Salinity is a very important parameter for a captive reef aquarium so it is certainly essential to have a good quality salinity refractometer on hand to monitor levels on a constant basis. One option to consider is the Pro-1 Normal Seawater Refractometer from Tropic Eden. The folks at Tropic Eden are touting this tester as a highly precise and well built refractometer that is a quick and easy to use, whether it is for scientists out in the field or for saltwater aquarium hobbyists.
The refractometer, which is packaged nicely, comes with a user manual, 2 pipettes, calibration key and pouch. It is an optical device that utilizes the refraction of light through transparent media to determine the salinity and specific gravity of the water being tested.
It has a double-hinged cover, a crisp, high quality prism and lens, a non-slip grip and a well balanced body built with special high density alloy for immediate heat conduction and fast testing. The unit is calibrated at the factory but it is always a good idea to double check the calibration with RODI water before using it for the first time and to re-calibrate it on a regular basis.
To ensure accurate readings, the prism and prism cover should be cleaned with RODI water before use to remove any dirt or salt residue. It is also wise to fill and empty the pipette dropper a few times with the seawater to be tested to eliminate any contaminant mixed into the sample. Using the device is pretty straight forward. Add 3 to 4 drops of sample seawater on top of the lens, wait 20 to 30 seconds and take a reading by looking into the eye piece.
Overall, this refractometer was designed for advanced professional use, a good point to consider for reef tank hobbyists seeking a reliable and accurate tool to monitor salinity. For a closer look you can check out this video.
Additional Resources
If you would like some help with a new tank build, including help designing a custom aquarium, or help re-configuring your current setup then you can visit this page for more information. And if you are looking to add some equipment, I do sell GHL, Pax Bellum, Reef Octopus Calcium and Kalk Reactors and Royal Exclusiv products, including Dreamboxes, which is the equipment I use and recommend. I also sell Reef Brite metal halide and LED fixtures as well as Maxspect & IceCap Gyres.
As for additional insights and information, please explore my many other reef tank and SPS related articles as well as my YouTube channel. For an even deeper dive into reef tank care you can check out my Reef Keeping Master Class. This online course is an immersive and one of a kind educational tool designed to help reef aquarium hobbyists build and maintain a beautiful SPS reef tank. The course is a series of video presentations with some supplemental video from my YouTube channel. There are also quizzes to help students retain and understand the information presented in the course.
Need some frags…..I can help with that as well 🙂 Please visit my SPS Frag store to see what is available.
