Refratometer - My 2 cents worth
 

I have been using one of those plastic rectangle testors for years and relying on it.

The other day I broke down and bought a proper refractometer.

To my amazment my old testor was reading very low LOTS

When I tested it with my old my reading was 1.0025

New meter 1.0030:cry:

I suggest to anyone useing one of the cheep testors go out and get a good one.

yeah very good idea to start with one the hydrometers are very unreliable i also found they read 4 points low but if you allow for that your good lol

I was shocked at my reading.

Remember to change your salinity level slowly now too

Did you type that right? 1.0030 is actually really low. Most people target 1.025.

But if that was a typo then yeah I'm not surprised. I've heard this story a lot... hydrometers being out by .005 seems to be pretty common.

And you certainly can't assume they are always out in the same direction or even always out the same amount each and every time. Heck a few micro bubbles on that arm and it can act up.

Refractometer is king!

i never have even tryed the plastic toys. just refract-o for me :)

What is a good refractometer to get?

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/t-...actometer.html
or
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/vt...actometer.html

i see no real dif in those besides the fact that the vertex is way cheaper.

Thats what I thought. I was leaning more to the vertex side and the info sells it better.

I had to get one to be able to have my brackish tank since it was only 1.004 and thats really what got my started into all this. Am I ever happy about that.

1.030 lol

Vertex is the one I bought

there all the same as long as u calibrate check out ebay a place there sells the for like 20 bucks shipped

I bought the vertex 4 months ago...had to calibrate it once, other then that it's been working good

same experience here
Bought the cheapest refractometer I could find on Ebay and then took it into the lab at school and tested it against the"high end" one thier and they consistantly made identical measurments. I think this is one case where you don't have to spend a bunch to get a good product.....nice in this hobby

Rare in this hobby haha

I just got 1 off of ebay for $38 shipped from Quebec , Aquakits was the seller. I have to calibrate it yet but it looks good , the guy was really slow to ship though. I think it took about 4 weeks to get it here. I have been using the cheap plastic hydrometer up till now & I have 2 identical ones & they read about 4 points different on the same water sample so I split the difference. It will be interesting to see what the refractometer reads.

I have been using one of those cheap plastic ones for over a year. It came with the first tank I bought off of a friend. the numders are almost rubbed off and now the needle is sticking. I fine desided to get a refractometer. Hopeful it will arrive on weds day.:biggrin:

Refactometers are for wimps. Use your finger and taste the water like a real reefer!! :lol:

:lol::lol:

Wouldn't be the first I used this method to check the temp. of my make up water to the tank water:biggrin:

Lol ..... what a taste that is too .... hehe

I have a sybon refractometer and have had no problems with it.

I have a drink every time I start my siphon for WC LOL