-
Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.
How good is the Pinpoint Salinity Monitor ???????
- Thread starter ricwilli
- Start date
I use mine daily and calibrate it weekly.
I absolutely love it and think it's one of the best investments I've made. The only down side is that you have to think differently when using it. You don't "think" in terms of Specific Gravity or Salinity when using it but instead in mS. So for example if you want perfect 35ppt salinity regardless of temperature you would aim for 53mS on the pinpoint meter.
There is a reference chart you can use to find the corresponding SG or Salinity for any mS reading. What I really like about the meter is that it's temperature adjusted automatically so you don't need to worry about the temperature of the water like with a typical hydrometer or refractometer where you HAVE TO cross reference the temp to reading to get the accurate result.
The above make it an ideal tool for mixing your salt water right out of the RO/DI unit when it's like 60F which is no problem for the pinpoint meter but usually dangerous to do with other types of measuring devices since they aren't accurate at those temps.
Carlo
I absolutely love it and think it's one of the best investments I've made. The only down side is that you have to think differently when using it. You don't "think" in terms of Specific Gravity or Salinity when using it but instead in mS. So for example if you want perfect 35ppt salinity regardless of temperature you would aim for 53mS on the pinpoint meter.
There is a reference chart you can use to find the corresponding SG or Salinity for any mS reading. What I really like about the meter is that it's temperature adjusted automatically so you don't need to worry about the temperature of the water like with a typical hydrometer or refractometer where you HAVE TO cross reference the temp to reading to get the accurate result.
The above make it an ideal tool for mixing your salt water right out of the RO/DI unit when it's like 60F which is no problem for the pinpoint meter but usually dangerous to do with other types of measuring devices since they aren't accurate at those temps.
Carlo
Carlo said:
IMHO..
Its hard to be comfortable with a unit that LOTS of posts claim you have to calibrate weekly.
Calibrated Reflectometer seems to be a lot less work when the idea of doing ekkectronic measurement is automation and acccuracy you are comfortable with.
You don't "have to" calibrate it that often. It's just easy to do is all. I myself haven't had to calibrate mine in 3 months. I occasionally dip it and check the reference solution just to verify it's accurate.
Honestly Phil I don't think either the salinity meter or a refractometer is harder then the other or requires calibration more often.
But if you tend to leave the salinity monitor on constantly submerged in your sump you will get little bits of dirt or algae growing on it just like a pH or ORP probe. You need to clean it off with a toothbrush and check it from time to time. It's generally this type of person who will need to check it more often cause it's constantly being used. If you use it like a refractometer and then clean off the probe in RO water and put it away it's not going to need calibrating very often at all since it doesn't get dirty.
So I don't think it really that the meter requires more calibration, it's just that it gets used a lot more and tends used differently then a typical refractometer.
Does that make more sense?
Carlo
Honestly Phil I don't think either the salinity meter or a refractometer is harder then the other or requires calibration more often.
But if you tend to leave the salinity monitor on constantly submerged in your sump you will get little bits of dirt or algae growing on it just like a pH or ORP probe. You need to clean it off with a toothbrush and check it from time to time. It's generally this type of person who will need to check it more often cause it's constantly being used. If you use it like a refractometer and then clean off the probe in RO water and put it away it's not going to need calibrating very often at all since it doesn't get dirty.
So I don't think it really that the meter requires more calibration, it's just that it gets used a lot more and tends used differently then a typical refractometer.
Does that make more sense?
Carlo
Unlike the pH and ORP type probes which need to be stored wet if not in use the Conductivity and Salinity Monitors don't require it. They can be stored dry. Just use it, rinse it in RO and put it away.
The salinity monitor can also be used continuously in your salt make up water or sump too.
Carlo
The salinity monitor can also be used continuously in your salt make up water or sump too.
Carlo