darwin604 Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 I currently have 2 devices for measuring my specific gravity. One's an Aquarium Systems "seatest" meter (the clear plastic one with the 'dial') and the other is one that I can float in the tank (forget the actual name) that looks like a thermometer. They both seem to give me different readings (ie one said 1.022 and the other one said 1.028 ). After cleaning both thoroughly I still got different readings. I recently broke the glass one - but im now pondering if I should replace it with something else. Anyways, just wondering what a decently priced meter that I can TRUST has a reliable reading. This seatest unit seems pretty hokey IMHO. . (I actually put distilled water in it and its not reading zero - and I knocked ALL the bubbles off of it and I know its clean - don't trust it one bit) Any opinions would be great. d. Link to comment
blk_g20 Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 spend the money and get a refractometer. i got mine from DIYreef.com. for about $40 i think. it does cost more than the plastic swing-arm hydrometers but is much more accurate. i spend the money after reading other peoples oppinions and haven't regret it at all. Link to comment
bgoode Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 I second the refractometer. They are much more accurate than swing-arm or float hydrometers. They can be calibrated to ensure correct readings consistently. You may find that both of your hydrometers are reading wrong. Link to comment
darwin604 Posted November 28, 2003 Author Share Posted November 28, 2003 Yah I've seen ads for refractometers all over the place. I think I'll check my lfs for one next time I'm down there. How do they work btw? By looking at a pic of one here I can't quite figure it out. Just curious ??? ps. Birdman: nice nano, those pics are amazing . . what lighting are you running on there? Those red zoo's look sweet! Link to comment
jdepp Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 yeah is it normal to get readings off ro water i tested my ro water for the heck ot it and came up with readings i forget what they were but thought it was odd Link to comment
blk_g20 Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 huh...testing ro water for sg would get you 1.000 Link to comment
birdman204 Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 LOL g20. JDepp - If you get a reading, your refractometer needs to be calibrated, should have a little screw on there. Wait till the refractometer is room temp, then add RO water, wait till the water temp equalizes, then adjust from here. Then your SG reading will be accurate. Thanks Darwin Its a 32 w actinic and a 70W MH 10K- For the refractometer, Basically, there is an eyepiece, and the other end has a small glass plate w/ a cover, you flip the cover up, drop 3 or 4 drops of water on there, close it, and let the temperatures equalize, then look through the lens, the markings are in there. Well Worth it! I have used a float style, and even after calibrating it in RO, when I got the refractometer, my SG was 1.028 :-O. Well, needless to say, the hydrometer went in the trash. Link to comment
TiGs Posted November 28, 2003 Share Posted November 28, 2003 Refractometer. You dont even have to get your hands wet. Link to comment
tylernt Posted November 29, 2003 Share Posted November 29, 2003 I have both a Deep Six and the Aquarium Systems SeaTest box one. I like the SeaTest better. Why? Easier to pour water from a container or squirt a load from a turkey baster into it than the Deep Six. Also, the swingarm is bigger and the graduations easier to read. Refractometer is nice but I'd rather spend the price diff on corals. The swingarm hydrometers may not be accurate, but they are precise enough to keep your specific gravity stable. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.