Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
Honestly, it would probably not matter if it were brand new. I’m trying to sound rude, but Hydrometers are so inaccurate that there is not much you can do to make them better.
But having one is better than nothing, so here is my advice. To insure that it is as accurate as possible, the one thing you really want to do is to make sure that when you take your water sample, add the water very slowly so that any bubbles have time to rise. If bubbles, no matter how tiny, attach themselves to the underside of the swing arm; they will cause it to rise and give you a false reading.
Just follow the recommended mixing directions on the salt container and you’ll at least be very close.
Best of luck to you man.
Agreed, generally speaking hydrometers are pretty inaccurate, when you think of the small measurement you are taking. I've seen first hand one range from 1.022 to 1.029 and the actual reading was 1.018. 22% inaccurate on the lower end of that scale.
Good luck in whatever you decide, but i've never heard of "seasoning" a hydrometer.