Was in this hobby 20 years ago and everyone used a hydrometer. Recently came back to the hobby and everyone talks about either the Hannah checker or refractometer. I'm much too lazy to calibrate anything, so I went back to what I'm used to and got a Tropic Marin hydrometer. Seems like they're the only one making them still, it was next to impossible to find locally so I had to order it online. Other than how fragile they are (since they're all glass), I'm surprised these aren't more talked about.
I love seeing the acro under only led. I’m getting back into the hobby and want to start keeping sps and it does seem like a common belief that they do better with t5 or halides. Thanks for showing me that it’s possible. Love the videos March.
I've ran my tanks for 4 years now using ONLY the hanna salinity checker. I ALWAYS wash it with hot, running tap water followed by rinsing with RODI. I cross check with the refracto maybe once per year and experience ZERO salinity drift or loss of calibration. I still calibrate the hanna every six months as a precaution. I firmly believe the bad luck people have with the salinity checker is USER ERROR. The ability to quickly check salinity of saltwater without adjusting for temperature or bringing the sample up to temperature is invaluable. The built in thermometer is a great way to verify tank temperatures. If you accidentally bump the calibration button instead of the power button, it loses calibration and needs to be recalibrated. This is the ONLY problem I have with the unit.
Yup! Same here I rinse mine with only hot water with no issues for two years. I recalibrate every few months, can confirm if you bump cal button you better actually calibrate it.
I've been using the Hanna salinity checker for years, I always rinse it in rodi water after using it and check it once a month with their calibration solution, it's been off once, even when it was off it was reading .001 high.
You right about the hannah checker......was sending me nuts trying to work out how my salinity was going down so quickly and I have a 200 gallon tank...went back to using my old refractomiiter and there was nothing wrong with it...won't use the hannah again
Clownfish is fine, those are torch coral stings. Mine used to get them all the time. I've had refractometers bad, electronic Milwaukee, Hanna, etc. all bad. The most accurate Salinity testers you can get are the cheap little sub $20.00 Instant Ocean Hydrometer and my personal favorite is the Tropic Marin Hydrometer. TM Hydrometer is VERY fragile, so don't touch the thin piece.
I use a Hannah checker and a refractometor however you spell it lol. Issue is people don’t realize you need to calibrate these things way more often then we do
I'm curious....what exactly went wrong with the Hannah checker? Was it not calibrated, or was it just equipment that aged out of being useful? I've had a rough reefing journey, tank crash after tank crash, so for the last 2 years, I've continued to save and stock pile equipment that has built in redundancies. I've never had an issue with my salinity checker, but I also don't own a fish store. You have Neptune systems running, would a salinity probe really be that much better or are you against all electronic salinity checkers?
I’ve been using the salinity checker from Hanna and it’s been great so far, haven’t calibrated it but I think it recommends calibrating regularly, I do have a small jar or RO water that I dip it in after it goes in any salt water, then wipe it dry, I also have a reefractometer to double check if I ever think it looks off… one big thing I’ve noticed tho is if there are bubbles on it it reads wrong, so I put the probe in front of the outlet to blow any bubbles off 🤷♂️ but yeah I do have the reefractometer to double check, and I’m NOT using an ato so if I suddenly need to add water or salt then I’ll be able to double check 😉👊🍻🥰
I've probably sold more Hanna pens that most, and the return rate is higher than I'd like, and the fact they need calibrating so often is a real downside. Having said that, I'm still using one myself, as they're very quick to calibrate and once calibrated they're great. I'm experimenting at the moment with storing the calibration fluid/seeing if it keeps it's ability to calibrate.
I have a refractometer and a Milwaukee digital salinity checker. Is the digital more or less trustworthy assuming both are being calibrated every time?
always use refractometer with any other salinity checker it pays to check twice and lose nothing then to trust something and get burnt to many horror stories
No matter how much money you spend on testers you have to calibrate them. Thrashing a product because you can’t be bothered to calibrate is very poor form!
