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D+D Aquarium Solutions Sea Water Refractometer
A refractometer is a simple and robust way of accurately measuring the salinity within your aquarium and should be used by every serious marine aquarist.
The refractometer works on the principle of refraction of light to determine the salinity and is very accurate but also very simple and robust, unlike good quality glass hydrometers which are easily broken.
Light enters the instrument at one end and passes through a sample of the aquarium water which causes it to be refracted, (bends the light), depending on the salinity of the water. The refracted light is reflected off a scale inside and can be viewed through an eyepiece on the opposite end of the instrument.
What’s different between our NEW refractometer and others you might ask?
Almost all, if not all, of the refractometers currently available to the aquarium hobby are designed for measuring saltwater (sodium chloride or brine solution) and not true ‘seawater’. Although seawater is mostly sodium chloride it also contains other elements such as magnesium and calcium that change the refractive index slightly and will give a slightly different result.
The most common symptom of this difference in refractive index can be seen when mixing up salt as per salt manufacturer’s instructions and achieving a solution strength where it appears, through testing, that the levels of elements are lower than stated by the manufacturer. In actual fact all of the levels are low as the salinity is not as high as the aquarist believes – we have all seen low Ca or Mg for a given SG with almost all brands of salt.
It turns out that a 35ppt solution of true seawater has the same refractive index as a 36.5ppt solution of brine and so when using a brine/salt refractometer the salinity is likely to be low by 1.5ppt. This can be allowed for by the aquarist but only if they are aware of the difference.
After extensive development, D-D’s new refractometer addresses this issue, giving true salinity results when correctly calibrated and greater accuracy than previously attainable.
find out more
Please make sure you use the appropriate postage rate. If you live in the Scottish Highlands you must pay the appropriate surcharge. If you are not sure of your postcode rate, please view Delivery Schedule in Terms & Conditions (see top right link on every page).
| About Us Calico Aquatics are completely dedicated to your total satisfaction. We are a real shop as well as a fantastic online resource so please visit us when you are in the area! If you have any suggestions or comments, please email us using the link on the store page or contact: Calico Aquatics, Greenacres, Plumpton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9PF Phone: 01768 894366 Fax: 01768 885812 Email: help@calicoaquatics.co.uk |
| Making A Purchase Making a purchase could not be easier. Just browse our store, and add any items that you wish to buy into the shopping cart. After you have finished your selection, click on 'Checkout' and you will be asked for a few details that we need to be able to complete the order. We accept credit card payments. If you are shopping from outside the UK, place your order and your credit card company will convert the transaction to your own currency using their own rates. We accept Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro & Solo. When confirmation of order is received, this is to indicate that we have received your order. It does not indicate that a contract exists between us. We will indicate acceptance of your order, and hence a contract between us, when we send you an invoice. We have included this term to protect us in the case a mistake has been made in pricing, we have inadvertently under-priced goods, or we are no longer able to supply a particular product for some reason. In the case of a change of price, we will always contact you first to ensure that the new price is acceptable. |
| Shipping And Handling We use APC (Alternative Parcel Company) for all our shipping. They are extremely reliable and this is why we use them! WE ONLY DELIVER TO THE UK MAINLAND. If you live outside the UK mainland (including Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man & Ireland) please contact us for a delivery schedule and price. Scottish Highlands postcodes attract a surcharge. Please check Delivery Schedule for charges. Orders over £180 placed on a 4pm next day delivery are shipped free of charge. Scottish Highlands surcharge applies. Orders under £180 will attract a delivery charge and this is made clear at the checkout. Bulky items such as salt and water carry a per item surcharge. Sometimes, things go wrong and deliveries do not take place as scheduled. In such circumstances, we will endeavour to sort the problem out and arrive at a satisfactory conclusion within 24 hours. We can not be held responsible for your time or inconvenience whilst waiting for a delivery. We can not be held responsible for undelivered items if we can not contact you. Please provide us with at least two methods of contacting you so that we are able to inform you of any delays. All APC deliveries require a signature (not necessarily the name on the parcel). |
| Delivery Schedule Our delivery days are Tuesday to Friday and you will receive your items, if in stock, as follows: Order Before 2pm Monday - Delivery Day Tuesday Before 4pm Order Before 2pm Tuesday - Delivery Day Wednesday Before 4pm Order Before 2pm Wednesday - Delivery Day Thursday Before 4pm Order Before 2pm Thursday - Delivery Day Friday Before 4pm Order Before 2pm Friday, Saturday or Sunday - Delivery Day Tuesday Before 4pm There is an option to receive goods next day before 12pm, or on a Saturday. There will be an extra charge for this service and this is made clear at the cart checkout. If your order has not arrived and it is after 4pm, please contact us on 01768 894366. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS Please note that the following postcodes attract a delivery surcharge, but are next day destinations: AB37-38, AB41-56, IV1-20, IV25, IV30-37, IV63, IV51, KW1-3, KW6-10, KW14, PH15-26, PA21-35, PA37-39. The following postcodes also attract a surcharge and take 48 hours to be delivered (not next day): IV21-24, IV26-28, IV40, KW5, KW11-13, FK19-21, PA36, PA40, PH30-32, PH34-41, PH50. |
| Back Orders If your item is not in stock, we will back order for you automatically. You will always be emailed with the option to cancel your order if you would rather not wait. You will be contacted again when your order is ready for shipping. |
| Tax Charges For orders made from the UK, 15% VAT is added. All other orders are VAT free. |
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| Guarantee We guarantee your satisfaction. All of our products (except made to order) come with a 30 day no quibble guarantee. Please see our Returns Policy for further information. |
| Reaching Us Our opening hours are 10am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. We are also open between 11am and 4pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Calico Aquatics, Greenacres, Plumpton, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9PF Phone: 01768 894366 Fax: 01768 885812 Email: help@calicoaquatics.co.uk |
| Privacy Policy Calico Aquatics do not disclose buyers' information to third parties other than when order details are processed as part of the order fulfilment. In this case, the third party will not disclose any of the details to any other third party. Cookies are used on this shopping site to keep track of the contents of your shopping cart, to store delivery addresses if the address book is used and to store your details if you select the 'Remember Me' Option. They are also used after you have logged on as part of that process. You can turn off cookies within your browser by going to 'Tools | Internet Options | Privacy' and selecting to block cookies. If you turn off cookies, you will be unable to place orders or benefit from the other features that use cookies. Data collected by this site is used to: a. Take and fulfill customer orders b. Administer and enhance the site and service c. Disclose information to third-parties for goods delivery purposes only d. Contact customers via email only with offers or promotions |
| Returns Policy We want you to be delighted with your purchase. If for any reason you are not, we offer a 30 day money back guarantee inclusive of a 7 day cooling off period in accordance with the EU distance selling directive. Please ensure: a. Orders are returned in the original packaging where possible and unused b. Orders are returned at the customers' expense, unless an error has been made or the item was a substitute c. Damaged goods must be returned. We will reimburse all carriage costs on receipt and replace or refund the item d. In the case of livestock death on arrival, photographic evidence is required e. Living rock & frozen food must be returned to our premises within 24 hours of arrival at the customers' address. This is because the items are perishable. The return p&p will not be refunded |
| Remittance Terms All orders should be paid for via credit or debit card at the time of ordering unless otherwise stated. Outstanding balances become due when an order is shipped. |
