Refractometers

[ccCapt]

Price is irrelevant in our case. I suggest you get the cheapest you can find, even look on Ebay. As long as it says ATC (which the 1 you linked to does), you are fine. Buy a $5 bottle of Pinpoint Salinity Calibration fluid and it doesn't matter if you have a $300 or $10 refracto. Calibrate it to 35ppt with the fluid and you have an accurate refracto. Calibrating it with RO does nothing except show you fresh water is 0 ppt. We want to know if the refractometer is correctly reading 35 ppt (1.026 SG) since that's where we should be.

 

[Altohombre]

ccCapt I never did the pinpoint salinity calibration. I did RO to make sure it said 0 and then would check that my salinity made it to 35ppm. Could my salinity be way off?

 

[wontonflip]

Cool, thanks capt :) Now I can seem like I know what I'm talking about when I order it through my lfs LOL

 

[ccCapt]

ccCapt I never did the pinpoint salinity calibration. I did RO to make sure it said 0 and then would check that my salinity made it to 35ppm. Could my salinity be way off?

It might be right on, or it can be off. Mine reads slightly under 0 when properly calibrated at 35 ppt.