Anyone have refractometer calibration fluid
- Thread starter deboy69
- Start date
Actually it doesn't as per Dr. RHF. I hope I canpost this link, if not sorry mods please remove.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php
I will argue with experts on some things but I don't argue with Randy on water chemistry. I think you misread.
Quote from article.
"Despite the fact that many refractometers sold to aquarists recommend calibration in pure water, such a calibration alone will not ensure accuracy for the reasons described above. So my recommendation for calibration is as follows"
Quote from article.
"Despite the fact that many refractometers sold to aquarists recommend calibration in pure water, such a calibration alone will not ensure accuracy for the reasons described above. So my recommendation for calibration is as follows"
Agree that using distilled or RO water is a bad idea. I did that initially and was off by 0.004 and my tank's SG was actually 1.019 when I thought it was 1.023...which explained some coral losses early on in the hobby.
I make my own calibration fluid...but admit that I probably need to store it in a better container. I marked my pee cup and found that some water had evaporated, which changed the SG of the fluid. I'll probably make a new batch soon if you'd like some, but I live all the way in NW Denver.
Here's some instructions in this link if you're up to the task: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php
To summarize that long article and make a small batch for yourself, all you need is 100ml (or 100g) of distilled (or RO/DI) water and 3.76g (estimating it to 3.7 is fine) of table salt. I opted to use natural sea salt with no additives/caking agents, as I didn't want that to throw off the accuracy, but I don't know how necessary that really is. Table salt is apparently fine per that article. That combo will give you a standard solution of 1.026 SG.
Extremely easy and accurate if you have a digital scale...if not, it's probably best to just buy some fluid. I checked my DIY stuff vs some actual calibration fluid and it was dead on accurate.
I make my own calibration fluid...but admit that I probably need to store it in a better container. I marked my pee cup and found that some water had evaporated, which changed the SG of the fluid. I'll probably make a new batch soon if you'd like some, but I live all the way in NW Denver.
Here's some instructions in this link if you're up to the task: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php
To summarize that long article and make a small batch for yourself, all you need is 100ml (or 100g) of distilled (or RO/DI) water and 3.76g (estimating it to 3.7 is fine) of table salt. I opted to use natural sea salt with no additives/caking agents, as I didn't want that to throw off the accuracy, but I don't know how necessary that really is. Table salt is apparently fine per that article. That combo will give you a standard solution of 1.026 SG.
Extremely easy and accurate if you have a digital scale...if not, it's probably best to just buy some fluid. I checked my DIY stuff vs some actual calibration fluid and it was dead on accurate.
Just one of these bad boys...
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Z4ITW..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0F2GTM2A7Y55M6R5EEWN
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Z4ITW..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0F2GTM2A7Y55M6R5EEWN