hydrometer confusion ...

[vancouver_newb]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm in the process of setting up my 10 gallon, and I'm having problems with my Coralife Deep Six Hydrometer; it seems as though the S.G. reading is dependent on the rate at which I fill the hydrometer with water. If I fill it up fast, the needle shoots to the max 1.030 and stays there. If I fill it up nice and slow, the needle sometimes doesn't even move and just stays at the bottom @ 1.010. If I fill at a moderate rate, the needle rises to an acceptable S.G. reading I guess (1.019 - 1.023).

 

But I'm one confused newbie right now. Am I filling the hydrometer incorrectly? I'm very unsure of which S.G. reading I get because I feel as though I can control the hydrometer needle with the rate at which I fill it up. Please help. Thanks guys & gals.

[seaker]

did ya tap it to make sure there are no air bubbles stuck to the needle?

[slickchick]

You need to rap the hydrometer on the counter to dislodge all the air bubbles on the needle. If that doesn't work, stick something into the hydrometer to tap on the needle itself to dislodge the bubbles. Works for me.

[Tempest]

Better yet, get yourself a refractometer. Hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate and you also need to account for temperature variances.

[Aiptasia]

The glass hydrometers also work better. They bob up and down like a cork in your tank water.

 

Tap tap tappity tap those bubbles off the plastic "needle", and make sure you mix your seawater at the recommended temperature.

[AnthonyNguyen]

did you wash your hydrometers after each testing?? sometime when u test your sw, and the salt is still in there, so every time u test make sure its dry , so the result can be much better , i always wash my after testing my Sw, maybe this will help, and tap on hydrometers after u fill it.

[darwin604]

Also, with a new swing-arm hydrometer, you should fill it with tap water and let it sit for 24 hours - somehow this is supposed to 'condition' it so that air bubbles wont stick as easily. It may be a faulty unit too . . maybe the needle's getting stuck. Refractometers are really nice, but being a newbie with a small tank 75 bucks is a lot of money to spend on something like that. I've been using my good old swing arm unit for a while and it seems to work fine.

 

By the way, what part of Vancouver are you from? I'm also in van city with a similar setup to what your putting together right now.

 

d.

 

ps. I have the same SG tester, youre just supposed to lower it into the water until it fills right up to the little 'ledge' inside it and then lift it out . . pretty easy.

[vancouver_newb]

Hey guys,

 

I did tap the hydrometer to dislodge any air bubbles, but it didn't seem to help. I also seasoned the needle for 24 hrs. w/ fresh water before its first use. Hm, I think I'll try soaking it with vinegar as the instructions say, and see if that works. There were a few times where I forgot to rinse the hydrometer after usage. Perhaps that's why the needle's acting all funky??? Anyhow I'll give it a go. Thanks for all the help guys. I just can't believe I can't even get a hydrometer to work ... such a simple first step to keeping a S.W. aquarium and yet I can't even do that. It's a little discouraging for a newb :*( Oh, and BTW, could somebody please explain to me how temperature variances affect the S.G. of the water? Thanks.

 

I live in East Vancouver. Youself?

[darwin604]

Yah cleaning it out with vinegar is a good idea if theres any salt crystalized in there.

 

I live in west van.

 

d.