What Brand Refractometer

dskirtech

dskirtech

Reef'n The Day Away
Sorry Guys, Im sure there are 1000 threads on this, but Im feeling lazy tonight and wanted to see what you guys are using. I dont have a ton of cash this pay cycle and want to get SOMETHING to advance my arsenal of Salty stuff and i cant afford any new livestock.

What should I be looking at in a refractometer? i admit, I dont know :pooh: about em.
 
The one I use is from JBJ, looks more like the one knucklehead posted than the one Yote posted...but like yote's i saw it on sale for $39.99 on a website called fishybusiness.com or something like that.
 
hmm they look like 50 bucks to me. Thats 7 mushrooms or 5 polyps. I know what you are thinking you need a refractometer the specific gravity swing arm things arent as accurate. I am hoping to drop the refractometer on my wife for a Christmas present. She can get me one or I will buy her one either way its gonna be under that dang tree. Anyway for the price its kinda one of those do i get something for the tank or in the tank. :twocents:
 
Ted said:
Anyway for the price its kinda one of those do i get something for the tank or in the tank. :twocents:
Click to expand...

but it's also one of those things for your tank that keeps the stuff in your tank, IN YOUR TANK :mrgreen:
 
Once again, Thanks for the guidance. I have 3 Salt tanks up and running and i am mixing salt water a couple times a week so for me, it is a necessity at this point. whopping the "Swing Arm SG" on a flat surface to get a semi-accurate reading doesnt give me warm fuzzies anymore.

On the subject of Salinity... lets say Im currently @ 1.023 and want to bring it up to 1.026...

Would I be correct in assuming my course of action would be to slowly add back (during water changes) new water that is slightly higher until i reach the 1.026 mark? What is a good time frame to shoot for and if i am changing 15-18 gallons weekly, what would you mix the new water to to achieve 1.026 during this time frame?

Follow me?
 
dskirtech said:
Once again, Thanks for the guidance. I have 3 Salt tanks up and running and i am mixing salt water a couple times a week so for me, it is a necessity at this point. whopping the "Swing Arm SG" on a flat surface to get a semi-accurate reading doesnt give me warm fuzzies anymore.

On the subject of Salinity... lets say Im currently @ 1.023 and want to bring it up to 1.026...

Would I be correct in assuming my course of action would be to slowly add back (during water changes) new water that is slightly higher until i reach the 1.026 mark? What is a good time frame to shoot for and if i am changing 15-18 gallons weekly, what would you mix the new water to to achieve 1.026 during this time frame?

Follow me?
Click to expand...

If it was me,I would mix up some salt water to 1.026 SG and use that for top offs untill the tank is at 1.026.That way your changing a little bit everyday,plus start doing the water changes with water mixed to 1.026.
 
Yote, Need help sir.

i got my refractomoeter... Sad to say (a whole nutha story for another time) but this is the second time I have been less than pleased with Dr Fosters and Smith...

The last order i had some pieces missing from my order. Nothing major, just o-rings and whatnot...

This time, The Refract shows up and the calibration screw looks to be well worn (like somebody has been tweaking the crap out of the flat head adjuster) AND..... The entire "chrome" section of the device is blistered... Like it has been exposed to major salt water and corroded... not sure what to think.. I gues it depends on what YOU tell me Yote.

Calibration - I bought a bottle of calibration liquid. It was the one they reccomended. Info on the bottle says:

PINPOINT Salinity Monitor
53.0 mS Calibration Fluid
53.0mS = 1.0264 SG = 35.0 ppt
+/- 1% @77 degrees Farenheit / 25 degrees C
American Marine Inc.

Now... follwoing the directions of the Refract, it says Im supposed to calibrate with liquid @ 68 degrees (device and liquid). I did this and zero'd the Refract out... But when i test my DT water, It stioll reads ZERO...

Based on the bottle label (calibration fluid) am i supposed to calibrate this @ 77 degrees and "zero" it out @ 1.026 and some change?

HELLLLLLLLP...... rofl..

Thanks,

Dane
 
Basically my issue is that my Test shows the exact same result as my calibration....

i have tried calibrating it @ zero and then testing

&

Calibrating @ 1.026 (and some change) and testing...

My results vary so little from the calibration test (both of them) that I think something is up...

WTF ya know?!?!? My Little clear SG "Whop it on the table" tester seems to be doing better....
 
Ted said:
hmm they look like 50 bucks to me. Thats 7 mushrooms or 5 polyps. I know what you are thinking you need a refractometer the specific gravity swing arm things arent as accurate. I am hoping to drop the refractometer on my wife for a Christmas present. She can get me one or I will buy her one either way its gonna be under that dang tree. Anyway for the price its kinda one of those do i get something for the tank or in the tank. :twocents:
Click to expand...

I broke my expensive one don't ask I bought one off fleabay for something like $25 and it works fine have to look a little harder to read the numbers, cuz they aren't as big but it is just as accurate.
 
dskirtech said:
This time, The Refract shows up and the calibration screw looks to be well worn (like somebody has been tweaking the crap out of the flat head adjuster) AND..... The entire "chrome" section of the device is blistered... Like it has been exposed to major salt water and corroded... not sure what to think.. I gues it depends on what YOU tell me Yote.


Dane
Click to expand...

That right there would be enough for me to be makin a phone call to Foster and Smith.
Sounds to me like they've sent you a used and broke refractometer.
They'd either be sending me a new one at their expense,or refunding my money.

But I'd still try to calibrate it using just fresh RO water,and see if that helps the readings any.
 

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