My first refractometer

[MikeB]

I just received my first refractometer. The instructions say to calibrate to null using distilled water. Should I use RODI water or use calibration fluid? 

Also my green star astrea snails are eating my coraline as fast as it can grow verry irratating.

 

[AdamS]

Calibration fluid is a better option, but then you can check with RODI.

 

[BIGSHOW]

I just received my first refractometer. The instructions say to calibrate to null using distilled water. Should I use RODI water or use calibration fluid? 

Also my green star astrea snails are eating my coraline as fast as it can grow verry irratating.

You should never calibrate a refractometer that you are using to measure salinity in a salt water environment with RO/DI.  You are going to skew your results on the low end.

You need to calibrate with a saline solution (I use a known 1.026 solution)

 

[Reef Hero]

[quote author=MikeB link=topic=6212.msg59924#msg59924 date=1378326446]
I just received my first refractometer. The instructions say to calibrate to null using distilled water. Should I use RODI water or use calibration fluid? 

Also my green star astrea snails are eating my coraline as fast as it can grow verry irratating.

You should never calibrate a refractometer that you are using to measure salinity in a salt water environment with RO/DI.  You are going to skew your results on the low end.

You need to calibrate with a saline solution (I use a known 1.026 solution)


[/quote]

+1

 

[Salty Cracker]

[quote author=MikeB link=topic=6212.msg59924#msg59924 date=1378326446]
I just received my first refractometer. The instructions say to calibrate to null using distilled water. Should I use RODI water or use calibration fluid? 

Also my green star astrea snails are eating my coraline as fast as it can grow verry irratating.

hmm interesting, where do you get a 1.026 solution?

You should never calibrate a refractometer that you are using to measure salinity in a salt water environment with RO/DI.  You are going to skew your results on the low end.

You need to calibrate with a saline solution (I use a known 1.026 solution)


[/quote]

 

[theyangman]

The calibration fluid should be available from any store isn't it?

Either that or ask one of us to calibrate it for you. As long as you don't throw it around and treat it like crap I find that I never have to re-calibrate mine...

 

[Salty Cracker]

The calibration fluid should be available from any store isn't it?

Either that or ask one of us to calibrate it for you. As long as you don't throw it around and treat it like crap I find that I never have to re-calibrate mine...

How do you know? 

 

[theyangman]

Huh? I use one myself? Have you been drinking.....?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 4

 

[Salty Cracker]

Huh? I use one myself? Have you been drinking.....?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 4

No...I mean how would you know it doesn't need re-calibrating?  If it was off, how would you know? 

I've only used the calibration fluid that comes with the thing, I didn't know they had 1.026 calibration fluid for doing the same thing. 

 

[theyangman]

The calibration fluid is ultra pure water that should make your refractometer read 0.00 that way when you test your water you will know the true specific gravity.

I test my refractometer every month or so? Just to make sure it is reading properly.

 

[MrHermit85]

Use calibration fluid here. I got my refractometer from BRS and they said not to calibrate to 0... Not sure why but I havnt had any problems yet

 

[Salty Cracker]

The calibration fluid is ultra pure water that should make your refractometer read 0.00 that way when you test your water you will know the true specific gravity.

I test my refractometer every month or so? Just to make sure it is reading properly.

Right, but what we're talking about here is setting it up with fluid that is 1.026, not 0.00  That's what his point was, that some of us may be "doing it wrong".  It makes sense to calibrate it to 1.026 instead of 0 (and hoping it correctly reads 1.026 from there). 

 

[theyangman]

Do we have different refractometers? I have a sybon.

When I put the calibration fluid that came with it on the lense, I calibrated it to read 0.00 (it was already close but I fine tuned it)

now when I put my tank water on it, the scale has been zero'd out, and reads to the correct salinity.

I guess by calibrating it to 1.026 it would be the same idea. How does it affect the "low end" Do these meters have that much play between 0 and 1.030??

 

[Salty Cracker]

I think I have a sybon too.


I've always set it to the calibration fluid "0".  I think I like the idea of setting it to "1.026" a lot better.  I mean, then your saltwater either is 100% on or it's not, there's no question.  Even if the unit is "off" in how it reads, you can't lose because all it really needs to read is 1.026 correctly (it doesn't need to read 0 correctly).  Know what I mean?

 

[Reef Hero]

This is a great read by RFH....


http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/

 

[BIGSHOW]

This is a great read by RFH....


http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/

Thanks for finding that Ben. Saved me sometime.

Yangmen, you are wrong you need to calibrate your refractometer with a saline solution.

Salty, You can pick up the fluid from MOPS in Hamilton (order it).

Dave

 

[Neopimp]

So I think I am going to start selling my tank water as calibration fluid

 

[Reef Hero]

Actually, using other reefers tanks to calibrate is a good idea since the calibration solution can go bad......

 

[theyangman]

[quote author=Reef Hero link=topic=6212.msg59987#msg59987 date=1378376912]
This is a great read by RFH....


http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/

Thanks for finding that Ben. Saved me sometime.

Yangmen, you are wrong you need to calibrate your refractometer with a saline solution.

Salty, You can pick up the fluid from MOPS in Hamilton (order it).

Dave
[/quote]

Why did my stupid refractometer come with 0.00 solution then. That is so lame.

 

[Reef Hero]

Tony,

One thing i have learned in this hobby is that there are a lot of companies out there who are only interested in getting the money out of your pocket for some product that they have made without even knowing much about the hobby at all. Look at all the different skimmers and reactors there are available....each with there own little twist or fancy selling feature.....look at all the named corals there are....everyone calls it pearlberry or strawberry shortcake whether its acro, milli, etc....
Heck, look at your led fixture......
Lots of companies are taking known good working product ideas and creating their own with extra bells and whistles and make it fancy and eye appealing even if this means that the product will actually function worse than before. That does not matter to them because the product looks better and they know we are always looking for something bigger and better. 99% of what sells a product is what it looks like and marketing.....
Just try not to get too distracted by all the lights and sounds in this hobby and stick with the basics and with what works.....do lots of research!