hydrometer

[brndfrb]

Anyone know of any good hydrometers? The one that i have is not working. I don't think. do you have to caliberate them. Like do you have to let water sit in them for a while? Everytime i use it i get a different reading. Sometimes it will say 1.024 and sometimes it goes off the chart. Like more than 1.030. I don't htink it is right.

[fishfreek]

always tap the hydromoter to make sure there are no tiny air bubbles on the float indicator as an air bubble will toss off the readings.

[captivereefs]

Most hydometers are erratic. I would reccomend a refractometer.

[jackdp]

If it is a glass floating hydrometer, you can calibrate it in distilled water. It should read 1.00 in distilled water at the proper temperature. In order to know the proper temperature you will have to be lucky enough to have one that tells you, they can differ. If it reads off from 1.000 then you know your correction factor at that temperature. Swing arm types are even more fickle and don't usually go to 1.000. I would go with captivereef and get refractometer...look around the web you can find em for under 50 bucks some places.

[biotoxin]

sg will flux in different temps. Remember that when testing your SG. Lower temp = lower gravity.

[ellisz]

I have read posts from people that have refractometers and they have said the Deep Six and some other swing types are nearly as accurate as the refractometer...

[captivereefs]

If you have a friend with a refractometer you can check your hydrometer against it. Some hydrometers are very accurate; some are not.The key with hydrometers are to have the airbubbles off the swingarm