Refractometer question ( sharks - broomer - anyone)

radioactive

radioactive

Member
I just got a new refractometer ATC and was wondering how to read this correctly .
It has a white line and blue line which come together - I am guessing the white would be salinity and blue would be pure water ..
the test on the inside of the eyepiece is in % at the bottom and has 25 little lines that reach , right now my salinity the white and blue meet at 19 little lines that i believe represent 1.019 and if i keep adding water it will drop down to finally reach 0 . that is pure water..
my question is does each little line represent .001 salinity , so i would need to go up to the 9th little line for hyposalinity of 1.009?? This is confusing ... hope someone can help .. Thanks
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
Those two colors (blue and white) are just representative to the deflection of light... If you look through with no water or substance, it will be all blue. With pure H2O, it will be white up to 1.000;
Most refractometers are divided up into .001 divisions; Anything less and it is not very good for use as specific gravity is ALWAYS read to the 1000th place, even if 1.000; The left side in my experience has read out in S.G (or in this case "Salinity"), the right being percent salt... If there are not 2 scales then it is reading out in S.G.
Are there any numbers next to the lines? Or does it only label 1.000?
Also, you may want to look at total range in the book, that way you can try counting them out, and make sure there are the same corresponding # of lines to make up that range...
I hope this isn't too confusing. Sometimes its hard to word it so it can be understood. For me atleast.
Let me know if that helps, if not, I'll try to help the best I can...
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
Thanks ---- it does help but still kind of confusing . it has each little dash - from 0 i take it is .001 so if i go 9 dashes up it should represent 1.009 correct i hope ...??
it has 24 dashes then a big 5 then 24 more dashes to 10 and so on .. so if i was to go to the 1st big 5 that should represent 1.025 correct ??
I hope i am not confusing anyone .... the reason i am kind of confused is my hydrometer reads 1.024 and the refractometer if i am reading right with the dashes indicates 1.019 .. are hydrometers that far off ??? I appreciate the help
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
So you're saying that it goes something like this...
5--
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0-
?
Or is it
5--
-
-
-
-
0-
?
Sorry to take up so much space. Just wanting to clarify...
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
hmmm.. That seems odd. Unless it only reads out in percent... Did you get it from a place that sells specifically for aquariums?
Some are made for wine industry and are read in Brix. Oh well, anyway... Let me check mine.....
Ok, it probably isn't in percent on that scale... Since 19 percent would still only be like 1.014.
Have you tried testing pure water yet? Do you get 1.000?
Seems odd to be off by .005... But possible, if there are some air bubbles... Does your hydrometer read 1.000 on pure water?
First check the refract on pure water, or as close as you have. Then check again on your tank, against the hydrometer. Make sure there are absolutely no bubbles in the layer of water on refractometer. It will make a difference (depending on where they are) and what angle you look through it at, so just ensure there are none. Other than that, I'm not familiar with a refractometer that doesn't read out in simple .001 units. I hope some of this helps. Check the book though, and make sure it doesn't have any conversions or charts that help you interpret the reading. Long shot on that, but worth it... Especially if your doing hypo. I'm doing it right now, and that refractometer comes in very, very handy. We used to use floating hydrometers on my submarine to take SG of the battery, and we finally switched to a digital hand held because it took so long...
Good Luck!
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
Sorry, I missed that last message while I was righting this one. I'd personally agree with that (being .001 segments) but, I have not seen one exactly like yours, so I don't want to have you use it like that and end up hypoing at 1.006... :) I wish I could see it.
I'd try those last things I wrote, and see how close they come out. Mine here is almost .3 off, so it is very possible that is the case!
I'm off to dinner with the wife, so I really hope I've helped enough. Let me know what you find out!
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
Most refratometers used in this hobby, to measure salinity are scaled as follows.
Right side Salinity
0-100 ppt or could be labeled 0/00
Minor graduations every 1 ppt
Total of 100 graduations
Left Side Specific Gravity
1.000 to 1.070
Major graduations every 0.010
Minor graduations every 0.001
May look something like this
----1.030
-
-
-
-
---
-
-
-
-
----1.020
-
-
-
-
---
-
-
-
-
----1.010
-
-
-
-
---
-
-
-
-

[hr]
1.000
Does your refractometer resemble this scale ?
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
Gator
Thanks for all the help . I have tried pure water and it reads 0 white/blue together . which i guess would be 1.000 and as i test my tank water it reads 1.019 against my hydrometer that now reads 1.024 .. I am really hoping that this is correct as i don't want to hypo at 1.006 either ..
If anyone else has any ideas please let me know .. thanks again for the help !!!
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
0
- 1.000
-
-
-
_
-
-
-
- 1.009
_
-
-
-
-
_
-
-
-
-
_
-
-
-
-
_ 5
so i am thinking each minor graduation should represent .001 as you see above i believe this is where 1.009 should be ?? but i may be wrong .....
 
N

newreefers

Guest
I think you have the same refractometer as I do. where the white meets blue is the reading. did you calibrate it when you got it? all you have to do is put some ro water on it, look through, turn the little screw intill it reads 1.00 on the left. for hypo this is where the blue should meet the white.
oh yes, hydrometers can be that far off.
1.010

[hr]
--- =1.009 hypo the magic number
---
---
---

[hr]
=1.005
---
---
---
---
1.000

[hr]
:)
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
Dunno radioactive
Something sure looks odd.
Where did you buy it ?
What's the model number/maker ?
There are tons of refractometers available as GatorCSM mentioned.
Are you sure yours is for salinity ?
Something just looks odd to me on that scale.
what does the 5 represent ?
is that as far as the entire scale goes to ? 5 ?
 
N

newreefers

Guest
you have mail. If you are still really lost, email me and I will give you my number and talk you through it on the phone.
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
newreefers
you have mail
broomer
I got this brand new on ---- , didn't know if i should mention that on here ??
the model is FG - 212
Salinity/ATC
0-28%
I just showed up to the 5 but then it goes from there up to 25% in the same sequence it would equal 100 minor graduations total ... what do you think ?
 
N

newreefers

Guest
do you have the manufacturers name, maybe they have a website? mine reads % as well, but goes to 100%.
 
radioactive

radioactive

Member
I am not sure of the manufacturer .. I am e-mailing the company I bought this from . hopefully they respond .. Thanks for the help
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
My understanding after looking around the net.
0 to 28% salinity is used in the food industry to measure brine solutions ( sodium chloride )
I'm looking for the right conversion chart for you.
You'll need to convert your readings to get ppt salinity or specific gravity.
 
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