WTB Refractometer

porkchop · 06-01-2005, 11:23 AM

Just wondering if anyone has a refractometer they might want to sell or if you know of somewhere to pick one up cheap?

Kevin

Illusion · 06-01-2005, 11:53 AM

Premiumaquatics.com I believe them to be the cheapest..

HTH<
James

porkchop · 06-01-2005, 12:44 PM

Thanks James. I kind of need to pick one up locally. I've moved my fish to a Hyposalinic QT and have been reading the cheap plastic hydrometers can be way off and I don't want to get the sg too low. My hydro (SeaTest) reads 1.015 right now and I want to get it to 1.009 but not with my current set up. Are there any LFS that might have glass hydrometers? I haven't looked or called and thought someone might know. I googled glass hydrometers and it pulled up home brewing suppliers, any insight? That could be dangerous entering one of those stores - might have to take up another hobby.

impur · 06-01-2005, 12:51 PM

Glass hydrometers, you can get them at petco or petsmart. I just picked one up for 3 bucks.

porkchop · 06-01-2005, 12:54 PM

SWEET. Are they accurate?Kevin

izzypop · 06-01-2005, 01:30 PM

Just a thought. Have someone/LFS test your water with a refractometer and then you'll know how far off your hydrometer is and same some $.

impur · 06-01-2005, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izzypop

Just a thought. Have someone/LFS test your water with a refractometer and then you'll know how far off your hydrometer is and same some $.

Yah this is the way to do it. Just mark how far off the hydrometer is and mix to that SG. I tried to find someone down south here that had a refractometer, no luck so i went with a glass one. They are more accurate than the plastic swing arm type, just must be sure to have no motion in the water. I measure in a pitcher that is deep enough and this way i can limit any water movement.

impur · 06-01-2005, 04:43 PM

pmcbride is selling a hydrometer, just saw it in the classifieds

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...oto=nextoldest

Lowman · 06-01-2005, 04:45 PM

Woody will test your sg level with a glass hydrometer, then you can mark it on your swing arm.

Krux · 06-01-2005, 11:28 PM

i have an electronic salinity meter, if you want to test with it you can make an appointment.

porkchop · 06-02-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izzypop

Just a thought. Have someone/LFS test your water with a refractometer and then you'll know how far off your hydrometer is and same some $.

From what I have read, each time you use the swing arm style hydrometer it will get some type of residual build up of either salt or minerals. I do rinse mine everytime but you can still see the garbage stuck to it and I am not about to spend an hour wiping the thing dry with pipe cleaners. That would be pure agony. So on that note, if it was say calibrated by an LFS, wouldnt it be off within a few uses. I know it would take time to build up the deposits but I am probably just being over concerned about dropping the SG to 1.009 and being wrong by a fraction, or maybe not.

I checked out the glass setup at Petco and I didn't get a good feel from it. It looks like someone just jammed a piece of paper in it and sealed it up. Have you tested yours (Impur) to see how accurate it is?

Kevin

Kevin1000 · 06-02-2005, 05:10 PM

When running hypo its best to use a refractometer ... running an effective hypo tank means you need to run the correct salinity ... running an effective hypo tank is not like either horse shoes or hand grenades .. close doesn't make it.

A lab grade hydrometers will do the job but I would be suspect of many std hydrometers glass or otherwise - may not be accurate enough. As far as taking your water to the LFS for testing ... good luck ... to my knowledge none of the LFS use hypo and I suspect few (if any) use a refractometer.

There isn't a great rush to get a refractometer ... hypo doesn't kill the ich on the fish and you can certainly wait a week for the device to come in the mail.

If you live in the SW you can borrow my refractometer until yours arrives.

Hope this helps.

impur · 06-02-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porkchop

From what I have read, each time you use the swing arm style hydrometer it will get some type of residual build up of either salt or minerals. I do rinse mine everytime but you can still see the garbage stuck to it and I am not about to spend an hour wiping the thing dry with pipe cleaners. That would be pure agony. So on that note, if it was say calibrated by an LFS, wouldnt it be off within a few uses. I know it would take time to build up the deposits but I am probably just being over concerned about dropping the SG to 1.009 and being wrong by a fraction, or maybe not.

I checked out the glass setup at Petco and I didn't get a good feel from it. It looks like someone just jammed a piece of paper in it and sealed it up. Have you tested yours (Impur) to see how accurate it is?

Kevin

I never tested it against a hydrometer. Seemed much more accurate than my swing arm, which by the way has a bent swing arm. I've been using the swing arm for the last month cuz i stepped on the glass one. I ordered a new glass hyrdometer from bigalsonline.com with some test kits on friday, should be here today or tomorrow. But i still don't know anyone with a hydrometer so its still sort of a guess.

Miles

porkchop · 06-02-2005, 06:26 PM

I am heading to a home brewing store to check out what they have. The lady I talked to on the phone said the glass hydrometers they have are very accurate. I will let you know my findings in an hour or two.

Kevin1000. Thanks for the offer but I live in SE and wouldn't want to put you out. Offer much appreciated tho.

Off to the brew store

Kevin

Krux · 06-03-2005, 12:29 AM

i use a brewing hydrometer, it is quite accurate, then again, i opted for the 40 dollar model, not the 6 dollar model with aforementioned rolled up piece of paper in it.

to be acureate, you need a tall cylinder that you can fill with water, they sell these at the brew places as well, or at chemistry supply houses. you fill the container half full with water, then drop in the hydro, and let it level its self. if you try to take a reading in the main tank, the water movement will cause it to bob and you will get false readings. also if there are air bubbles on the hydrometer you will get false readings. somewhat tricky to get good at, but they are wonderful once you get a standard and calibrate your chart to it.

i would recommend visiting someone with a digital meter, and comparing your readings with theirs, so you can note if your glass hydro is off at all, and if so what way so you can adjust all future measurements that way... imperfections in the glass and what not can happen, especially if you get a cheap model (less than say 30 bucks).