Trying to correct my Refractometer...
- Thread starter Kalied20
- Start date
I made that calibration solution in my lab and I have a liter of it laying around. If anyone needs some, let me know and I will bring some to the next meeting. Calibrating with RO/DI is not as good as using the solution since your reference point is so far from the salinity of SW.
crumbletop
New member
I still have some of the small vials of it. We gave them out at the meeting at my house. I have about 10 left that I will bring with me to Waynes.
Don't calibrate with RO -- you need to be sure things are accurate and with RO only it will likely be off by a couple of ppt. Since you are doing hypo, bring your refracto with you and you can use a drop or two of my 1.009 calibration solution.
Don't calibrate with RO -- you need to be sure things are accurate and with RO only it will likely be off by a couple of ppt. Since you are doing hypo, bring your refracto with you and you can use a drop or two of my 1.009 calibration solution.
crumbletop
New member
Also, if you need to calibrate now because you are actively doing hypo, send me a PM and we can try to figure something out. It is important for the salinity to be 1.009 or they hypo may not work.
crumbletop
New member
pm'ed back.
Steve, I'll bring what I have to the meeting.
Steve, I'll bring what I have to the meeting.
crumbletop
New member
I counted and I have 12 vials of the stuff that I will bring.
Angela Short
New member
I thought the temp in the room had to be at 68 for some reason. I remember dropping my home temp that cold when I calibrated mine for some cold reason. I also would like to calibrate mine at the meet please 
Tennsquire
New member
Randy's DIY salinity solution:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php
I've used this recipe with success, then double check the refractometer with distilled water.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php
I've used this recipe with success, then double check the refractometer with distilled water.
Angela Short
New member
OK what is 25 celsius in farenhite Duuu?
Duuu?
pitbullpooch
Member
Its 77 fahrenheit<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9772585#post9772585 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angela Short
OK what is 25 celsius in farenhite
crumbletop
New member
That's the recipe we used, except we used 99.9% minimum HPLC grade Sigma NaCL, and 18.2 MegaOhm ultrapure water. We measured that out on lab-grade equipment and so this stuff is super accurate.
crumbletop
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9772174#post9772174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angela Short
I thought the temp in the room had to be at 68 for some reason. I remember dropping my home temp that cold when I calibrated mine for some cold reason. I also would like to calibrate mine at the meet please
I'm not sure if that really makes much of a difference if you have an auto-temp correcting refractometer. I think you just need to have the drop or two of water sit for several seconds to allow the temperature to equilibrate.
DMBillies
Active member
Seems to me if you use a target solution that you know is 35 ppt and calibrate the refractometer at whatever temperature you usually use the refractometer (assuming it is auto-temp correcting and you give it time to allow the temp to equilibrate as Jack said), it shouldn't matter at all what the temperature is since both your solution and tank water will be measured by the same instrument at similar temperature. Unless, of course, there is something temperature dependent about the way the solution is made.
However, even if the temp is throwing you off a bit, the error is only going to be 1 or maybe 2 ppt on the calibration. I think fretting about that small of a difference is like peeing into the wind...
Stability and getting into the right ball park across time seem to be the bigger issues. If you auto-topoff, the salinity in the tank should stay pretty stable and even if you're a bit off for a water change, a 10% water change that is only a couple ppt different from the tank water isn't going to change the overall salinity of the tank much at all. There are plenty of other things to worry about that are going to do a lot more harm to your tank than being 2 ppt off.
However, even if the temp is throwing you off a bit, the error is only going to be 1 or maybe 2 ppt on the calibration. I think fretting about that small of a difference is like peeing into the wind...
Stability and getting into the right ball park across time seem to be the bigger issues. If you auto-topoff, the salinity in the tank should stay pretty stable and even if you're a bit off for a water change, a 10% water change that is only a couple ppt different from the tank water isn't going to change the overall salinity of the tank much at all. There are plenty of other things to worry about that are going to do a lot more harm to your tank than being 2 ppt off.
Similar threads
