Refractometer question

SaltyKoi · Oct 4, 2014

Can these refractometers go bad? I have had mine for like 5-6 years. I tested my water and it says it's fine ( sg ~1.024 salinity ~ 30). I took my water to have it tested cause all my test kits have expired and when they tested the salinity it came back with a sp~ 1.040 on their refrac. I came home and put some freshwater to make sure mine was calibrated and it showed it was. So for the hell of it I took my refrac to the store and it showed on their water that it was way uncalibrated. So they calibrated it to their water and I came home and tested my water again and got the exact same thing ( sg ~1.024 salinity~ 30) went to another store and their refrac showed sp~ 1.027. Has my refrac bit the dust?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Confuse · Oct 4, 2014

I use distilled water to calibrate my refractometer. Some people say you should be using the 1.025 solution because the distilled water zero's the refractometer out. I've had my refractometer for over four years and it still reads accurately. Might want to try different calibration fluids. I'd start with distilled water as it's the cheapest. Also, give the refractometer 45 seconds to a minute to adjust for temperature.

AddictedtoSalt · Oct 4, 2014

+1
Ive used distilled, ro/di and the calibration solution.
I did find that using distilled or ro water to calibrate can make the refractometer read 2 points low compared to 1.026 solution.
Always wait 1 minute before making any adjustments and taking the final reading regardless of what you use to calibrate it.

SaltyKoi · Oct 4, 2014

I'll pick up some calibration solution today. Thank you. I have been using ro so far.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Riblet · Oct 4, 2014

Make sure you keep the cap On the fluid or else it evaporate and the salt level will go up, also don't keep it too long.

ngvu1 · Oct 4, 2014

I think the right way is to use distilled water to calibrate. I just use the faucet water or drinking or ro/di water. Not much difference from what I have seen. I do use mine to test other reefer's water and most of them have 1.025....I guess mine is OK

SaltyKoi · Oct 4, 2014

I could also use the RO to calibrate my refractometer and then use the solution to make sure it's testing correctly

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ep3n3wp · Oct 4, 2014

I use distilled water to calibrate my Milwaukee digital salinity reader...

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Fly5150 · Oct 4, 2014

ep3n3wp said:

That's what I'm using too. I'm actually on second one, as I dropped the first one. I actually did win a Red Sea refractometer at the last scrk meeting that I'm going to try out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BeanMachine · Oct 4, 2014

Riblet said:

This.

John7429 · Oct 5, 2014

As with any instrument, it needs to be calibrated, not just zeroed.

SaltyKoi · Oct 5, 2014

John7429 said:

And how might I do that?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

xmas_one · Oct 5, 2014

To do it right you need to get calibration solution. Zeroing it with RO is not the proper way to do it.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-craft-refractometer-calibration-fluid-1.html

John7429 · Oct 5, 2014

Google is your friend. Many times, YouTube as well.

janiners305 · Oct 5, 2014

I have the solution I use both ro and solution to make sure it's on point shoul read dead on

Chris

Refractometer question

SaltyKoi

Member

Confuse

Member

AddictedtoSalt

New member

SaltyKoi

Member

Riblet

Premium Member

ngvu1

Banned

SaltyKoi

Member

ep3n3wp

Member

Fly5150

Member

BeanMachine

2

John7429

2

SaltyKoi

Member

xmas_one

New member

John7429

2

janiners305

Member

Latest posts