I'm full of questions / seeking opinions today. 
Measuring salinity....
So I have a Red Sea Sewater refractometer & a Milwaukee digital refractometer. I've been using the red sea for a couple years and it's seemed to serve me well. I'm all about doing things the easiest way so I bought the Milwaukee after reading a ton of reviews where people brag about how quick, easy and accurate they are.
I have to say I am very unimpressed with the digital refractometer. They sent calibration fluid and test fluid. I went through probably half of each bottle trying to get consistant results. Zero out using the calibration fluid, clean the well / glass, test using the test fluid and rarely would it come out right (1.026). It would be off pretty significantly at least half the time. I'm talking like 1.033 etc. Both fluids were are the same temp (room temp - mid tto low 70's). I could literally zero it out, test with their supplied test fluid, then test with the calibration fluid and the results would be all over the place.
Example: calibrate to 0.00. test with the test fluid - it could come out at say 1.031, clean the well & glass, put 0.00 and push test and that may come out at 1.006 or error out saying LOW. Obviously I don't trust the thing - but I really would love to be able to use it since it could be so easy.
So - my question. Am I the outlier with the digital? Am I doing something wrong? is mine potentially defective? Any of you folks use and rely on a Milwaukee digital refractometer?
Measuring salinity....
So I have a Red Sea Sewater refractometer & a Milwaukee digital refractometer. I've been using the red sea for a couple years and it's seemed to serve me well. I'm all about doing things the easiest way so I bought the Milwaukee after reading a ton of reviews where people brag about how quick, easy and accurate they are.
I have to say I am very unimpressed with the digital refractometer. They sent calibration fluid and test fluid. I went through probably half of each bottle trying to get consistant results. Zero out using the calibration fluid, clean the well / glass, test using the test fluid and rarely would it come out right (1.026). It would be off pretty significantly at least half the time. I'm talking like 1.033 etc. Both fluids were are the same temp (room temp - mid tto low 70's). I could literally zero it out, test with their supplied test fluid, then test with the calibration fluid and the results would be all over the place.
Example: calibrate to 0.00. test with the test fluid - it could come out at say 1.031, clean the well & glass, put 0.00 and push test and that may come out at 1.006 or error out saying LOW. Obviously I don't trust the thing - but I really would love to be able to use it since it could be so easy.
So - my question. Am I the outlier with the digital? Am I doing something wrong? is mine potentially defective? Any of you folks use and rely on a Milwaukee digital refractometer?