Can't beat the Milwaukee salinity checker
Coral stings / hosting on the clown would be my guess. Calibrate your test kits (regardless what they are!!)
Yeah my clowns that try to host mushrooms get a ton of those black dots
Edited out Dillon’s phone number lol, I’m glad you saw the comments
Those would be sting marks on that clownfish ; had the same issue with mine cause it would host the elegance coral
Congrats on 40k March, deserved
Was in this hobby 20 years ago and everyone used a hydrometer. Recently came back to the hobby and everyone talks about either the Hannah checker or refractometer. I'm much too lazy to calibrate anything, so I went back to what I'm used to and got a Tropic Marin hydrometer. Seems like they're the only one making them still, it was next to impossible to find locally so I had to order it online. Other than how fragile they are (since they're all glass), I'm surprised these aren't more talked about.
Wooohoo!! I hope i get to see you at RaP! Id love a shirt!!!
Bought some frags off you way back in the AquariumPros days. Glad to see things are going well.
I love seeing the acro under only led. I’m getting back into the hobby and want to start keeping sps and it does seem like a common belief that they do better with t5 or halides. Thanks for showing me that it’s possible. Love the videos March.
I am going to my first reef show in Orlando. I can’t tell you how much you’ve helped me in this hobby.
Look out for us and maybe we will see each other there !
See you at Niagara coral expo!!
You have such a nice store! I would spend way too much money in there…
The Hannah pen is very handy when doing waterchanges, a quick way to check if salinity matches when making new water.
Thanks for all the advice. I just did my first frag on my channel.
Best advice I was given about getting a coral tank was”get a glass bowl and throw money in it”
I've ran my tanks for 4 years now using ONLY the hanna salinity checker. I ALWAYS wash it with hot, running tap water followed by rinsing with RODI. I cross check with the refracto maybe once per year and experience ZERO salinity drift or loss of calibration. I still calibrate the hanna every six months as a precaution. I firmly believe the bad luck people have with the salinity checker is USER ERROR.
The ability to quickly check salinity of saltwater without adjusting for temperature or bringing the sample up to temperature is invaluable. The built in thermometer is a great way to verify tank temperatures.
If you accidentally bump the calibration button instead of the power button, it loses calibration and needs to be recalibrated. This is the ONLY problem I have with the unit.
Yup! Same here I rinse mine with only hot water with no issues for two years. I recalibrate every few months, can confirm if you bump cal button you better actually calibrate it.
Good to know I just got one of em
Going to reefapalooza ny this year it will be my first ever frag show and can't wait
Hey Henry, we will see ya there !
This video should have been named The Side Track. 😂
I've been using the Hanna salinity checker for years, I always rinse it in rodi water after using it and check it once a month with their calibration solution, it's been off once, even when it was off it was reading .001 high.
You right about the hannah checker......was sending me nuts trying to work out how my salinity was going down so quickly and I have a 200 gallon tank...went back to using my old refractomiiter and there was nothing wrong with it...won't use the hannah again
I still run halides. Radium bulbs 400w
Acros grow great. Color them up with ai’s
No UV-b and c with LEDS 😢
Clownfish is fine, those are torch coral stings. Mine used to get them all the time.
I've had refractometers bad, electronic Milwaukee, Hanna, etc. all bad. The most accurate Salinity testers you can get are the cheap little sub $20.00 Instant Ocean Hydrometer and my personal favorite is the Tropic Marin Hydrometer. TM Hydrometer is VERY fragile, so don't touch the thin piece.
I use a Hannah checker and a refractometor however you spell it lol. Issue is people don’t realize you need to calibrate these things way more often then we do
You can just test ro water and you’re there
Lol tearing up those Hannah checkers!
Can't wait to see you at RAP Orlando again!
I thought I was going crazy when I almost crashed my tank due to bad readings of the Hannah Salinity pen.
Don’t blame hanna the salinity pen. Especially when Dillion has access to many tanks in the store to dip that pen in.
