Hydrometer Error

[pph_2ppr]

I was one that was naive enough to listen to the guy at the lfs and purchase a hydrometer. After being told that I need something new finially recieved my refractometer in the mail. After calibration I found that the same water which was 1.023 according to the hydro was 1.030 according to the refracto. Have any of you experienced such a large amount of error?(hydrometer has been discarded)

How long should the process while be lowering the SG level? Can I do it in a period of a few days?

Would salt levels this high be enough to have killed my shrimp in acclimation?

 

[Sadielynn]

Yes with levels that high it is possible to kill a shrimp . What were your other perameters specifically your PH ,nitrAtes, and NitrItes that is another ?
I would lower it over a week period by taking out a cup or two and adding fresh water . Checking before and after , if you by chance get to low you can top off with salt water . But you should be ok ...
Mine was off by 1.033 on ours when it read 1.023 upon checking against our refrac we found it to be way higher than it should have been and that was brand new out of the pack , if the rubber stopper inside gets moved just a bit it will throw it out of wack big time ... Refracts are not that expensive compaired to constantly worring or buying new hydrometers on a bimonthly basis

 

[lando]

Great advice by Sadie. Best thing you can do is purchase a refractometer...you can find them for under $50 and they are worth their weight in gold! At the very lest, have your hydrometer calibrated against a refracto at the LFS so you know far it is off.

 

[pph_2ppr]

My pH was at 8.0-8.2 ammonia was .25 nitrite was at 0 and nitrate was at 20 ppm. How besides water changes can I get my nitrate levels to go down?

 

[pat8you]

macro algae will export nutrients like nitrates and i think if you have a really deep sand bed 3-4 inches at least that is undisturbed by any kinda of sand sifters or anything eventually it will grow some bacteria that will consume nitrates but i'm not positive on that one someone who knows more will have to correct me on that one if i'm wrong. your ammonia should be at 0 before you put anything in the tank.

 

[fijiwigi]

I also found that my hydromoter was reading 1.024 and I was really at 1.030 glad I bought a refractometer for sure. I can now sleep at night

 

[cmor1701d]

My pH was at 8.0-8.2 ammonia was .25

Why is your ammonia reading anything above 0?
You should do a PWC now to get that down. A pwc will also help with the nitrates.

 

[melosu58]

How besides water changes can I get my nitrate levels to go down?

Feed every other day and check you PWC water and top off water to make sure you are not adding nitrates yourself. I experienced a big difference between my hydrometer and refractometer.

 

[pph_2ppr]

I'm pretty sure my ammonia is not 0 because I am over stocked or overfeeding. There is two damsels both are pretty small, but I will switch to one clown, firefish, OR goby. I feed roughy 8 small pellets everyday. I have to break them down because the fish are too small to eat them. What should I do differently?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

And if I recall, you have those two damsels in a 10g that really never properly cycled. That isn't helping matters either.

 

[pph_2ppr]

Properly cycled? Ammonia and nitrite spiked, I thought that meant that the cycle had taken place. The damsels are going to be removed this weekend. Re-tested ammonia and it's now at 0 ppm nitrite is at 0 ppm nitrate is at 20 ppm but my pH dropped to 7.8 which is probably because I removed about 1/2 gallon salt water and substituted with ro/di water (to get sg down from 1.03).

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Sorry... I thought you'd put the damsels in before you cycled the tank and cycled the tank using the fish. I was thinking you never really had 0ppm ammonia since adding the fish, but I must be confusing your post with another one.

I DO remember though that you have the chicken pox! Thinking that should've just about run its course by now, and you don't have to worry about getting a case of those again ever in your life!

 

[Sadielynn]

I DO remember though that you have the chicken pox! Thinking that should've just about run its course by now, and you don't have to worry about getting a case of those again ever in your life!

Unless you get shingles wich is an adult version of chicken pox and yes even if you had chicken pox you can get shingles
You should still be reading zero tho once your tank matures even in a smaller one , I know I am stocked pretty hard in our 10 an now they are all at 0 Only my nitrAtes and phosphates are high but I am working on that one

 

[cmor1701d]

What is your SG reading now?

Are you testing pH at the same time each day? The reading will be lower before the lights come on and be highest when they are turned off at night. RODI water should not affect the pH that much on a 5% water change.

Can you test for Alkalinity?

As for feeding, try some smaller pellets <g>, or other prepared food (flake). Just feed sparingly and you should be ok.

 

[pph_2ppr]

My sg is down to 1.025, I don't know how much lower I should go. I tested pH right before turning off the light, but i will test again tonight. I don't have an alkalinity test kit currently, does alkalinity have something to do with the pH?

ha after this i wish i woulda got chicken pox as a kid.....

this weekend I am planning on losing the damsels and getting one black ocellaris clown

 

[cmor1701d]

1.025 is great for a reed tank. A FO should be a little lower, around 1.022 - 1.024.

Read The Relationship Between Alkalinity and pH-CHEMISTRY AND THE AQUARIUM

Alkalinity is an indication of the buffering capabiility of the water to maintain a pH
level.

Make sure you test pH at the same time of day each time you test.

 

[pph_2ppr]

If instead of a shrimp, how would a porcelain crab do with hermits and smaller fish?

 

[pph_2ppr]

Well This time I tried a peppermint shrimp. Did a 45 minute acclimation, but it still died shortly after being introduced to the tank. I did switch the damsels for two firefish, they appear to be doing fine. I have a mini-star fish living in my aquarium, why cant a shrimp???

 

[TheChad]

I first purchased a Swing arm type hydrometer then after joining this forum, I purchased a refreactometer, I tested the hydrometer against the refractometer and found the numbers to be the exact same!

However after several months of use I found my refeactometer would not zero, and some how was stuck. I had to buy another. But I check my salinity with my refractometer weekly, and I check it with the hydrometer from time to time just to get a second opinion if you will.

-TheChad

 

[Sadielynn]

This is a shot in the dark but perhaps you should test for copper . I am not sure why a star would be ok but a shrimp would not, I would also try a shorter acclimation time.
Thechad I am not sure why your refract will not 0 but have you callibrated it ? If so I would call where you got it or return it as it sounds like a manufacture problem ... It also sounds like it may have been dropped not by you perhaps but at the store or the factory ..