Refractometer

[slm32123]

Finally got some more calibration fluid for my refractometer. After calibrating. I discovered that my 75 gallon was at 1.018 sg. And my 27 cube was at 1.020. And I wondered why my hammer in the 27 wasn't inflating. And why my Lps and sps in the 75 were struggling. I don't know how anything is still alive!

Moral of the story. CALIBRATE YOUR REFRACTOMETER OFTEN!

 

[chichimom79]

I feel like I have to recalibrate almost every time I use mine. Im not sure how they get off like that :frustrat:

 

[bjohanson1234]

I feel like I have to recalibrate almost every time I use mine. Im not sure how they get off like that :frustrat:

You are supposed to. :mrgreen:

 

[slm32123]

Yeah my calibration fluid says to before every use. But I mean you would think that they wouldn't be off every single time. I feel like once every 3 or 4 uses would be enough but I will calibrate before every use from now on haha

 

[chichimom79]

You are supposed to. :mrgreen:

I have never read that anywhere. Well, don't I feel silly...:oops:

 

[bjohanson1234]

Any scientific piece of equipment needs to be calibrated regularly. It is one of the few things I remember from my chemistry classes.:mrgreen:

Temperature fluctuations, humidity fluctuations, vibrations, you name it, can effect a reading. Especially when a 1/16th turn of a screw is used to adjust the reading.

 

[slm32123]

Now my calibration fluid says to use a few drops on the refractometer Nd then calibrate to 35 ppt. My instructions for my refractometer itself said to use 3 drops from the pipette. So would you recommend I use 3 drops of the fluid? The bottle for the fluid definitely puts out larger drops then my pipette.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would use the little pipette from the refractometer. It will give the right amount of fluid.