- Location
- Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Hey All,
I profess to be no expert on Chemistry. I like to think I have a rudimentary knowledge so I pose this question.
I've been researching the correct way to calibrate a refractometer. By all expert opinions I find, the majority says spend the $10 on calibration solution, or make your own with table salt and RO mixture. Fine.
I did and have been for years using a calibration solution for 35ppt. However, I'm having an issue with a new salt (aquaforest) giving my ultra low alkalinity readings (sub 6.5dKH). I posed the issue with Aquaforest and their expert has told me my measuring must be off, blah blah...that is neither here nor there.
It got me to thinking, what if my calibration solution is off? What if evaporation has begun to affect the solutions salinity?
So my question is this, can I confirm my calibration results by using RO water and getting exactly 0ppt? The reason I ask is, I tried that and I got a reading below 0 ppt so that I had to adjust the setting on the refractometer back up to zero. However, when I checked the calibration solution again, it measured about 1.029 or close to 40 ppt. If I'm way off, poke fun at me, but it seemed like a reasonable assumption to me.
Thanks all.
I profess to be no expert on Chemistry. I like to think I have a rudimentary knowledge so I pose this question.
I've been researching the correct way to calibrate a refractometer. By all expert opinions I find, the majority says spend the $10 on calibration solution, or make your own with table salt and RO mixture. Fine.
I did and have been for years using a calibration solution for 35ppt. However, I'm having an issue with a new salt (aquaforest) giving my ultra low alkalinity readings (sub 6.5dKH). I posed the issue with Aquaforest and their expert has told me my measuring must be off, blah blah...that is neither here nor there.
It got me to thinking, what if my calibration solution is off? What if evaporation has begun to affect the solutions salinity?
So my question is this, can I confirm my calibration results by using RO water and getting exactly 0ppt? The reason I ask is, I tried that and I got a reading below 0 ppt so that I had to adjust the setting on the refractometer back up to zero. However, when I checked the calibration solution again, it measured about 1.029 or close to 40 ppt. If I'm way off, poke fun at me, but it seemed like a reasonable assumption to me.
Thanks all.