Best refractomer

Nick Marchese · Dec 22, 2015

their are so many on the market which one do you guys recommend.

tankstudy · Dec 22, 2015

I use the milwaukee digital refractometer. Calibration is pretty easy and its very accurate. Might be a bit pricey but this thing is pretty fast on read outs, just a few seconds. When I'm making and testing a lot of water. Its drip, click, result, drip, click and so on. I'll never go back to looking thru a refractometer or using the little plastic ones that would go bad or were very inaccurate.

AdamNC · Dec 22, 2015

If you can afford it get the Milwaukee digital one. If you want mid line go for the Red Sea, it's the one I use and very satisfied with it. If you are on a budget then the BRS one is still nice, but can be up to a +/- .014 ppm off. Just try your best to stay away from swing arm hydrometers, they get you in the ball park but a little inaccurate.

irish02bk · Dec 22, 2015

Milwaukee, just get it, definitely worth it....

Jlobes · Dec 22, 2015

i havent ventured into the digital realm, yet. ALthough I do have the hanna(alk/cal) checkers, for the tank restart. Lots of options/opinions on refractometers, but I have been using the veegee stx3, since the beginning and probably will for quite some time. super easy to calibrate(no tools), easy to read and accurate. cost a bit more than the DD, redsea, etc. but worth it IMO.

http://labsupply.veegee.com/item/sa...-salinity-scale-optical-refractometer/43036-2

Justiful · Dec 22, 2015

I use a hydrometer. It works and is cheap. LAFISHGUYS uses it on youtube. That is good enough for me. lol. (But I do have an aquarium maintenance company who also uses a hydrometer and generally fixes any mistakes I made during the month).

reefwiser · Dec 22, 2015

Milwaukee great piece of equipment. Work so well and is very easy to use.

Nick Marchese · Dec 22, 2015

I'm thinking thinking Milwaukee cause dr smith and foster is running a 20 percent off sale

Davileet · Dec 22, 2015

Definitely get the Milwaukee, no guesses with it.

Jlobes · Dec 22, 2015

Davileet said:
Definitely get the Milwaukee, no guesses with it.

theres no guessing involved with a calibrated, quality refractometer.

Davileet · Dec 22, 2015

Thats nice, but there is no guessing with whether your Milwaukee is calibrated correctly or not. Also, looking down a tube pointed at a light with lines that you have to read, is not as easy as the Milwaukee digital read out.

Jlobes · Dec 22, 2015

Davileet said:
Thats nice, but there is no guessing with whether your Milwaukee is calibrated correctly or not. Also, looking down a tube pointed at a light with lines that you have to read, is not as easy as the Milwaukee digital read out.

If you think your milwaukee digital refractometer doesnt need calibration, think again. Says right in the user manual to calibrate daily, before testing/measuring. You might wanna calibrate yours soon.

looking up a tube is pretty easy for me, but maybe bot for everyone.
My point is that youre not "guessing" with a "regular" refractometer, its a precision tool/instrument, as is the digital. both work well, with no guesses. just depends on if ya wanna spend the money for a digital/trust all electronic appliances to function perfectly.

zzzdiver · Dec 22, 2015

AdamNC said:
If you can afford it get the Milwaukee digital one. If you want mid line go for the Red Sea, it's the one I use and very satisfied with it. If you are on a budget then the BRS one is still nice, but can be up to a +/- .014 ppm off. Just try your best to stay away from swing arm hydrometers, they get you in the ball park but a little inaccurate.

The BRS is accurate with all reflectors including Milwaukee's digital must be calibrated prior to use

Davileet · Dec 22, 2015

The Milwaukee asks for calibration every time I turn it on, but that is just a failsafe for it I think and something I would do anyway. With the Milwaukee you calibrate it with RO/DI water so you do not have to use a calibration solution which is also a plus. I agree, neither are 100% and both have drawbacks, but I do love my refractometer.

tankstudy · Dec 22, 2015

You can calibrate it if you want but its not always necessary. Calibrating only involves putting a drop of RO/DI in the dewar and pressing the button. Takes about 2 secs and its calibrated.

PatW · Dec 22, 2015

I have the BRS. It is easy to use. Fast. Calibrates. I figure it to a bit better than .oo1 on spec. gravity.

KingTriton · Dec 22, 2015

tankstudy said:
You can calibrate it if you want but its not always necessary. Calibrating only involves putting a drop of RO/DI in the dewar and pressing the button. Takes about 2 secs and its calibrated.

LOL Ive been doing this way for over a year now. I didn't even know you could bypass it. Honestly it only takes 2 seconds. Its not even worth mentioning.

abinder · Dec 22, 2015

Davileet said:
The Milwaukee asks for calibration every time I turn it on, but that is just a failsafe for it I think and something I would do anyway. With the Milwaukee you calibrate it with RO/DI water so you do not have to use a calibration solution which is also a plus. I agree, neither are 100% and both have drawbacks, but I do love my refractometer.

tankstudy said:
You can calibrate it if you want but its not always necessary. Calibrating only involves putting a drop of RO/DI in the dewar and pressing the button. Takes about 2 secs and its calibrated.

According to the things I've read, you aren't suppose to use RO/DI water to calibrate it; only steam-distilled water.

Allen

tankstudy · Dec 22, 2015

The manual itself says you can use distilled or deionized. Its on page 9 of the user's guide If i'm not mistaken. It also notes at the bottom of the page that if the device is shut off, the calibration still remains.