Calibrating Refractometers

Brickyardpub · 04/05/2008, 02:34 PM

hey all,
just received my Refractometer in the mail yesterday. Question about setting the thing up. I bought calibration fluid to go with it, but not sure how to set the thing up. Should i use the calibration fluid or R/O water or distilled water like the intructions say??? I set it to 0 using R/O water for starters and got a reading of 1.029 with it versus the 1.025 with my swingarm.... just curious, any help would be appreciated!

steve

hogall · 04/05/2008, 03:47 PM

I calibrated my with just RO/DI water. Just set the thing to read zero "0". Not too sure what brand you have. But here is the link of the one I use:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ct~CP2113.html

I was told that the swingarm type hydrometer aren't as accurate as the light refractometer. Perhaps someone from the forum who is more knowledgeable can jump in.

Brickyardpub · 04/05/2008, 03:51 PM

i picked up the pinopoint solution to use, but it just came in a bag with no directions as to what you should use it at or what it is set to. after some searching on here I figured it out. I set mine to 0 using RO water the other day and got a reading of 1.029, I'm curious to see what it come to with the fluid. I'll post it after I do it tonight... cheers,

steve

rbursek · 04/05/2008, 03:53 PM

Post it in the Chem forum, Randy will know, I know he sez not too use water, but in the instructions say so, but I have read that there are different types of Refactormeters for different applications, and that is where Randy's advice here is needed.

Tennsquire · 04/05/2008, 04:58 PM

I've always calibrated my refractometer with a reference solution. If you're trying to match a given salinity, it makes more sense (at least to me) to use a reference solution of that salinity, and not to use distilled water and set to 0. I would imagine that it's more accurrate that way, but I ain't no chemist.....

04/05/2008, 02:34 PM	#1
Brickyardpub Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lewiston, NY Posts: 147	Calibrating Refractometers hey all, just received my Refractometer in the mail yesterday. Question about setting the thing up. I bought calibration fluid to go with it, but not sure how to set the thing up. Should i use the calibration fluid or R/O water or distilled water like the intructions say??? I set it to 0 using R/O water for starters and got a reading of 1.029 with it versus the 1.025 with my swingarm.... just curious, any help would be appreciated! steve

04/05/2008, 03:51 PM	#3
Brickyardpub Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lewiston, NY Posts: 147	i picked up the pinopoint solution to use, but it just came in a bag with no directions as to what you should use it at or what it is set to. after some searching on here I figured it out. I set mine to 0 using RO water the other day and got a reading of 1.029, I'm curious to see what it come to with the fluid. I'll post it after I do it tonight... cheers, steve __________________ steviem ~ Serenity Now ~

04/05/2008, 04:58 PM	#5
Tennsquire Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,399	I've always calibrated my refractometer with a reference solution. If you're trying to match a given salinity, it makes more sense (at least to me) to use a reference solution of that salinity, and not to use distilled water and set to 0. I would imagine that it's more accurrate that way, but I ain't no chemist..... __________________ Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile.... Current Tank Info: 75 reef (2x 250 ReefOptix IIIs, AB 10k bulbs w/ 330 watt VHO, EuroReef RC135 skimmer, multicontrolled Tunze 6095's X2); 40 sps prop tank (Outer Orbit Pro 150, Euroreef CS6-1+ skimmer); 20 softie prop tank

04/05/2008, 03:47 PM	#2
hogall Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Landfill California - Latitude 37 ° 46' N and Longitude 122‹ 26' W Posts: 415	I calibrated my with just RO/DI water. Just set the thing to read zero "0". Not too sure what brand you have. But here is the link of the one I use: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ct~CP2113.html I was told that the swingarm type hydrometer aren't as accurate as the light refractometer. Perhaps someone from the forum who is more knowledgeable can jump in.

04/05/2008, 03:53 PM	#4
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	Post it in the Chem forum, Randy will know, I know he sez not too use water, but in the instructions say so, but I have read that there are different types of Refactormeters for different applications, and that is where Randy's advice here is needed.