Red Sea Refractometer driving me crazy

[thelawnwrangler]

I have to calibrate it multiple times when making salt water. it has wild swings and just so annoying. what does everyone else use?

 

[Ou8me2]

I use a Refractometer I got off Ebay for like $20.00 and I have some calibration fluid from BRS. Works fine for me.

 

[Squampton]

I bought one on amazon, its not a branded one. Cost was like $20. I use a calibration fluid and its always been accurate and easy to use.

 

[yevgenb]

Its garbage - has to be calibrated every time you use it. Cheap ebay refractometer keeps calibration for months, red sea - for one hour.

 

[Bluefish9]

Red Sea Refractometer driving me crazy

Yes as others have said. The red sea model is no good. Its rare to get a crappy product from that company but that is their dud.

I also have the one from Amazon and its been great!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ES6MOQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ulEdybWKREA33


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[Rybren]

I find that keeping the refractometer in a place where the temp is stable (like inside the stand) helps maintain the calibration. I'm not sure why, but it works for me.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Thanks for all the advice. Red Sea might be good, but there is some fine print I am not following. I bought an amazon refractometer last night.

My red sea I literally will be in the process of making salt water and it gets wild fluctuations so I am calibrating 2-3 times just to get comfortable. I just have no faith anymore.

 

[CStrickland]

It could just be a dud, might be worth calling RS customer support or seeing if they have a sponsor forum around here. Also, I think Red Sea is the one you are not supposed to use fluid to calibrate, just di water

 

[g_langley]

I think the RS does state that you should calibrate each time, not sure if it's temp correction or something else, but I make sure to do mine each time and use RODI for that. It's very sensitive to being knocked about as well.

 

[GimpyFin]

If you really want something you don't have to tinker with, the Milwaukee digital refractometers are excellent. About $100, but it makes testing salinity extremely easy. You also don't need calibration solution, just distilled or ro/di water. Rarely needs to be recalibrated once it's set too.

 

[jason2459]

You should check for calibration before use and you should use a solution as close to what you plan on measuring. Using ro/di or distilled water is not suggested even if the manual/instructions say so and even with a true seawater refractometer.

With a good refractometer you should NOT have to adjust the calibration each time.

Red Sea's refractometer is the worse one I've used for holding calibration. Best has been my veegee/vitalsine.

Make sure to not bump or mishandle your refractometers as it can throw it off.

A few worthwhile articles linked to in this thread on checking your calibration fluid and making your own.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2583418

 

[jason2459]

If you really want something you don't have to tinker with, the Milwaukee digital refractometers are excellent. About $100, but it makes testing salinity extremely easy. You also don't need calibration solution, just distilled or ro/di water. Rarely needs to be recalibrated once it's set too.

The Milwaukee digital is nice and easy. It can only be calibrated with ro/di or distilled but you should still check that calibration against a known standard close to the end point you want like 35ppt.

Only downside of the Milwaukee is I wish it had higher resolution. In my veegee refractometer I can distinguish a low 34ppt vs a higher 34ppt. So, the Milwaukee will round up. Say, I look in my veegeeand I can see the salinity is half way between 34 and 35ppt, my apex reads 34.4ppt and the Milwaukee will read 35ppt.

Does that little difference mater? I don't think so. But it would be nice if it had slightly higher resolution. [emoji4]

 

[alcimedes]

This is the one I picked up from Amazon. Under $20 and so far has held the calibration for months no problem. (and came with calibration fluid as well)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZ1SMC2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Syntax1325]

I've had the same issues. The Red Sea Refractometer needs to be calibrated and used at 78 degrees, a pain to say the least.

I haven't used my refractometer in about a year. I now use my 15 year old Tropic Martin floating hydrometer; mix my water and bring it to temp and float it for about five minutes.... sooo easy now.


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[fishchef]

We had an old refractometer which was very touchy about how the lens cover was situated. Worked great, but could take a few times to seat properly.

 

[HippieSmell]

If you really want something you don't have to tinker with, the Milwaukee digital refractometers are excellent. About $100, but it makes testing salinity extremely easy. You also don't need calibration solution, just distilled or ro/di water. Rarely needs to be recalibrated once it's set too.

+1. Easily the best solution I've ever used.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I use calibration fluid to calibrate - I think I saw somewhere the instruction says to use RO/DI, but the red sea said 2 point of calibration is best. I think I knock it around a little, but year if I set it. My hope is that I slow bring my water up to the right salinity that I don't need to re calibrate each test.

 

[CStrickland]

This is the one I picked up from Amazon. Under $20 and so far has held the calibration for months no problem. (and came with calibration fluid as well)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZ1SMC2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's basically what I got too. I check against a calibration fluid every month and twice a year against my beer brewing hydrometer. I haven't had to turn the screw once yet. I've had it about a year

 

[kaz1961]

I also picked up the Milwaukee unit. Best $80 I ever spent on this hobby.

 

[vashawn]

I have the ATC refractometer from ebay $13 w/shipping calibrate w/dis water works perfect.
BRS sells the same one for $30