calibration fluid for a Refractometer

[TommyP]

I have had this refractometer for quite some time now and I just want to make sure it's calibrated properly. Is there a DIY for calibration fluid? A dummy version that I can follow well? Just trying to save some $

Thank you in advance!

 

[Affordable Aquatic]

RODI or distilled water. That's all you need to use.

 

[TommyP]

Hmm ok. And, what do you set it to? 0?

 

[Affordable Aquatic]

0% or 1.0sg.

 

[Boomer]

No, you should NOT use RO/DI or DW, as they will read 1.5 ppt to low unless you have a real seawater refractometer. Even with a proper seawater std they will be off at high or low salinity unless, again, it is a real seawater refract. Almost all of them, par real seawater refracts, are set and built on NaCl stds at the factory, table salt, which is NOT seawater. There is only 1 real seawater refract sold in this hobby manufactured by Vee Gee.

You can get a std from Jim here or the same elsewhere on the net.
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/refractometers.htm


PINPOINT SALINITY CALIBRATION FLUID

You put a drop on the refract and cal it to read 1.0264 or 35 ppt or 3.5 %

 

[Boomer]

And that low of 1.5 ppt is for a real lab grade. The cheap ones from China in RO/DI/DW can be off from as low as 0 ppt to as high as 4 ppt if cal in RO/DI/DW.

 

[TommyP]

Thanks, Boomer. I remember reading not to use RODI or Distilled water, which is just why I asked. So if I got my refractometer online but it's not Vee Gee I can still use PINPOINT SALINITY CALIBRATION FLUID? Then I drop this fluid onto the glass then calibrate it to 1.026?

 

[Boomer]

Yes.

The Vee Gee is also sold by Foster & Smith under their marketing name Vital-Sine. DD, Deltec, claims theirs is a real seawater refract but it is NOT.

 

[Boomer]

The refract once cal will be good for about ~ 30 - 40 ppt.

 

[TommyP]

ok thank you. I'll check the name brand if it shows when I get home but I'll get this solution. Any successful home remedies to use instead?

 

[NYreefNoob]

i have the vee gee myself. will say over the years ive had a couple different one's till how they work was explained to me, lol hated spending the money for the vee, but salinity is as critical on a sps tank as other measurements and being off 4pt can be a bad thing, plus the vee is so much easier to read and see

 

[Seacilian77]

Tagging along for home remedy,,,

 

[lnevo]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php

 

[Boomer]

So how come you forgot to post the other article Inevo I will give till tomorrow

 

[lnevo]

This one?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/#18

 

[TommyP]

Can someone just break that down for me in simple terms lol.

 

[Boomer]

You're are on the ball kid

I got to read and edit that for Randy and he re-did the whole article. Allot of those tables are from my ref I have collected over the years.

 

[Boomer]

Tommy

1. Measure ? cup of Morton's Iodized Salt (about 73.1 g).
2. Add one teaspoon of salt (making about 79.3 g total salt).
3. Measure the full volume of a plastic 2 L Coke or Diet Coke bottle filled with purified freshwater (about 2104.4 g).
4. Dissolve the total salt (79.3 g) in the total water volume (2104 g) to make an approximately 3.65 weight percent solution of NaCl. The volume of this solution will be slightly larger than the Coke bottle, so dissolve it in another container.

1. Get some Morton table salt
2. Scoop up 1 level teaspoon.
3. Measure out 2114 ml = 2.114 liters of water and put in a container.
4. Add teaspoon of salt to water
5. Stir well till dissolved
6. Fill coke bottle, that is that is your cal solution storage container.
6. Put drop on refract cal to read 35 ppt or 1.0264
7. Refract now good for seawater narrow range. 30 - 40 ppt.

 

[TommyP]

Tommy

1. Measure ? cup of Morton's Iodized Salt (about 73.1 g).
2. Add one teaspoon of salt (making about 79.3 g total salt).
3. Measure the full volume of a plastic 2 L Coke or Diet Coke bottle filled with purified freshwater (about 2104.4 g).
4. Dissolve the total salt (79.3 g) in the total water volume (2104 g) to make an approximately 3.65 weight percent solution of NaCl. The volume of this solution will be slightly larger than the Coke bottle, so dissolve it in another container.

1. Get some Morton table salt
2. Scoop up 1 level teaspoon.
3. Measure out 2114 ml = 2.114 liters of water and put in a container.
4. Add teaspoon of salt to water
5. Stir well till dissolved
6. Fill coke bottle, that is that is your cal solution storage container.
6. Put drop on refract cal to read 35 ppt or 1.0264
7. Refract now good for seawater narrow range. 30 - 40 ppt.

Thanks, there were so many steps and so much reading! I really appreciate your help. To get 2.113 L of water, should I just fill the Coke bottle to the top? I want to make sure it would be exact. Using RODI water or sink water?

 

[lnevo]

Why are there two sets of instructions? One is 1/4 cup plus a teaspoon..second is a teaspoon only?