My new toy!

[glb]

 

[fefe24]

I also have one and I love it. I hope you will have good luck with it.

 

[glb]

I also have one and I love it. I hope you will have good luck with it.

Thanks! Now I just have to wait for daylight to calibrate it!

 

[mike007]

You can cailbrate under a bright light.

 

[tyler206]

I have exactly the same one that you have and I love it

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Nice!

 

[3Twinklets]

These are priceless in my opinion!

 

[dcsaquarium]

I had stressed out my tank real bad because I started with a hydrometer and it was saying it was at the right salinity but it was really at like 1.032. So glad I bought a refractometer.

 

[808jaymakoa]

I don't want to the idiot that asks but what is that?

 

[dcsaquarium]

It's a refractometer and it's way more accurate than a hydrometer. Hydrometers can cause you to really mess up your reef tank.

 

[glb]

I don't want to the idiot that asks but what is that?

You're not an idiot at all. Lol. I didn't know what one was until recently!

 

[Flatbrook]

Just as easy to use as a hydrometer, but way more accurate! Love mine.

 

[glb]

Any tips on how to use it?

 

[dcsaquarium]

After placing water on the prism wait 30 seconds to read that way it has time to adjust temp of water to same as refractometer.

 

[dcsaquarium]

Also when calibrating mine said make sure the temperature in the room is 68°. I'm not sure if they all have to be that way but figure.

 

[Flatbrook]

Sure,
Before the first time you use it, it needs to be calibrated. This is done by placing 2-3 drops of distilled water on the main prism on the front of the refractometer. Close the cover and hold up to light while looking through the eye sight. Focus and look where the blue and white meet on the scale. You want it to be at "0". Adjust the screw adjuster till its on "0". You won't need to do this every time, just initial setup. Wipe it dry. It's now ready to use with saltwater. place 2-3 drops of salt water on the prism and slowly close the cover. Hold up to light and look through the eye sight and look where the white and blue meet. That will be your salinity reading.

 

[ReeferBen]

Chemistry and the Aquarium: Specific Gravity: Oh How Complicated! ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

Not a bad article to read. My refractometer came with ATC, once you go refractometer you'll never go back. They use to be expensive but now, they are cheap enough every reefer should have one.

 

[Flatbrook]

Also when calibrating mine said make sure the temperature in the room is 68°. I'm not sure if they all have to be that way but figure.

Mine says 68 too, but I found it really doesn't make a difference in the reading.

 

[dcsaquarium]

Yeah I'm not really sure why it's just for the calibration. It may be because it has to be calibrated for the auto temp adjusting.

 

[glb]

Thanks everyone! Where in the world is room temp 68 degrees?? That's a cold front in Miami!