# The Refractometer



## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I got one now. I used it and it works a charm. however...

Some sites still say it's very inaccurate due to the fact it's sea water were testing and not simply salt water. 

So I want some reassurances and whatnot. How accurate is it for you and are you satisfied with your Refractometer. I got a Sybon from MOPS <3

I did the tests of my tanks and mixed water

nano was 1.026
10G was 1.023
bucket was 1.025


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Sybon is pretty accurate, I think you are ok =)


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

The "issue" that people have is that the refractometer doesn't account for all the other salts in our synthetic sea salt mixes. But really, for the purposes of our hobby, it really doesn't matter. 

If you're really concerned run your sg at 1.023. 

FWIW, I use a Sybon, and run at 1.023 - 1.025. Like most other parameters, the absolute numbers matter less (within acceptable limits) than the consistency of the parameters.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Excellent then. I told my husband we can use it for our wine making. Because using the hydrometer for that was a son of a cessna. 

Thank you so much you two <3


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I use a vertex. I had to calibrate it the first time I used it, as it was a point or two off, but from then on it has been great.

In general though, you should calibrate it once in awhile. I haven't, but I match it against other refractometers regularily.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I thought about buying one of them nice DD ones that are specifically calibrated for SW, but then I thought about how there are better ways to waste money on rfeplacing prefectly good equipment I already have that makes a marginal difference on what I'm measuring.

+1 on recalibration once in a while. I just check that it's still approximately good by using a drop of RO/DI before I plop any salt into it.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

That works, but if it is measuring low, RO will still show 0 without indicating that when measuring your salt, you are a point or whatever low =D


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Okay. You guys have reassured me. I actually when I washed my lense off after use checked it to the light and it read 0. husband is intreaged with it. 

He realises now WHY I wanted it. Especially during last week's crash where I was syphoning out half a pico tank of water just to float the hydrometer in it. I showed him. "couple of drops, wait a bit and voila! perfect line to read." "So simple it's too good to be true."


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Just make sure to clean the dropper after each use - the residual salt from evaporated residues of SW in a pipette can throw off the reading. I usually swish water in and out of the pipette before finally drawing up the sample to measure - that way you wash away any extra salt that might throw off your reading.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

And ensure that you give the refractometer a rinse too...I find the pin that holds the plastic covering over the lens rusts out and breaks pretty fast if you aren't careful. The refractometer is still fine after it breaks, just loses some "ease of use" character


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I will keep these tips in mind. I hazzzz a refractometer <3 83. Is a big girl now


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

In our hobby, the refractometer's "principal" use is in the brining industry where they need to know the salt concentration in the brine solutions, where sodium chloride is used as the brining salt. The use of brine is in food preservation, ie pickling and processing, ie popsicles.

The salt in seawater is ~95%+ sodium Chloride. Although refractometers like Sybon and Milwaukee are "made" for just "pure solutions" of sodium chloride (in water ), other ions in the mix of saltwater in reef systems will "throw off" the reading but by +/-0.002 range. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, IMHO/E.

With the D-D, although made for saltwater reef measuring, what concentrations of other "salt" components are they using and at what concentration to create the reference solution. Assuming [email protected] 400mg/L, [email protected] 1400mg/L, not all reefs will have that concentration so is it _*really*_ that much better than a Sybon or a Milwaukee or a Vertex? I have a sneaking suspicion that they are using their own reference/calibrating solution and the refractometer itself is like any other. Though... I could be wrong.

JM2C


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Question. I would assume the eye peice, but any areas of the refractometer I cannot get wet when I rinse it?
Edit: apparently the scale on it doesn't really work for situations where you need to lower the salanity. Nor does it work for wine


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Refractometers for alcohol has a different scale and optic configuration than it is for sodium salt .

Just rinse normally as per direction. You might want to put a dab of oil on the hinge where the plastic flap pressed the water on the scope...it easily rusts and makes the hinge action a bit stiffer when rust develops. Mine got to the point that the swelling of rust split the plastic sleeve of the pin


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I just added a drop of bike oil to the hinge. Wet weather lubricant for extreme riding conditions. figure'd if it's good for winter snow and salt, might be good for a salt water tank


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

does anyone else just dip the test-piece into their tank and clean it after each use? 

that little dropper was annoying.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Just use your finger to drop some water on the lens =)


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