Refractometers

Wolfgang8810

Active Member
I just got mine today calibrated it with some distilled water checked my SAL and it was 1.025 on the dot. I must be doing something right. Thanks Jack!!!
 

BobBursek

Active Member
Everything I have read on refatormeters if using to to check SG of salt water they must be calibrated for thaat with pinpiont 53 solution, not RODO or distilled no matter what the instructions say.
 

AQTCJAK

RS Sponsor
Everything I have read on refatormeters if using to to check SG of salt water they must be calibrated for thaat with pinpiont 53 solution, not RODO or distilled no matter what the instructions say.

That is correct if they are not ATC models which some are not I wont sell those becaue of that reason.
 

BobBursek

Active Member
What is ATC? Outo temp Compensation? If so, I have read that they too need to be calibrated with 53 solution. I believe the auther was Randy Holmes-Farley on Reef Central.
 

fishnu

Member
Automatic temperature control. They turn the temperature up or down in your house to exactly 20c.:jester:

I have been using mine calibrated off distilled and ro/di....I get the same result: 1.000.
 

BobBursek

Active Member
Yes you will get the same reading with distill or RODI, but from I have read at 1.000 with using Distilled or RODI it will, but in reallity if your SG is reading 1.026 for example it will actually belower the that, mine was, after calibrateing with 53 solution.
 

fishnu

Member
Hmmm.


I know distilled water is supposed to read 1.000.....because it is ...water. So if it is reading 1.000 how could it be miscalibrated?
 

Wolfgang8810

Active Member
I think we should reject his reality and substitute our own. I put distilled water in and it was at the very bottom line. I pit my tank water in and it 1.025. I am going with that.
 

fishnu

Member
There is a point here. Distilled only calibrates the bottom end (1.00 as equal to an index of refraction of 1.333, and salt water as an index of refraction of 1.339 (at 20 degrees c). However, it is possible that a device could be miscalibrated for "slope" so that its perfect for distilled water but would read very salty water incorrectly.

I guess the only way to test this would be with some very salty solution.

TIME FOR A MARGARITA!!!!!!!!:woody:
 

BobBursek

Active Member
From what I got out of Randy's article at Reef Central, refactormeters are made for reeding fresh water stuff, if used for salt water SG they need to be recalibrated for it and that is done with pinpoint 53 solution. I will tru and PM Boomer to vallidate this, since Randy does not subscribe here, I think John Bertroni does but spend his time more on the Chem forum.
 

fishnu

Member
If you were a Bears fan I would have to take what you say at face value. However I will need a non-Packer cosigner for verification!!!!!!
 

BobBursek

Active Member
Fishnu,
well IF I recall right THE BEARS where the only team that scored higher then the Packers when they play each other, but Farve had that Far, Far away look in his eyes when walking out on the field and helmit held down low instead of running out and helmit held high and smileing that said he lost/blew the game. Back to this calibration thing, I have not worded it totally right, but refactormeters are used to measure SG of things in fresh water base, not salt water. That is why they have to be recalibrated with pinpoint 53 to get them adjusted to a salt water based solution. I PM Boomer which subscribes here and RC to help explain it better, I hope he chimes in. I will PM on RC too. This is not an argument, but I see so much IMO, and misinformation on both sites, and some is what works for your system and I understand that, but when it comes to Chem and machanical itens it is more aboutwhat is right and what is not.
Ya, with out Farve this year and sad, it will be a whole new love or hate afair!!! But better going on a great seesson then McMahn!!!!!!
 

AQTCJAK

RS Sponsor
OK to clear things up I have read the same article & simular & have thought well I should see. So with an ATC Refracto & RO/DI the reading was 0 with the solution it was ). SO I thought ok lets check to see what happens when cold same results. So there you have it. There are solutions that are out there that are just ot make money or if you have a non-atc refracto
 

fishnu

Member
As noted, it is possible to be spot on at 1.0000 and still be off at 1.026. I will apply my margarita tonight and let you know what it reads.

Actually, I wish I still lived in Atlanta.... Matt Ryan is gonna kick butt down there...

And he likes dogs.

:spinner:
 

AQTCJAK

RS Sponsor
if a thread of mine didnt get hijacked how else would anyone say hello to me other than hi Jack :)
 

BobBursek

Active Member
Jack,
I did not mean to hijack the tread, but when I read here about useing RODI to calibrate I wanted to correct that. Your post about cold and room temp solutions I got the impression you are reffering to your readings where the same because you are useing a ATC refactormeter. I am not reffering to the temp of the fluid used to calibrate, I am under the impression that you need pinpoint 53 to calibrate it for salt water use to be accurate.
 
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