Milwaukiee Refractometer VS. Triton Results

[CoralNerd]

@CoralNerd
What did you calibrate the Vee Gee with before you came to this?

"AquaCraft Calibration Fluid on:
VeeGee 35 ppt actually reads 37 ppt"

My buddy had a bottle of AquaCraft that I did the previous calibration with lol

 

[GoVols]

I use Two Little Fishes natural seawater solution my self. I got my vee gee in on Friday and it seems very solid.

Funny enough my wife tried to send back the Milwaukee to Amazon and they refunded our money......but did not want her to send the unit back. I'm wondering why they don't want the unit back? It's just going to sit on my shelf I guess.

How long did you have the Milwaukee?

 

[GoVols]

My buddy had a bottle of AquaCraft that I did the previous calibration with lol

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jason2459]

VeeGee as it shows more details and doesn't round the number up.

Can anyone help on my post above?

Not much to say other then what you've observed matches what I've seen as well. Calibration fluids are not reliable unless used right away as seen by the Aquacraft reference solution as who knows how long that's been sitting around. I always suggest making your own anymore.

And the Milwaukee is probably accurate enough but I find annoying how low it's resolution and accuracy is.

 

[CoralNerd]

Are you saying the Milwaukee Fluid is probably accurate enough?

How do I make calibration fluid, do I need a special scale?

 

[Staggs]

How long did you have the Milwaukee?

Just a day.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Are you saying the Milwaukee Fluid is probably accurate enough?

How do I make calibration fluid, do I need a special scale?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.htm

 

[jason2459]

Are you saying the Milwaukee Fluid is probably accurate enough?

How do I make calibration fluid, do I need a special scale?

I was referring to the Milwaukee refractometer but the solution is probably accurate enough as well.

I linked to a thread earlier in this thread that I started with why I decided to go the Randy DIY route and links to a couple of his articles in it

It's very possible your calibration solution is off and your Milwaukee and Apex are correct.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/does-your-calibration-solution-need-calibrated.250133/

If you do get a conductivity meter you will need to adjust the reference solution as Randy points out in his articles and I think in that thread as well.

I hated the Red Sea Refractometer due to constantly needing calibration.

 

[yellojello]

I bought a defective $2000 electronic device with large battery, and Amazon gave me full refund and told me keep or toss it. Probably the battery, or the Milwaukee fluids they don't like shipping back for hazardous reasons.

 

[yellojello]

I was set to buy a veegee after 7 years with my generic ATC refractometer, but since it was pricy, I just went for a digital Milwaukee to try.

I just keep a roll of teepee and RODI squirt bottle and rinse twice between each readings. I agree with others, I wish the resolution was higher, but reading between 1.025-1.026 not too much of a deal breaker.

 

[Staggs]

I bought a defective $2000 electronic device with large battery, and Amazon gave me full refund and told me keep or toss it. Probably the battery, or the Milwaukee fluids they don't like shipping back for hazardous reasons.

Yea I thought it was a bit weird, but I'm not complaining. I won't sell the device because I could hit read three times on the same sample and it gives something different each time.

 

[Velcro]

I have both the aquacraft and the pinpoint solutions. I also have the red sea refractometer and the BRS refractometer. Both of the solution read the same thing on both of these devices.

 

[ReeferSurf]

So my VEE GEE STX-3 gets here, do i use rodi/distilled water since its a salt water refractor or pinpoint solution?

 

[jason2459]

So my VEE GEE STX-3 gets here, do i use rodi/distilled water since its a salt water refractor or pinpoint solution?

I would calibrate to 0 with RO/DI. Then use the solution to check to see if it lands on 35ppt. I would be curious if it lands on 35. I would make my own solution personally and use that to calibrate.

 

[CoralNerd]

Hi Jason, Do you have a image if what 35ppt looks like on your refractometer?

 

[jason2459]

Here's the photo Jason provided of his VitalSine/VeeGee

That was a hair under.

