hydrometer dilemma

Wayne Sallee wrote:
Or better yet get a salinity monitor, since conductivity is the new
scientific standard for measuring salinity.

Thanks. Never heard of one before.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Cindy wrote on 6/6/2006 4:05 PM:

And what do I calibrate it to?

A salinity monitor, or refractometer.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

and Wayne is correct or with standards and here is a link


Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm


--
Boomer

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

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http://www.coralrealm.com



"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
: Cindy wrote on 6/6/2006 4:05 PM:
:
: And what do I calibrate it to?
:
: A salinity monitor, or refractometer.
:
: Wayne Sallee
: Wayne's Pets
:

"since conductivity
is the new scientific standard for measuring salinity"


Old Wayne, very old, as far back as the 60s :-)

--
Boomer

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ! The Coral Realm
http://www.coralrealm.com



"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
: Or better yet get a salinity monitor, since conductivity
: is the new scientific standard for measuring salinity.
:
: Wayne Sallee
: Wayne's Pets
:
:
:
: ~Roy wrote on 6/6/2006 11:53 AM:
:
: Yep, what Kim said. I used to put faith in my hydrometer and swing
: arms.....but when stuff went south I used a refractometer and what a
: big difference in what I actually had and whata those other two
: instruments were telling me I had. You can get a good decent
: temperature comnpensating refractometer for about $40 or so. I know yu
: can get them for that or less on Ebay, but I owu dbe leary of the ebay
: ones, even if they are the same, as there have been lots of folks on
: the web based forums complaining of ebay refract. whose glass sight
: plate fell out or leaked and allowed water to infiltrate inside.
: Just make sure if yu order one online from anay place its for SALT and
: not a BRIX type which is for sugar......... A few folks that bought so
: called refract. on ebay were sent BRIX type. MOst sold at places like
: Drs. Foster & Smith and Premium Aquatics n Indianapolis, IN, have a
: two year warranty and cost about $40. Yu cna get a fanceier model for
: about $20 more but the results are the same and its not rworth that
: price difference. Calibration is dead easy, and once set its good to
: go practically forever, but I do verify mine every now and then, and
: in over 3 years its yet to be off.
:
:
:
:
: On Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:00:12 GMT, Cindy wrote:
: I have a new Coralife Deep Six hydrometer that I've been using for the
: past year or so. But over the weekend I sorted through my trash can
: full of aquarium supplies, and found my old "The Original" Seatest
: hydrometer that I've had for probably 20 years.
: The Coralife reads 1.022, and the tank has been doing fine.
: The Seatest reads off the scale, well above 1.027! It's pretty simple,
: I don't see how it could have gotten screwed up sitting in a box? And
: my tanks did fine 20 years ago too.
: I'm going to take them both to the fish store and see what they say,
: but which one do I believe?
:
: Cindy
:

Boomer wrote:
and Wayne is correct or with standards and here is a link


Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm


Well thank you, cause if I had a refractometer, I wouldn't need to
calibrate the Seatest. Guess I should have asked the question better.
Or Googled.

Try soaking both hydrometers for a day or two in kitchen vineger regularly.
Then wash it with warm water. This will dissolve deposits and make them more
reliable. I have also read on the back of the packaging that the manufacturer
recommends soaking it for at least 24 hours in sea water before
first use to "season the needle". I have no idea what science is
behind this recomendation, but maybe it is important fact you missed
comparing your old, dried out hygrometer readings with the other one.

From my own experience I prefer swing arms over refractometers by far!
Contrary to some people here I found them much easier to use than
to stare into tiny viewfinder and find the reading on very, very tiny scale
with an edge between blue and white regions being not always very sharp.
It might be some problem with my blue refractometer made in China
or some problems with my vision but I just find it very difficult to use :-)
With added uncertainity of most of them being calibrated to NaCl not NSW
they are not worth the price for the average aquarist. I can use Deep Six
hydrometer with good or bad light and I find them very reliable when
I wash them frequently and not let them dry with salt water in their cavity.

The reason for some is as stated in Pzemol's post ( he also posted on care of swing-arms).
I have a $600.00 conductivity meter and still used the swing arm. The are very fast and
easy to use, especially when you have been using them for decades. Many reefers often use
a refract or conductivity meter, just so they can compare it to their swing-arm and use
it.

--
Boomer

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ! The Coral Realm
http://www.coralrealm.com



"Cindy" wrote in message
.net...
: Boomer wrote:
: and Wayne is correct or with standards and here is a link
:
:
: Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards
: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm
:
:
: Well thank you, cause if I had a refractometer, I wouldn't need to
: calibrate the Seatest. Guess I should have asked the question better.
: Or Googled.

I wouldn't be without a refractometer. I've used the swing arm ones and
never could get the same reading twice. You can rest assured, Cindy, if you
are interested in buying from Dr Fosters or Premium Aquatics that both
places are excellent place to buy from!!! Also, Premium Aquatics has the
best live rock (if anyone is interested) that I've run across. Not trying
to start a "rock war" again ;-)

Susan
"Pszemol" wrote in message
...
Try soaking both hydrometers for a day or two in kitchen vineger
regularly.
Then wash it with warm water. This will dissolve deposits and make them
more
reliable. I have also read on the back of the packaging that the
manufacturer
recommends soaking it for at least 24 hours in sea water before
first use to "season the needle". I have no idea what science is
behind this recomendation, but maybe it is important fact you missed
comparing your old, dried out hygrometer readings with the other one.

From my own experience I prefer swing arms over refractometers by far!
Contrary to some people here I found them much easier to use than
to stare into tiny viewfinder and find the reading on very, very tiny
scale
with an edge between blue and white regions being not always very sharp.
It might be some problem with my blue refractometer made in China
or some problems with my vision but I just find it very difficult to use
:-)
With added uncertainity of most of them being calibrated to NaCl not NSW
they are not worth the price for the average aquarist. I can use Deep Six
hydrometer with good or bad light and I find them very reliable when
I wash them frequently and not let them dry with salt water in their
cavity.

Pszemol wrote:
Try soaking both hydrometers for a day or two in kitchen vineger regularly.
Then wash it with warm water. This will dissolve deposits and make them
more
reliable. I have also read on the back of the packaging that the
manufacturer
recommends soaking it for at least 24 hours in sea water before
first use to "season the needle". I have no idea what science is
behind this recomendation, but maybe it is important fact you missed
comparing your old, dried out hygrometer readings with the other one.

From my own experience I prefer swing arms over refractometers by far!
Contrary to some people here I found them much easier to use than
to stare into tiny viewfinder and find the reading on very, very tiny scale
with an edge between blue and white regions being not always very sharp.
It might be some problem with my blue refractometer made in China
or some problems with my vision but I just find it very difficult to use
:-)
With added uncertainity of most of them being calibrated to NaCl not NSW
they are not worth the price for the average aquarist. I can use Deep Six
hydrometer with good or bad light and I find them very reliable when
I wash them frequently and not let them dry with salt water in their
cavity.

I've never used anything but a swing arm. And I always rinse with fresh
water after using -- learned that when I got the Seatest. I just keep
the thing on the dish drainer. But I'll soak it and see how it reads
after that, plus I bought me a 2-liter bottle of Coke so I can
calibrate it. Thanks!

Wow I though it had been made the new standard in like the
last 5 years or so :-)

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Boomer wrote on 6/6/2006 9:36 PM:
"since conductivity
is the new scientific standard for measuring salinity"


Old Wayne, very old, as far back as the 60s :-)