Refractometer

[bladeyamaha]

Is a $30 refractometer as good as a $120 one?

 

[allsps40]

I think mine was around $50 it the blue one. They all work the same way. Are you looking at the D-D one? Not worth the extra money IMO.

 

[bladeyamaha]

really a vital sine for $114 or captive purity for $60 I did find a blue one for $40, captive purity has one with adjustment without the screwdriver and a light, not sure about the light, but I have looked through a refractometer and a light might come in handy, but I'm not sure its worth $90, even considered a digital salinity meter about $300-IDK!

 

[TheFishMan65]

Look up digital refractometer. Milwaukee instruments makes one maybe as low as $110. Wish I could say if it was any good, but I have never tried it. Anyone know anything about it?

 

[Spaced Cowboy]

Look up digital refractometer. Milwaukee instruments makes one maybe as low as $110. Wish I could say if it was any good, but I have never tried it. Anyone know anything about it?

I'll tell you soon - there's one winging (or rolling, actually - I went for the free shipping from BRS ) its way towards me as I write. Ought to arrive Friday.

I figured I'd already spent circa 8k, another hundred wasn't going to make any difference

Simon

 

[bladeyamaha]

Cool I was actually leaning eventually towards the digital way, the $110 Milwaukee, let us know for sho!

 

[Spaced Cowboy]

So I finally got the power laid to the (exterior) water tanks, installed a drain, set up the RO/DI, and I can start mixing salt water...

The MA887 is pretty cool - it needs to be calibrated first with some pure RO/DI, which sets a zero-point, and then you just place a few drops of water onto the prism (which sits in a well, to make it easy to cover the prism), and a couple of seconds later, you have a reading in PSU, ppt, or specific gravity.

It also tells you the temperature at which it takes the reading, which may be useful if your storage tanks aren't at the same temperature as your display tanks

I did a quick check after just adding some salt to a 60G tank, and starting the powerhead to mix it up - it was reading 1.009 (SG). Putting the same water into my manual refractometer gave me a fuzzy-sort-of-reading between 1.010 and 1.009, so it's at least similar. I'm not sure if the 1.009 is a good thing or a bad thing - there are no error-bars on the display But it is quite convenient.

It's also a bit bigger than I thought from the pictures - it's about 8" by 4", in case that's an issue for anyone. Not for me - just makes it easier for my uncoordinated fingers to use Speaking of which, all the "buttons" are water-tight membrane style, and the battery compartment screws in, so there's very little chance of water getting inside it.

All in all, I like it. I like it a lot.

Simon

 

[TheFishMan65]

Thanks for the review. Having used both if you were to only buy one which way would you go?

 

[Spaced Cowboy]

Thanks for the review. Having used both if you were to only buy one which way would you go?

As with a lot of things, it depends on cash Do you *need* a digital version ? No. Absolutely not, the manual version will give you a result every time too. Is it easier to use ? Yes, I think so. No need to try and figure out which graticule the blue/white divide is on - my manual refractometer was always a bit fuzzy on that and seemed to depend on how much light was getting into the prism.

So, it depends... Is that fence-sitting enough ? [grin]. Perhaps I ought to state that I'm a bit of a gadget-freak anyway, so my bias is naturally towards the technological solution. YMMV

Simon

 

[TheFishMan65]

I have heard a brighter light make the line more distinct - outside is supposed to be great.

I was thinking about calibration. The digital one does self calibration which sounds like a plus in my opinion. Especially of you don't have a SW refractometer and then you must buy solution.

 

[bladeyamaha]

All I know is the hydrometer thing is not working for me because I have three, two of the same brand(Deep Sixes) and an Oceanic that is also certified and all three have different readings on the same tank water back to back.

 

[dpeoples]

Thanks for the info on it. I too have been looking at it and wondering if $110 was worth it

 

[Gamepro_inc]

What about the swing arm ones? I know they arn't as reliable over time but I figure buy a new one each year at $10 and you still arn't spending that much. key is to rinse in fresh water aftter each use.

 

[Psyops]

Is a $30 refractometer as good as a $120 one?

I posted this question a couple of months ago. Go to the chemistry forum. The person you should speak with is Boomer. He is extremely informative when it comes to refractometers. You will learn a great deal from him. I could answer your question but the chemistry guys will do a much better job.
Alex

 

[bladeyamaha]

Actually I think I'm going to do my best with the crappy hydrometers I have and save for the Milwaukee Salinity Meter that costs $110.

 

[chgoblknazn]

Which is the mosty popular and easiest to use. I like the digital ones, as they seem to be pretty easy to use and fast.

 

[TheFishMan65]

Psyops, I did a search, but think I missed it do you have a link?

 

[doctorgori]

I posted this question a couple of months ago. Go to the chemistry forum. The person you should speak with is Boomer. He is extremely informative when it comes to refractometers. You will learn a great deal from him. I could answer your question but the chemistry guys will do a much better job.
Alex

...and I posed this question not long after that
...and I'd bet neither of us had an original idea either (given the size of this place) :spin2:

 

[TheFishMan65]

Ok, doc and do you have a link.

 

[leadsinker]

If it's calibrated properly.

Besides, "what's a dollor here and there any way"