Salt Gravity Trouble!!!

I have a 55 gallon reef aquarium with no SPS. We usse an Instant Ocean hydrometer to test water and water changes. Our old hydrometer broke and we always a a contstant SG between 1.022 - 1.025. We purchased a new Instant Ocean hydrometer today and checked the parameters. The SG in our aquarium read greater than 1.032 and tap water read 1.010. Everything in the aquarium is still thriving and im wondering if the new hydrometer is broken or if our SG is actually that high.

 

If tap water read that high its gotta be broken. I would exchange it and test your tap water again.

 

hydrometers are notoriously unaccurate. I recommend investing in a refractometer.

 

Soak the tester in white vinegar overnight and rinse well. Then soak it in salt water for an hour.
When testing, make sure there are no bubbles in the hydrometer.
I personally test three times if the first two readings differ, never testing fewer than two times.
Some new plastic hydrometers need this conditioning before they can be used.

 

+1

By the time you buy/replace a couple hydrometers you're part of the way to a good refractometer which will be much more accurate and is a better investment in the long term IMO.
Refractometers Bulk Reef Supply - Bulk Reef Supply

 

I agree, a refractometer is a wise investment for all reef owners. However, I myself have had no trouble with the plastic hydrometers (I've successfully used glass also) and my SG is always spot-on when checked by my privately owned LFS's refractometer. That being said- if your tap tested 1.010 your new device is likely defective.

 

Before using a hydrometer run luke warm water through it and you will get a closer accurate reading....get a refractometer and get the reading you need....Tap water should'nt even register
Danny

 

I took my water to my local fish shop and had it tested. I found my hydro meter was off
.004 so now i make sure im at 1.021 when I test. Now that I think about it. Im gonna order a refractometer today

 

i have done an experiment using 10 hydrometers all of the same brand (instant ocean) where i measured salinity from the same water sample...lined them all up next to each other and got 10 different readings. then did it again with a sample of water of a different salinity. So, the thing with hydrometers is that they vary from one to the other as far as what the readings will be but each individual is always off by the same factor.
For example...lets say i used a refractometer on the water sample and found the sg to be 1.025...
hydrometer #1 would read that water sample to be 1.027
Hydrometer #2 would read it to be 1.023

now lets say you take a new water sample and measure with a refractometer and find a sg of 1.022

hydrometer # 1 would now read 1.024
hydrometer # 2 would now read 1.020

So #1 is off by +2 of the reading with the refractometer
and #2 is off by -2

Now ill get to the point.... If you find a friend or LFS who will check your water with a calibrated refractometer, you can then take the same water sample and measure what your hydrometer reads so you can figure out how much it is off from the refractometer reading. then every time you check with that hydrometer you know how much to add or subtract to get the real sg.

 

Definitely get a refractometer as soon as you can. They can be cheaply had on eBay.

When I had my hydrometer I did notice on the packaging that it said to leave saltwater in the chamber overnight to season the needle before use. Did you do this?