Captive Purity Refractometer with Light

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Hey Reefers...

I just placed my order today on this refractometer. I'm getting serious with my water parameters for my migration to SPS. So I need to have the best in salinity testing, the deep six hydrometer isn't cutting it.

I ordered from Marine Depot, they were nice and answered all my questions. I was going to buy the American Pin Point Salinity digital tester but they talked me out of it.

They said that a refractometer is better, what do you guys think?

I did buy the one that has the built in light....

Has anyone heard anything postive or negative on the digital probes made by American?

Mike
 
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incysor

New Member
I've mostly heard postive things. But there are some negs, and they aren't as accurate as refractometers.

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dragon79

New Member
how much mike? I may get one, it would be easier to check salinity as my tank is so small, getting water out of there and in a hydrometer uses up too much water, it's hard to fill and it's messy.
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Dragon,

I went for the best one that Marine Depot carries, it's the one with a light built in to the refractometer.

It runs 119 plus shipping, no tax....

They have another that is just 39 dollars but I heard negative comments if you go cheap on a refractometer...

Mine should arrive this Saturday....

And you don't have to use so much water just a couple drops of water...

Mike
 
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incysor

New Member
mikeguerrero said:
Dragon,

I went for the best one that Marine Depot carries, it's the one with a light built in to the refractometer.

It runs 119 plus shipping, no tax....

They have another that is just 39 dollars but I heard negative comments if you go cheap on a refractometer...

Mine should arrive this Saturday....

And you don't have to use so much water just a couple drops of water...

Mike
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Ouch....The $39 one that marine depot has will work fine. It doesn't have it's own light, so you'll need to point it at a light source to read it, but the folks at MD did a good job finding these. I have basically the same thing, but I got it before MD started carrrying them. My wife bought it for me off of ebay for about $50, and we just lucked out that it's a quality instrument.

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Incysor,

You got a good price on your refractometer. MD told me be careful with cheap refractometer because it's all about the calibration. Some units are not built or calibrated as well in the cheaper models.

When you pay the high end like I did, it ensures that my unit is of high quality and accurate calibration. They said, those that have sold for 39 dollars are returned many times due to error.

Whereas the high end models have quality from the box with very mininmal error, no returns yet.

I want to make sure I have the best, on my nano cube for the arena that I will play in. Sort of like a Gladiator going in with a blade, you can get away with a rusty sword or carry the champions sword.

I guess I just feel more secure with what they told me, Gee I hope they didn't pull a sale on me :(

Mike
 
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incysor

New Member
mikeguerrero said:
Incysor,

You got a good price on your refractometer. MD told me be careful with cheap refractometer because it's all about the calibration. Some units are not built or calibrated as well in the cheaper models.

When you pay the high end like I did, it ensures that my unit is of high quality and accurate calibration. They said, those that have sold for 39 dollars are returned many times due to error.

Whereas the high end models have quality from the box with very mininmal error, no returns yet.

I want to make sure I have the best, on my nano cube for the arena that I will play in. Sort of like a Gladiator going in with a blade, you can get away with a rusty sword or carry the champions sword.

I guess I just feel more secure with what they told me, Gee I hope they didn't pull a sale on me :(

Mike
Click to expand...
Either way it's money well spent. Mine hasn't been adjusted since I got it. It's been totally spot-on from day one. I just got lucky with it. I think you'll be very happy with your new purchase.

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Brian,

Can you do me a small favor? Can you shoot me up a link that reviews the American Pinpoint Salinity tester? I haven't been able to get not even 1 review.

Everyone sells them but nobody has commented on it.

Thanks Brian....

Mike
 
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incysor

New Member
mikeguerrero said:
Brian,

Can you do me a small favor? Can you shoot me up a link that reviews the American Pinpoint Salinity tester? I haven't been able to get not even 1 review.

Everyone sells them but nobody has commented on it.

Thanks Brian....

Mike
Click to expand...
Here's a short list after typing in: pinpoint AND salinity into the search engines on N-R, and reefs.org. Reefcentrals search function is overloaded and has been for about 30mins. You can try it in a bit and see what you get there.

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... t+salinity
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... t+salinity
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... t+salinity
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... t+salinity
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthr ... D+salinity
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthr ... D+salinity
 
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incysor

New Member
mikeguerrero said:
Incysor,

Thanks a bunch, I read them all and I'll stick with the refractometer...

Mike
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They pretty much mirror what I remember about my search on RC....Many folks are happy with them. However some folks seem to get erroneous readings due to stray voltage from lights, pumps, power heads, etc..., or they have problems with getting/keeping it calibrated, and sometimes the probe seems to be faulty.

If you do searches for refractometers you get very similar tales. Some folks have ones that they can't get/keep calibrated, they're difficult to read, they've got one that just plain doesn't work.

For myself, I think that less complicated=more durable. My wife didn't even know about the pinpoint monitor when she ordered the refrac. If she had I might be telling you that pinpoint monitors are the best thing since sliced bread. :lol:

I don't think there's anything wrong with them, just that they're a bit more complicated, so theres slightly more of a possibility of having a problem with them. If my refrac gets dropped and breaks, I'd probably still replace it with another refrac, but that has to do with me being cheap rather than because I don't think they're good products. :wink:

I do have a battery powered ph monitor that she bought me. I like it, but the batteries had died on me the last time I needed to use it, which was annoying. But it has been accurate. I haven't really trusted it because I had several people tell me they were very innacurate, but it's always tested very closely to what my chemical tests have reported.

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A

Anonymous

Guest
djconn said:
I just got a Milwaulkee pH tester and its been pretty good so far. Its nice and small. Very simple to use with a digital readout. Got it at http://www.Windowtothesea.com
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Is that the JBJ one.? I am looking at that one since I have a JBJ nano cube in my office.

How do you like it so far?
 
leaffish75

leaffish75

New Member
i broke down and bought a refractometer from drsfoster and smith since they were only $39 and man im glad i did. i was amazed at how far off those hydrometer things were off. i thought my water was at 1.025 when it was at 1.033. OF course you got to look for a ATA .
 
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