 

[ReeferSurf]

I would calibrate to 0 with RO/DI. Then use the solution to check to see if it lands on 35ppt. I would be curious if it lands on 35. I would make my own solution personally and use that to calibrate.

Hey, Received it today. Put in the distilled water from the Milwaukee bottle. Reads 0. So didnt need to calibrate.

Next tested, Pinpoint solution, it showed 35ppt.
Next tested, Aquacraft, it showed 37ppt.
Nest tested, Milwaukee salt water bottle, show almost 35ppt.
Next tested tank water, showed about mid of 35-36ppt. My apex salinity probe says 35.5ppt.

Im guessing the Aquacraft was made for brine refractors and pinpoint can be used on brine and saltwater refractors? I will do a retest all tomorrow to confirm numbers again incase i made a mistake.

 

[Myka]

I'll post this here too...

I did some testing this week, this is what I got. I'm using an old ATC refractometer (prob 20 years). The scale looks like the VeeGee one. It's a great refractometer and keeps its calibration well.

I carefully measured out salt and water using a 100g digital scale and made calibration solution according to Randy. I made it three times. I made it very carefully twice, then once I was sloppy about the measuring so I could compare to see how sensitive the solution is to changes. The sloppy one was off from the other two by 1 ppt. The two carefully measured out were exactly the same. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/#18

So I first washed the refractometer with a mild soap solution, dried it, and let it sit for 5 mins to be room temperature. Then I calibrated with Randy's solution. After calibration I re-checked the solution and found it to read exactly 35 ppt.

I measured a freshly opened bottle of TLF AccuraSea Seawater Reference Calibration Solution. It read 36 ppt.

I measured a freshly opened bottle of Sybon Standard Seawater 35 ppt Calibration Solution. It read 32.5 ppt.

I measured a bottle of TLF that had been open for awhile, used a couple dozen times, carefully closed every time. I do not like the big opening on this bottle! So much room for contamination and evaporation! This bottle read 37 ppt.

I measured a bottle of Sybon that had been open for about 2 years, about 1/2 full still. It read 31.5 ppt.

I measured an old bottle of Sybon that had been open for probably 6 years. It only had maybe 1/4" of solution left in it. It read 31 ppt.

Interestingly, I had a Triton test done last year in August. I was using the Sybon above that is listed as about 2 years old (reading 31.5 ppt), and using Jim's spreadsheet to determine salinity from Triton results, my result was 32 ppt. Although this anecdotal evidence has a big time gap, the three Sybon solutions read only 1.5 ppt difference from brand new to 6 years old, so I would think the solution would not change much in the last year.

All these points lead me to believe that Sybon is inherently low. I didn't think I believed the TLF solution when I first tried it out a few months back and found it to read so much higher than the Sybon which I had relied on for so many years. Then I remembered the Triton test results indicating low salinity. Then Randy's solution is very close to the TLF also.

So now what I do is use the new Sybon (because I like the bottle better), but I calibrate it at 32.5 ppt rather than 35 ppt. Since it is a seawater solution, I should get an accurate calibration. After testing, this does seem to be the case. I am confident that salinity in my tank now is at the very least, closer to 35 ppt than it was.

 

[Myka]

I will do a retest all tomorrow to confirm numbers again incase i made a mistake.

You do know that the accuracy of the Milwaukee is only 2 ppt, right? Your answers could be as good as the Milwaukee is going to give you.

Also, take note of my own testing. Not all calibration solution is made equal! Not sure why they can't all agree! Especially the Sybon, it's NIST-certified!

 

[ReeferSurf]

Hey Myka, i was talking about the Veegee saltwater refractor.

Im guessing i have to use Morton's Iodized Salt for DIY? or would this do http://www.saxa.com.au/products_2.html ?

"3. Measure the full volume of a plastic 2 L Coke or Diet Coke bottle filled with purified freshwater (about 2104.4 g)."

freshwater, does this mean distilled? rodi? tap? also, im guessing the important thing here is 2104.4g of water right? i can put the water into any type of bottle to measure as long i i zero the bottle weight on the scale?

@Randy Holmes-Farley