Sybon refractometer

Discussion in 'Product Review' started by huntindoc, Mar 11, 2013.

  1. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    This is actually the first piece of equipment I bought and it's the best choice I've made so far. Very well built. No cheap plastic, in fact no plastic except the cover over the refracting surface.

    Sybon_zps43ff378d.jpg

    It comes with a simple dropper to get your specimen, a small screwdriver to calibrate with and a bottle of "ultra pure water" (RO/DI I guess). The instructions note that they have changed their recommendation and urge to calibrate with standardized sea water but you have to order that separately or did when I got my unit. The case is plastic but more than adequate for storage.

    I calibrated the unit with standardized sea water before it's first use (about 6 weeks ago) and it has held it's calibration spot on as of last night. The focus ring is very smooth and reminds me of my high quality Swarovski binoculars. The Salinity scale is marked in both SG and PPT. The salinity is marked by a transition from a bright blue upper field to a white lower field. The transition is very well defined and very easy to distinguish. Believe me, I have 'old' eyes and usually struggle seeing with this kind of instrument. No such problem with this one.

    Very good unit, $59.99 at Aquacave so comparably priced to most other refractometers. Will be interested to see how it lasts but there's really little to go wrong other than a broken come hinge or something with the optics and from the heft of this thing I think the later unlikely.

    Thumbs up from me
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 11, 2013
  2. Andy

    Andy Guest

    I've heard alot of great reviews about it, and is way more accurate then an hydrometer.
     
  3. fisher12

    fisher12 Past BOD Director

    Anyone with a saltwater aquarium should be using refractometers. Just my opinion. Should be one of the first pieces of equipment purchased. Good product review.
     
  4. monkeybone87

    monkeybone87 Administrator

    Out with the hydrometers!!!!!!!

    I have a personal horror story about a hydrometer, and tell all of my customers, maintenance accounts, and pretty much anybody I talk to about water testing to scrap them. I've never had a sybon, but a refractometer is as essential as salt water IMO.
     
  5. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    I couldn't agree more. We spend hundreds on a skimmer, up to thousands on lighting but a $50 refractometer can do more to make our livestock safe than almost anything. I'm thankful for sites like this one so I didn't have to learn that lesson the hard way.
     
  6. Uperepik

    Uperepik Administrator

    Does it matter the brand. I see them on Amazon but prices range from $19 to $99. I don't know what to look for.
     
  7. Andy

    Andy Guest

    Check with Calvin he can order you a good one.
     
  8. ljinks

    ljinks Tang

  9. wlyon

    wlyon Guest

    Be careful with this. A friend of mine got a 30 dollar one off ebay one day and it ended up being the kind that tested something to do with wine not saltwater. So he had to purchase another one and ended up spending more over all because he tried to save a few bucks.

    I got a decent one from JBJ for around $50, and I've used a Sybon before and really like that one as well.
     

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