Check the refractometer!!!!

[BedrockIOMC]

I finally checked my meter and found that it was off a good little bit. I thi k I know what my issues are with my fish now. I want to remind everyone to remember to calibrate yours. I'm hoping me posting this mind make someone think about it that hasn't done it in a while and I mihmght help you.

 

[Billldg]

Had same issue, figured it was new and I didn't have to calibrate it, WRONG!!! Found my salinity at 1.023, not 1.026. Since then I religiously check it.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

Had same issue, figured it was new and I didn't have to calibrate it, WRONG!!! Found my salinity at 1.023, not 1.026. Since then I religiously check it.

Exact same thing that happened to me. Never again with me. I would say that's why I lost 2 fish.

 

[GoVols]

I went three months zeroing out my meter with RO/DI.

I thought my display was at 1.025

But when I finally bought another bottle of Two Little Fishes .35 natural seawater solution, the reef was really at 1.021 :eek:

 

[kalare]

While I definitely agree with checking a calibrating instruments, I seriously doubt anyone lost a fish due to a difference of 1.023 to 1.026. Small tanks fluctuate more than that if they don't have top offs.

 

[Daniel92481]

I have the same Red Sea refractometer and I’ve found that after calibration, it’s accurate for about 3-4 readings. Best thing to do is just calibrate before any use.

 

[DSC reef]

+1 I use the red sea refractometer and I also recommend calibrating with fluid before each test.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

While I definitely agree with checking a calibrating instruments, I seriously doubt anyone lost a fish due to a difference of 1.023 to 1.026. Small tanks fluctuate more than that if they don't have top offs.

If your talking about me? Mine wasnt at 1.023. I never said what mine was at. Mine was at 1.019- 1.018. Some where in there.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

I have the same Red Sea refractometer and I’ve found that after calibration, it’s accurate for about 3-4 readings. Best thing to do is just calibrate before any use.

I calibrated mine last night and then got up this morning and it was out of calibration this morning. What's up with that?

 

[BedrockIOMC]

+1 I use the red sea refractometer and I also recommend calibrating with fluid before each test.

I'm starting to see that myself.

 

[Daniel92481]

I calibrated mine last night and then got up this morning and it was out of calibration this morning. What's up with that?

I’m not sure. Maybe temperature changes could cause that to happen. I’ve found that they’re very finicky, even with the calibration fluid.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I calibrated my refractometer with calibration fluid. Then 'calibrated' (actually measured the error) of my hydrometer. That was 5 years ago.

For the next 2 years I checked my refractometer every quarter and the compared it to my hydrometer. A couple of times my refractometer needed adjustment. However, my hydrometer has maintained the exact same error rate (add 0.005) that it had when I first tested it. Here we are now 5 years later and I've adjusted my refractometer a handful of times and my hydrometer is still 0.005 to low.

Now my refractometer sits on a shelf and won't get used again except to 'calibrate' somebody else's (or my new) hydrometer!

 

[aquaman67]

http://www.reefedition.com/refractometers-salinity-measurement/


Don’t know if it’s ok to post this here but since Randy wrote it I’m gonna...

 

[dirtycontour]

I calibrate my refractometer before every use. Same with my pinpoint salinity meter.