Digital Salinity Tester...

[flyhigh123]

I'm just wondering,

if you were to make a purchase, would you rather use

A) refractometer

or

B) Digital Salinity Tester-

the Digital Salinity Tester can be measured directly via the conductivity of the water using a Salinity Meter

The Digital salinity tester, is like a digital thermometer, just dip into water and it gives you a reading.

 

[rbdesigns]

What ever you do don't buy the JBJ digital salinity meter. I had to recalibrate after 2 or 3 uses every time and it was getting on my nerves, finally I accidentally dropped it in my tank and it was useless.

 

[Zaphod]

I think they are more work than they are worth and you check them against a refractomiter anyway to check the acuracy if you need to clean or recalibrate it so what is the point?

 

[bromion]

I wanted to buy a Ph+Salinity meter but I couldn't find one under $500 that is ranged for the aquarium. So I'm stuck with my Ph meter and refractometer for now.

 

[flyhigh123]

JBJ sells them for 99. Would you buy one if they are $55 dollars?

 

[PsychoKnight]

My American Marine PinPoint series salinity monitor can provide a continuous readout. Only need to check calibration twice a year, and its never been measurably off (I use a bottled calibration sample from the manf to compare). Its precise, accurate, and produces repeatable results.

Its like, would you rather read your water temperature through a narrow tube pointed at the light, or from a big digital readout?

 

[skydancer]

Please allow me to disagree. The salinity monitor is nice to use as a continous readout, ONLY if you don't mind being off by A LOT.
Until, I spent $50 and bought a refractometer, I kept buying calibration solutions thinking that my salinity was accurate!!!
Guess what, IT WAS NOT!!! Actually the Aqua PRO III was reading 1.025 and the calibrated Pinpoint was reading 1.026. Couldn't figure out why the discrepancy... Finally I got a new refractometer and it read... 1.032. I'm surprised my stuff stayed alive... just a word of causion...

 

[GTR]

Maybe it's wrong?

SteveU

 

[skydancer]

Yeah, That's what I thought originally. That refractomer is wrong..
Sorry to tell you that it wasn't. My mistake was that I was trying to match two digital reading by calibrating them among each other.
Once I calibrated them against the refractometer, they both matched!!!

 

[GTR]

Sorry to tell you that it wasn't.

I don't really see a need for a digital readout on something as constant as SG. I do weekly water changes on all systems and any needed corrections are made then. It's so slight that I'd expect at least that much noise in the reading anyway.

I've mixed Dr. Randy's calibration solution once and my refrac was right on. Now I just take it to the LFS every once in a while a compare it to theirs.


SteveU

 

[bromion]

The utility of the salinity meter is for water change water, not to monitor it in the display, which should be fairly constant. It's rather more convenient to dip a stick in the water than use a refractometer. That being said, I use a refractometer.

 

[GTR]

I think those that have one use it in the tank... I've been wrong before though/

I make the same amount of water everytime, 50g. It takes the same amount of salt and water everytime I make it. The only reason I check it is to compare it to the tank and make any adjustment in the new water to correct the tank. That's really easy IMO.

SteveU