QUICK response needed!! refractometer

[mr funktastic]

ok i want to buy a refractometer and i dont know what to look for. i was planning on buying this on...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-ATC-Salinity...9QQihZ009QQcategoryZ26237QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
but i dont know if it is any good. i was also looking at this one..
http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-Salinity-Ref...6QQihZ014QQcategoryZ20755QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
the only difference is the easy to adjust knob. what do u think? keep in mind that i am in canada and shipping kills me on other sites. i usually get hit with border fees.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Personally, the "easy to calibrate knob" is a bad thing in my book. I'd rather have something that's hard to adjust so I accidentally can't mess with it. I've had my refractometer over 4 months now and it hasn't drifted a bit and hasn't needed calibration. Soooo... I wouldn't let "ease of calibration" be a driving factor.

I'm suspect of a lot of generic no-brand name stuff on eBay, so I'm probably not a good person to judge quality. But if I HAD to buy one of the two, I'd buy the first one you listed.

 

[mr funktastic]

ok sounds good. i asked anohter member on anohter site and they happend to own the exact same one so i went with it. i will update once i get it on how well it works.

 

[dscount]

I got the RHS - 10ATC myself. I like the fact the easy calibration screw is hard to adjust.

Ditto on the first one being my choice if I had one.

 

[mr funktastic]

ya i had the same thought about the calibration screw. it would be wayyy to easy to bump. how do u like the ATC unit dscount? i have heard they are pretty decent from a few poeple now.

 

[dscount]

I love it. Had to get distilled water to calibrate. Come to find out I didn't have any change to make. Which is good to be cautious.

Nice being able to quickly check the main tank salinity for a comparison to fresh SW I'm mixing as well LFS salinity of new fish. That way I can change the QT a little if I need to adjust my new fish friends for the main tank.

Kinda eliminates the "I'm pretty sure this is right" of those plastic gizmo's.

 

[loyalrogue]

I bought one from the seller, greatdel, that looks exactly like the first one.

I tested it with distilled water when I first got it and it was already adjusted perfectly.
I've been using it for about 6 months and it's never needed a readjustment yet.
I could never advise anyone to use a swingarm hydrometer after seeing how far off the mark the first 3 were that I tried.

Good luck with yours. I'm sure you'll be loving it as much as I do.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with the first one also

 

[melosu58]

Going to move this to appropiate forum