refractometers

[Kent D.]

I am looking to pick up a refractometer and was wondering what the best one on the market is that won't cost a small fortune. I have heard D&D makes one that is calibrated to sea water.

thanks for the input.....

 

[ryan_]

I have this one.... http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4690+9957&pcatid=9957

Its very accurate and easy to read. Just make sure you calibrate your refractometer with distilled water for the most accurate results.

I also used it to monitor an entire fish store.

 

[moatdaddy]

got mine on fleabay. Working fine and was around 50 shipped a year ago.

 

[gmneil]

i got mine from bulk reef supply, i got it on a group buy and it was around $40 i ti works great and it comes with a bottle of calibration fluid, fyi you are not supposed to calibrate with anything but calibration fluid..

 

[5380]

I have the same one as Ryan.After two years the pin is rusted. I need to remove it and clean it otherwise no issues. When I've had my water tested by ARC it has been spot on (they use an optical device).

 

[pascal32]

check out a post I put up a while back. note that Gary chimed in and recommended pushing the cover down which is not something I did before his post.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16313846&postcount=7

 

[Kent D.]

thanks guys for the info

 

[acdraindrps]

FWIW they all suck IMO. And by suck I mean should be calibrated before each use.

 

[pascal32]

FWIW they all suck IMO. And by suck I mean should be calibrated before each use.

I check mine every month and have not had to dial it in since I got it (Sybon)

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I have this one.... http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4690+9957&pcatid=9957

Its very accurate and easy to read. Just make sure you calibrate your refractometer with distilled water for the most accurate results.

I also used it to monitor an entire fish store.

I bet 90% of refractometer users are using that very device. It's sold under at least eleventybillion house brand names by various vendors, and on eBay.

Worth noting that it comes with several different scales, so if you're buying from a non-reef vendor (i.e. someone on eBay selling them to wine homebrewers) make sure it's a scale that's useful to you.

 

[Kent D.]

Thanks for the info....

 

[Brent Thomann]

I have this one.... http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4690+9957&pcatid=9957

Its very accurate and easy to read. Just make sure you calibrate your refractometer with distilled water for the most accurate results.

I also used it to monitor an entire fish store.

I've tried a lot of them and over the years and found them to be the same/pretty inaccurate until I bought this one-

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12133

Its worth every penny! The scale is larger and much easier to read. You can get replacment parts for it. I also haven't needed to recalibrate it since first purchasing it 2 years ago. It holds its readings! I hated using that black or blue one everyone sells. It always gave me different readings. I could barely make out the readings with the small readout/scale.

**You also never want to calibrate your refractometer with Distilled water. You can only calibrate a refractometer correctly with the following-

53.0 mS Calibration/Reference Fluid
or
Aqua Craft Refractometer Calibration Fluid

Using Distilled Water will miscalibrate your refractometer by +/- .003 SG units.