r/o in my tank for it can be the same temp of about 79 with the tank water then i will measure both. will that b accurate enough??

 

[bizzmoneyb]

id believe the refractometer. ive never gotten an accurate reading from a hydrometer. your supposed to have the water "room temperature" when using the refractometer.
1.028 is high but not dangerous IMO. just slowly bring it down during water changes.

 

[canareef]

The instructions with my refractometer says to use distilled water to calibrate. I would read the instructions on yours and it should say how to calibrate it.

 

[eric b 125]

my refractometer, which has the auto-temperature feature, had to be calibrated w/ RO at 68*. i'd for sure rely on the refractometer.

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by Eric B 125
http:///forum/post/2988241
my refractometer, which has the auto-temperature feature, had to be calibrated w/ RO at 68*. i'd for sure rely on the refractometer.
mine is the same way. i bought a refractometer because i was using a hydrometer for a year and wanted some thing a little more accurate. and when i bought it i tested what the water was with both the hydrometer and refractometer and both of them said 1.023.

 

[srfisher17]

Off the subject a bit; but why can't someone make an accurate hydrometer? Its just a piece pf plastic on a swivel point. Is it just the poor quality control of mass production or what?

 

[johnvic]

I know that the pivot arm type hydrometer is not considered accurate but how accurate is a glass hydrometer? I know you have to do temperature compensation, which I'm comfortable with, but are they accurate?