refractometer calibration

[mike31154]

Each method of measurement in the hobby has its limitations. From my personal experience, the swing arms appear to be the least reliable & messy to use. The floating hydrometer & refractometer are easier & less of a mess. Only thing for the floater is that it's useful to draw a water sample & place it into a tall cylinder to get the best results. Trying to read it while bobbing in the tank is not a good idea. The refractometer is dead simple, a couple of drops of water, easy to read scale thru the eyepiece. My floater is broken, my swing arms gathering dust in the basement. I'm stuck with the refractometer which I calibrate periodically with pure water. So much simpler to use when I'm trying to match my freshly mixed water to tank water before water changes.