Faulty Hydrometer?

likwid · #1 04-13-2007, 09:32 PM

Hey guys,

I just purchased a brand new Coralife Deep Six Hydrometer, and the instructions told me to soak it with salty water for 24 hours to let the needle "season". I have done this, and the entire time since I have gotten the hydrometer, the needle just stays down at the very bottom and does not move at all. I have tried with water from my tank, tried with very salty water I mixed myself, etc, and the needle does not move. Please refrain from giving me the "get a refractometer speech" please.

supersmile · #2 04-13-2007, 09:53 PM

Did you try tapping the hydrometer on the counter to get a reading??? Sometimes an air bubble causes the needle to get stuck.

04scoobysti · #3 04-13-2007, 10:28 PM

When mine sticks i just tap it on the counter to free it up. Its mostly casued by me forgeting to was it out with freshwater after i use it.

G1GY · #4 04-13-2007, 10:33 PM

Just taqp it to losen it up. When it starts reading, maybe compare it to a refractometer to see how accurate it is. If you live near Sunridge mall you can come by and borrow my refractometer to do this.

prodogg02 · #5 04-13-2007, 11:35 PM

i almost killed every thing in my tank due to a bad hydrometer,had a salt level of 1.029,talked my lfs owner in to selling me a refractometer for 1/2 price,the crapy part was it took me adding a cleaner shrimp 27 bucks and a sand siffter star 20 bucks to find something was wrong when they died in like 1 hour.

Quagmire · #6 04-13-2007, 11:46 PM

I haven't used a hydrometer in years,but the word is that they are quite reliable,but not acurate.Meaning if they read a few points higher or lower than the actual salinity,they will always read higher or lower by the same amount.The trick is to compare the readings to a refracometer and adjust acordingly.

likwid · #7 04-13-2007, 11:49 PM

Yes I have tried shaking it many times, it is not the problem. The needle does not leave the bottom ever.

G1GY · #8 04-14-2007, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

Yes I have tried shaking it many times, it is not the problem. The needle does not leave the bottom ever.

Return it to the store for an exchange then.

Coldwater · #9 04-14-2007, 01:01 AM

Get one of those glass floaty ones. Thats what I use and I have never had a problem with it and they are very precise.

Matt

DJKoop · #10 04-14-2007, 01:30 AM

I used an IO hydrometer for years, and this week I got a refractometer. I the hydrometer was out by .002