wasp Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Really looking for some opinions and consensus here, I was over at Craigs today looking at his latest toy, his refractometer. We had some NSW from Takapuna, so he calibrates the refractometer in front of me with the standard calibrating solution, then tests the NSW, and it comes out close to 1.028. Now can this be possible? As all swing arms seem to be different, I've been running my tank using Takapuna NSW as the standard, which I thought was 1.025. Anybody else got any insights into this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Temprature? Some refractomoters don't compensate for temprature? Calibration soultion? You mean distilled water? Suspended material, bubbles on the reading surface can all make a difference. Do you have another tank to check it against (that is another refractometer). Nothing wrong with .028. I am not sure what the ocean water is here, been so long since I tested. All that matters in the end is the salinity of the tank water So unless you are doing MASSIVE water changes, you should be fine. I only assume mine is right, I have never tested against another. Stability is more important I think. Pieman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Don't know about temperature auto adjust, Craig would have to answer that. Calibrating solution, may have been distilled water, in any case it's the stuff that came with the instrument and measured 0.000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 When I've tested the water when I collect it it usually comes up as 1.028 and my refractometer is supposed to be ATC. Maybe I'm not giving it time to compensate, I dunno how the ATC mechanism works. But, mostly I just worry about keeping my tank's salinity stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 IRA, what make of refractometer do you have?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Uhhh...It's black and silver with a sticker that says "ATC" on it...Hehe, I dunno, I'll have a look when I get home from work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 So Ira, do you run with the .28 or do you dilute back to .25? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 My tank's actually at 1.026. Yeah, I do dilute it a bit, Mostly by just not filling it quite as much as I took out during the water changes. But I don't worry too much if each water change it shifts a tiny bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 So for some reason NZ water seems to be .28? I wonder why this would be. Something to do with harbour inlets perhaps with not enough through flow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 This afternoon I'll check the calibration on my refractomer and test my water change water. I haven't checked either in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 My one's brand new and was calibrated yesterday. read .28 NSW Waitemata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 I can remember back in 1986, when I got my first FO set up, Ralph Jansen told me the way to do it was get water from Takapuna, and dilute by 10%. Perhaps he was right all the time! BTW a little nostalgia for those who remember, Jansens was at that time operating from a little brick place that later became a corner dairy. Times move on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Yep my refrac reads 1028 for Taka, Jansens use to have a truck deliver NSW to their shop, Marine section was down in the dungeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 http://www.biosbcc.net/ocean/marinesci/02ocean/swcomposition.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 thats a cool site RnB. how bizzare, i tested taka once and it was 1.025 spot on (about 6 months ago) would it or could it change that much in 6 months? jetski, can i test my refractometer against yours incase mines screwed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Cool. How about you guys tee this up, and then post your findings. I want to get to the bottom of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 everyone talking measuring salinity by electrical conductivity in these type articles....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Yeah Wasp, that's a while back. Use to go downstairs to see the marine stuff. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted February 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Now I find out who all the old guys are! :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 really interested to find out what the salinity of takapuna water is at the moment.... changed 150l on sunday, but did not even bother to check it............. will test tank tonight, c where it is. in the past my cheap floating thingy has always read 1.025 for taka water...... and seems in line with other peoples readings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Ive got some fresh Takapuna stuff from Wasp 2 days ago. .28 salinity exactly. Refracto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 cool, i might test on sunday see if its any different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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