What the! How do I read my glass hyrdrometer?

smilliej

smilliej

New Member
I have a free floating hydrometer, and im not sure how to read it.. you know how it has the green section between 1.020 and 1.030, well the waterline under the water is at 1.030, howver the water "lip" above the water surface is around 1.024/5. Which one is correct, how do you read these things. I have a slight memory of this from science class, but bugger if i can remember. Can anyone help?
I think i might be over salting my tank.....
Also, snails. Should i remove dead snails (i think i killed 2 of mine with high salinity). I know they REALLY STINK when you take them out, but i like to leave the old shells in there. Should i just wait until they're cobbled up by the clean-up guys or does this risk the ammonia levels?
Jenny
 
watertight

watertight

Member
I usually just look at the hydrometer from the top of the water, from an angle as flat as possible, and where the top of the water meets the scale that is how I read it. Then again I could be doing it wrong too! I'll be interested to see what responses will be to this question.
As for the snails, I would remove them. I was running a nano tank last year, had 1 snail die without me realising, by the time I found it I had lost my whole 3 fish from the ammonia spike it caused. The problem wouldn't be as bad in a bigger tank, but I still wouldn't risk it. JMO.
 
merredeth

merredeth

Active Member
Throw out the the glass hydrometer and get a refract. They are about $50 - $100 bucks unless you go on the great auction site of the world and you can get it for less. They are inaccurate as you can see already by the problems reading it. I wouldn't risk my tank with hundreds of dollars of fish to something that costs so little and proves to be inaccurate.
You do risk problems when you leave something dead in the tank, but in all honesty I let my crabs clean out the shells and then move them to the boneyard so the crabs have a variety of shells to pick from if they want to move. I have had crabs go into snail shells and just had it happen again. Keeping a small supply of empty shells (both crab and smail of varying sizes) is good for your crabs because they do like to take up a new residence every now and then.
Hope this helps you out.
Denise M.
 
smilliej

smilliej

New Member
Mine is a nano too, 16gal. The snail's are now wrapped in plastic in the bin.... smelly buggers.
Well, in my research of this fascinating hoby, i just found out that im supposed to top off with fresh water, not salt... so trying to get my tank back to the correct salinity... i hope i get a few answers, it's pretty important (without a refractormeter...) :)
 
smilliej

smilliej

New Member
Hey Denise i just noticed you're from Perth... I was born in Subiaco... not too many Aussies in these parts.. :)
Lleyton just lost! :(
 
smilliej

smilliej

New Member
Originally Posted by Merredeth
Throw out the the glass hydrometer and get a refract. They are about $50 - $100 bucks unless you go on the great auction site of the world and you can get it for less. They are inaccurate as you can see already by the problems reading it. I wouldn't risk my tank with hundreds of dollars of fish to something that costs so little and proves to be inaccurate.
You do risk problems when you leave something dead in the tank, but in all honesty I let my crabs clean out the shells and then move them to the boneyard so the crabs have a variety of shells to pick from if they want to move. I have had crabs go into snail shells and just had it happen again. Keeping a small supply of empty shells (both crab and smail of varying sizes) is good for your crabs because they do like to take up a new residence every now and then.
Hope this helps you out.
Denise M.

Thanks for the info Denise, and yes, i read the post wrong and thought you were from Australia. I dont have any crabs in my tank yet, but i will, which is why i wanted to leave the shells. They have been dead for about 2-3 days now and i checked them tonight and they handnt been cleaned out yet.. maybe not enough worms in my tank.... so i removed the shells..
 
watertight

watertight

Member
Jenny, it's me that's in Perth - I'm actually a Taswegian, but been here 6 years now. Lived in Vic for a while too. I must confess I'm not too upset about Lleyton losing....I think He's full of himself lol
Don't rush things too much trying to get the salt level back - try and do it slowly, s/w set-ups don't respond very well to sudden changes. Take it from me. I've made just about every mistake in the book so far
 
mystic7

mystic7

Member
Until you do get a refractometer, Watertight is correct. Read it from the top of the water surface.
 
nytrillium

nytrillium

Member
not to push buttons but the glass hydrometers are just fine... They are cheap and accurate. And easy to read... if you do it right. Its easier if you get a plastic or glass tube to float it in outside of your tank. That way it doesnt bob around on you and you can actually read it. I got mine for 12$ and its right on every time. and the built in thermo. is handy too.
 
bailey52

bailey52

Member
Im really getting sick of people asking a question and all they are looking for is a reasonably answer. Yet, some people on this board, disregard their question and tell them... Oh not thats junk... go spend $100 on this... oh they are trash.. spend $200 on this.. Now I appreciate people saying what the quality of some things are... but sometimes people are not asking that.. all they want is a simple answer to their question
 
nytrillium

nytrillium

Member
Your welcome, but i was just advising this person that it wasn not necessary to go buy a refractometer for 100$ when what they have is just fine. The person got the help they needed above and i thought they may appreciate the advice.
 
bailey52

bailey52

Member
No I agree with you that he doesnt have to spend more $$$ and upgrade.. im on your side
Its frustrating when someone asks a question and all the person says is it is junk
 
mystic7

mystic7

Member
That's actually what drove me away from this board before, asking a simple question and getting lectured even after stating beforehand that I knew I'd made a mistake. I've always felt myself that the glass hydrometers had served me well in the old days, certainly much better than the garbage plastic thingy's with arrow that passes for a hydrometer these days. I'm glad someone else agrees. Saved me from wasting 50 bucks on a refractometer. Now to find a LFS that even carries glass hydrometers anymore other than the ultra cheapie type.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
The large glas floating hydrometers are plenty accurate for reefkeeping. The small ones are OK but difficult to read accurately.
When floating a hydrometer the water will climb up the hydrometer due to surface tension. Do not read the scale where the water climbs up, read it from the water level of the container.
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
I agree that you should not be lectured on does and dont but I will admite I did ditch the hydrometer I had 3 brand named types of hydrometer .each gave me a different reading. after i purchased a refratometer I I asked myself why more LFS dont carry them on the shelves it takes 1 drop of water to test the sg and salinaty.I wish I had baught one sooner but all in all im glad I finally got it.just my 2 cents.
 
grumpygils

grumpygils

Active Member
Originally Posted by mystic7
That's actually what drove me away from this board before, asking a simple question and getting lectured even after stating beforehand that I knew I'd made a mistake. I've always felt myself that the glass hydrometers had served me well in the old days, certainly much better than the garbage plastic thingy's with arrow that passes for a hydrometer these days. I'm glad someone else agrees. Saved me from wasting 50 bucks on a refractometer. Now to find a LFS that even carries glass hydrometers anymore other than the ultra cheapie type.
Mystic,
How is the new tank? I remember your ordeal with the LFS. PICS? War stories?
Mc
 
clown52

clown52

Member
Uh.....does this mean that little plastic thingy with the swing arm is not a good way to test my salinity? :notsure:
 
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