I'm curious....what exactly went wrong with the Hannah checker? Was it not calibrated, or was it just equipment that aged out of being useful? I've had a rough reefing journey, tank crash after tank crash, so for the last 2 years, I've continued to save and stock pile equipment that has built in redundancies. I've never had an issue with my salinity checker, but I also don't own a fish store. You have Neptune systems running, would a salinity probe really be that much better or are you against all electronic salinity checkers?
I’ve been using the salinity checker from Hanna and it’s been great so far, haven’t calibrated it but I think it recommends calibrating regularly, I do have a small jar or RO water that I dip it in after it goes in any salt water, then wipe it dry, I also have a reefractometer to double check if I ever think it looks off… one big thing I’ve noticed tho is if there are bubbles on it it reads wrong, so I put the probe in front of the outlet to blow any bubbles off 🤷♂️ but yeah I do have the reefractometer to double check, and I’m NOT using an ato so if I suddenly need to add water or salt then I’ll be able to double check 😉👊🍻🥰
The same on care with the r/o dip immediately after every use. Proper care with anything helps it last and work/function.
I calibrate mine every two weeks
Love how he sells the hanna pens but is openly honest about how garbage they are.
I think the black spots on the clown maybe from zoas/palys. Are there any in the softie tank?
My hanna salinity has always done good for me with monthly calibrations.
I've probably sold more Hanna pens that most, and the return rate is higher than I'd like, and the fact they need calibrating so often is a real downside. Having said that, I'm still using one myself, as they're very quick to calibrate and once calibrated they're great. I'm experimenting at the moment with storing the calibration fluid/seeing if it keeps it's ability to calibrate.
Could not be a better add for Hanna products in general......
are you selling any of the tanks at the niagara show???
I have a refractometer and a Milwaukee digital salinity checker. Is the digital more or less trustworthy assuming both are being calibrated every time?
What’s your radion light schedule? How many hours per day? The color pop is unreal
You do need to calibrate digital salinity meters (and refractometers)
Can you compare Hydra and Radion please?
I would buy all those Fragbox cultured corals if I could!
My friend is all knowing and if he has something break then all the other ones on the planet don't work .... 😢
Can you tell me why and how the hanna pen failed.
I can't understand how it can happen if you calibrate it on a regular basis?
that rock looks unreal
What’s the intensity you have for the redions blues
I sure hope Fragbox watchers are cool enough not to abuse the mistake.
Not all of them are......
AI prime adapter to one of those rail systems. There is a 3d file on Etsy for it. I need 2
How much for the set of corals shown?
We need an update on how many calls Dillon got after the first upload lol
Can you share your light settings for the G6
I started a fish company out of my house and I would like to see how you got your self into a store front
Was this a re upload ?
I guess so
He edited dudes phone number out this time lol
2-400's and 2-250w Halides over 300g sps. Halides till I die! Hydra32's on a 260g downstairs, crap!
What intesaty you running on the g6
Please tell us tips and tricks/ why ricordeas bleach?
Hi I’m thinking to order copepods can they live in freshwater also?
Sting marks from corals, I’ve see them specially when they start to host slimy leathers
Anyone know Dillon's phone number?
Hope Dillon didn't get too many strange calls 😆
He did, its kind of disturbing -_-
always use refractometer with any other salinity checker it pays to check twice and lose nothing then to trust something and get burnt to many horror stories
Niagara? Falls? USA or CA?
Do you mind sharing your light profile on the ecotech gen 6's?
Hi is that G6 blue or Pro?
This is the blue
Well, everything can get out of whack if you don’t calibrate them regularly not like every test but every few months
My clown gets those black mark when it rubs it’s self all over zoas.
No Dillion number 😂😂😂
Been over a year since I email… I doubt you respond
No matter how much money you spend on testers you have to calibrate them. Thrashing a product because you can’t be bothered to calibrate is very poor form!
Swing arm is best, stop wasting your money.
🤣 they're not even remotely accurate vs a refractometer
🔥FragBox TV!🔥
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