Scionix Digital Refractometer Accuracy

Hamza Hamid · Dec 16, 2018

Guys i have been using this device for a while now recently i am shocked its showing alot of difference in testing. I test my water at lfs they do testing with Milwaukee it shows 1.026 and my device shows 1.023 after multiple calibration.
Any experience guys with this device?
Is this good device or useless.?
Looks very similar to icecap but this have a calibration liquid included which attracted me to buy this.
I also tested my AccuraSea Fluid shows 32 ppt instead of 35 ppt.

TheEngineer · Dec 17, 2018

Looks like a knockoff of the one coralvue sells. That one isn't terribly accurate, from what I've seen, either.

Hamza Hamid · Dec 18, 2018

Guys any 1 recommend me very accurate digital refractometer, please. My corals are in very bad shape now. Sadly

TheEngineer · Dec 18, 2018

The Milwaukee units seem to be pretty accurate. Even a standard non digital one is likely way more accurate than the pen. Any reason not to go “old school”?

Hamza Hamid · Dec 18, 2018

TheEngineer said:
The Milwaukee units seem to be pretty accurate. Even a standard non digital one is likely way more accurate than the pen. Any reason not to go “old school”?

I am wearing a spectacles with cylindrical number on my spects which makes a very difficult for me to test with refractometer.
Basically it gives me lot of headaches

TheEngineer · Dec 18, 2018

Hamza Hamid said:
I am wearing a spectacles with cylindrical number on my spects which makes a very difficult for me to test with refractometer.
Basically it gives me lot of headaches

Gotcha. Take a look at the milwaukee meters. They're quite accurate from what I've heard. Even a swing arm hydrometer will get you pretty close.

Hamza Hamid · Dec 18, 2018

TheEngineer said:
Gotcha. Take a look at the milwaukee meters. They're quite accurate from what I've heard. Even a swing arm hydrometer will get you pretty close.

which is the most accurate non digital refractometer ? any specific brand please. My corals are dying i think. All parameters are ok mg salinity is wrong how bad is that. M so upset. We spend so much money and devices we get is not accurate.

TheEngineer · Dec 18, 2018

It would be hard for your parameters to be right when you salinity is wrong. Are you near a store that can do a water test for you?

A swing arm hydrometer, when used properly, is accurate enough for our needs.

Hamza Hamid · Dec 18, 2018

TheEngineer said:
It would be hard for your parameters to be right when you salinity is wrong. Are you near a store that can do a water test for you?

A swing arm hydrometer, when used properly, is accurate enough for our needs.

i did test all parameters in LFS, recently my salinity was 1.026 3 days ago so i considered my refractometer to b 3 points errors. All parameters looks fine.
But my Duncans are not opening for past 2 days and turning white some zoas are melting

TheEngineer · Dec 18, 2018

I'd look to something other than salinity as the issue then. How old is the tank, how long have you had these corals, what lights are you using?

Hamza Hamid · Dec 18, 2018

My tank is 3 years old. Corals are pretty old to some 3 months old. I honestly think its my salinity.
As my LSF tested with Milwaukee in front of me shows 1.026 SG and i test with my Scionix digital shows 1.023 SG. That is the reason i feel its the salinity. I am using AI prime HD led.
My recent tank video

TheEngineer · Dec 18, 2018

1.023 versus 1.026 is pretty small. That's not enough to kill corals.

Can you post all of your parameters?

Hamza Hamid · Dec 24, 2018

TheEngineer said:
1.023 versus 1.026 is pretty small. That's not enough to kill corals.

Can you post all of your parameters?

Actually u were right. I was focusing so much on salinity as all my parameters were good but issue was with my high intensity led. I have recently replaced the led from Kessil A160we to AI prime HD kept intensity on 75% many corals turned white and died and my frogspawn is completely white now. Now I've reduced the intensity to 40% and hope for the best now.
Kessil A160WE was working excellent with no even single issue with my tank just for fun I sold the kessil and replaced it with AI prime.

Really very SAD SAD SAD, felt like crying. Really sad chrismas for me this year. Sorry guys.

TheEngineer · Dec 24, 2018

Oh. That stinks. Hope the remaining corals recover.

Hamza Hamid · Dec 26, 2018

TheEngineer said:
Oh. That stinks. Hope the remaining corals recover.

my torches are melting like this now.

TheEngineer · Dec 26, 2018

I would start by testing all of your parameters again.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 28, 2018

Hamza Hamid said:
Guys i have been using this device for a while now recently i am shocked its showing alot of difference in testing. I test my water at lfs they do testing with Milwaukee it shows 1.026 and my device shows 1.023 after multiple calibration.
Any experience guys with this device?
Is this good device or useless.?
Looks very similar to icecap but this have a calibration liquid included which attracted me to buy this.
I also tested my AccuraSea Fluid shows 32 ppt instead of 35 ppt.

FWIW, I know this is a couple of weeks old, but that standard is probably not optimal (can't be sure but I think it isn't seawater). It is likely 30 ppt sodium chloride. You want to use a seawater standard if you are calibrating in ppt.

Colin E Matthews · Jan 15, 2019

Yes, I have had a "Scionix SSG 1000" digital specific gravity meter for 6 months with a 12 month warranty ,it is only good for the rubbish bin
worked for a couple of weeks and then it was very unreliable , I lost some Corals and invertebrates because of it
showed 1.024 and was actually 1.030
have tried to contact the supplers in all the usual ways but never any respose