impur Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 A lot of us have the inexpensive refractometers with the blue handle, or black. These refractometers can be had for 30-60 bucks. They are great in that they provide much more accurate testing of salinity in our tanks. But like all other equipment must be maintained. Regular calibration of this instrument is essential. The directions say to calibrate the unit with distilled water only. Some say to use RO. Well, both of those could throw off your refractometer and give you a false test result. My refractometer says to use RO or distilled. I used RO and from day 1 have calibrated it every few months using RO. Then is stumbled upon a thread on RC, which said that using RO or distilled water may not be calibrating my refractometer exactly. In fact it might be quite a bit off! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=953605 So wanting to make my SG perfect, i ordered 2 bottles of Pinpoint 53mS Salinity Calibration Fluid and tested my RHS 10-ATC with a blue handle. First with RO, i used my little screwdriver and brought the blue line to 0. Then i added 3 drops of the Pinpoint fluid. Now it reads slightly more than 1.030! The calibration fluid is exactly measure to read: 53.0mS 35.00ppt 1.0264SG Now i don't know if this is a huge difference. And i'm not sure i can contribute that to my recent SPS problem, since all the water was adjusted with the same refractometer to the same SG, but it just might make the difference between a good looking reef and a great looking reef. I donno, i just want the best for my tank. If this helps someone, great! Just wanted to throw it out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Where do you get that fluid??? I want some. Ive been thinking about this lately actually...i asked the other day on RC where to find it but was ignored......B@stards!! lol j/k....kinda......anyway...... i obviously didnt look to hard for it or i prolly would have found it...........but any links on where i could get it would be mucho appreciated : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barleychown Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 I like to know, too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Interesting and good info. I use distilled water. I tested with both ro/di and distilled, and there was a difference between the 2. frankly, i found my good old plastic needle swinger more consistant. I checked it against a couple of other meters and a refracto. Decided the difference, used a sharpi, was happy, and the damm dogs got it,,,,,,,,,,,.....end of story, so back to the refracto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Decided the difference' date=' used a sharpi, was happy, and the damm dogs got it,,,,,,,,,,,.....end of story, so back to the refracto[/quote'] you should trade them in for a good cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 ARF ARF ARF...........Though, I don't know anybody else that has a road cat!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Ohh that great mythical beast "A good cat" ohh if there was only such a beast.(laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Oh Great, The CATNIP is bag is open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barleychown Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 I have a good cat. She even begs for nori!(laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 ARF ARF ARF...........Though' date=' I don't know anybody else that has a road cat!!!!!!!!! [/quote'] Dont forget, Ike not only goes with me in my truck everywhere...he also floats down any part of the deschutes with me in my driftboat.........camps...........everything.......he will never leave my sight hes a good kid But what the hell does THAT have to do with refractometers???(laugh) But Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 I have met that cat and I can ya all it's a giant!!!!! Now I gota go find that pipe(enforcer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 I have the same refract and its off about the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Patrick just got some of the calibration fluid yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 We still going to have a side by side shootout? Your cal fliud versus my Whiskey calibration technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 We still going to have a side by side shootout? Your cal fliud versus my Whiskey calibration technique? Whiskey calibration fluid.........explain please I imagine its going to go something like: "put whiskey on plate....close lid......calibrate"...............but just checking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Close, put whiskey in mouth.... drink... little more.... little more... Hmmm what was I doing? Oh ya sticking ro water on my refract to calibrate.... LOL.. Why is it all blurry? LOL. Anyhow me and Miles have the same Refract so he was going to calibrate with fliud and I was going to use ro and see if there was a difference. I beleive the fliud will be more accurate but for a refractometer I dont think it will be noticable. Now for a digital that measures to a tenth... probably worthwhile. Now where did that Jack go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 I got the calibration fluid from bigalsonline.com but you can get it at premiumaquatics.com too. Its cheap so i got 2 bottles along with some pH calibration fluids. Bring some water to me Nyles we'll see how low your SG is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Easy..... I'm still trying to recover from last night... got home at 1:45am and had to be up for work at 6am... Ughhhhhh and I thought it was friday yesterday. LOL. My SG is fine.... its yours thats all messed up! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 My SG is fine.... its yours thats all messed up! LOL Wanna make a friendly bet on that??? (naughty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Wanna make a friendly bet on that??? (naughty) ok.......SO.......impur.......my refractometer is calibrated with ro/di. When i THINK i have my tanks at .026..........what SG would YOU think they really are at?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 Can't really say, but i'd bet your SG is low. Most of the ppl on that thread over at RC came up low, although a few were on the high end. There is also a DIY recipe you can make that is exactly 35ppt. I'll track down the link if anyone is interested. Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Interesting.... you got you fluid yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 So what refractometer do you recommend? I was looking at several...Waves has a TAAM one, ebay for the RHS, and there's the milwaukee one. Or are you guys saying anything less than 80 bucks are all similar? If so, I might just go with the ebay one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 Interesting.... you got you fluid yet? Yep. (rock2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 So what refractometer do you recommend? I was looking at several...Waves has a TAAM one' date=' ebay for the RHS, and there's the milwaukee one. Or are you guys saying anything less than 80 bucks are all similar? If so, I might just go with the ebay one.[/quote'] You really have to stepup to the $100 range for a refractometer designed for SW. The problem arrises in that these cheapo refractometers, while properly calibrated they are fine for our tanks, are not made specifically for testing SW. So spend the 40-50 bucks on the cheapo and just make sure you calibrate it correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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