Refracto meter calibration

[Ronny#66]

I baught mine at Dr. Foster & Smith I gotthe Cheap one that was on sale. Paper work that came with it said it was calibreated but to check it with distilled water. Am I ok had store check my water and they read what mine reads. i read articles on checking this and you have to be chemist to understand it like a lot if info here ! Just above many of us here.


Ronny

 

[kraze3]

Your best bet is to buy some calibration fluid. The distilled may not give you a 100% accurate calibration. I have the one from Drsfostersmith and I used it out of the box with no problems. It was later that I heard about the calibration fluid and I now use that to check it occasionally.

 

[drparker]

I got the Drs fosters one also, when calibrated with distilled water it's really off by .02 when compared to it being calibrated with the fluid. The fluid is only 5 bucks a bottle.

 

[Ebmorri]

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

 

[PRDubois]

I just use RODI

 

[Aquarist007]

this blog tells you how to calibrate a refractometer:

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=265

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14755885#post14755885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drparker
I got the Drs fosters one also, when calibrated with distilled water it's really off by .02 when compared to it being calibrated with the fluid. The fluid is only 5 bucks a bottle.

Mine was about the same "offness"

Considering how cheap (( and how long it lasts )) the calibration fluid is, compared to all the issues that can happen from the salinity being too high/low it makes no sense not to use it.

 

[drparker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14756200#post14756200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PRDubois
I just use RODI

Ok, You do understand that your calibrating it to read ro/di water accurately and that when reading salt water it could be off and not reading it accurately because of a slope error?

 

[dwd5813]

definitely just get the pinpoint calibration fluid. @ 5 bucks or so per bottle, you can calibrate perfectly and easily. well worth it.