Anyone using a Pinpoint Salinity monitor?

[G7subs]

How accurate are they? I'm getting tired of using the plastic box....refractometers seem to be even more cumbersome to use. Any input?

[Aaron Shelley]

I like mine just fine.

I have a hydrometer, refractometer, and salinity monitor.

I use the salinity monitor on my reef, hydrometer on the QT and make up water and refractometer to check on the former items.

The salinity monitor has never been off by more than 1 or 2 ten thousandth .

[AFH]

I love my refractometer it gets wet and still works.
Since i got water on my salinity monitor it does not work any more.

[JerseyReef]

Mine works great. However don't use the AC adapter. It's not shielded and you'll get interference from the rest of your electrical gizmos. Unless it's placed far away

[theringnebula]

I had it and hated it. The reading jumped all around and never stayed put. I had to re-calibrate it every few days and the probe would fill with bubbles. I recently read that maybe the power adapter was causing this. If this is the case then it is a poor design. I wanted to have this thing monitor 24x7 and I don't know how long it would last on a battery. At any rate I returned it for a refractometer and love it. It is very easy to use. Just put 2 drop of seawater on it and take the reading through the eyepiece. Takes a few seconds.

[DwayneNelson]

I have one and I wouldn't recommend it for the price. The values jump around like crazy, but people say thats from plugging it into the wall. The theory is that I should use batteries. My theory is that they should fix it to work right.
Also, I would place the probe in the sump and the salinity would drift over minutes. I narrowed it down to air bubbles accumulating in the probe. After a while the head of the probe contains all air and no water and doesn't read right. I think you need to put the probe in the water upside down to avoid this situation.

I have a refractometer on order. I want 1 very accurate device to calibrate my cheesy box salinity meter. I like to use these because they are quick while I am adjust my saltwater make-up.

[ncoastmd2001]

Dwayne, your refract shipped out 7/29. you should get it any time now

[johnny]

I hooked up a pinpoint to my tank last night... I LOVE IT.

It matches the refractiometer reading (borrowed) exactly, and is no work, just pop it in the tank (after calibrating which took two seconds).

The level jumps around but only like between 1.025 and 1.0255 .... big deal.

I'm not a huge fan of refractiometers because it's just a PITA to look through them and find a bright enough light to actually read the value, but they are precise.

Nick

[theringnebula]

Johnny, are you using the battery or the adapter?

Mine jumped around a lot more than that. It would vary between 52 and 56 mS and it never stood still for any length of time at all.

[JerseyReef]

Wes,

You need to use the battery. The AC adapter will cause the reading to jump, unless it's a good distance any from the tank. Like the sump room...

[johnny]

I'm using the ac adapter.... I only turn it on though when I want to read it, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it.

Nick

[kmu]

I only have the PHmonitor, but can tell you they really work great and acurate.....

Mario Camou