Test kits ........how many of you
 

Do it exactly by the directions in the kit in regards to the quanity
of water needed for each test? Some of you may already be doing this,
but when I brought it to the attention of a local fish store, who has
been in business close to 35 years it had never dawned on him to cheat
a bit, but not comnpromizse the tests results.

The test kits I have (all individual kits for each test is what I buy,
usually Aquarium pharmaceutical brand) have a 5 ml glass vial inside,
with a marked ring around the vial to give the proper level of wate
rneeded for the test.

For example on the Ammonia kit you fill it to the mark, and add 8
drops from each of the two bottles in the kit. Total tests you can
make this way is 130. HOwever if the vial is filled halfway with
2 1/2 ml of water and only 4 drops of test solution from each bottle
is added you can get 260 tests fromthis same kit. Same for the nitrate
kit........10 drops per 5 m of water = 90 tests or 5 drops per 2 1/2
ml of pond water gets you 180 tests. The Nitrite kit uses 5 drops per
5 ml of water so use 1 drop per ml of water.......you an get anywhere
from 180 tests using 5 drops to 900 using 1 drop per ml. YOu can
always use a graduated syringe to do the measuring. I played with it
for some time now and no matter how many drops I use the tests all
show the same results.

I much rather have the onhand test kits be used more often and thrown
away when shlf life hits them than skim on tests due to price or need
them and not have them as you did not get the replacement in yet.

So whats y'alls take on this concept? IMHO I think they just use the
standard vial (all kits I have use the same size and graduated vial)
thats in every kit they make and only alter the drops needed for the
tests, so it should not make any difference, except perhaps they may
not sell as many kits if foks adjust the water sample used accordingly
with lesser amount of test chemicals.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

"Roy" wrote in message
...
Do it exactly by the directions in the kit in regards to the quanity
of water needed for each test? Some of you may already be doing this,
but when I brought it to the attention of a local fish store, who has
been in business close to 35 years it had never dawned on him to cheat
a bit, but not comnpromizse the tests results.

The test kits I have (all individual kits for each test is what I buy,
usually Aquarium pharmaceutical brand) have a 5 ml glass vial inside,
with a marked ring around the vial to give the proper level of wate
rneeded for the test.

For example on the Ammonia kit you fill it to the mark, and add 8
drops from each of the two bottles in the kit. Total tests you can
make this way is 130. HOwever if the vial is filled halfway with
2 1/2 ml of water and only 4 drops of test solution from each bottle
is added you can get 260 tests fromthis same kit. Same for the nitrate
kit........10 drops per 5 m of water = 90 tests or 5 drops per 2 1/2
ml of pond water gets you 180 tests. The Nitrite kit uses 5 drops per
5 ml of water so use 1 drop per ml of water.......you an get anywhere
from 180 tests using 5 drops to 900 using 1 drop per ml. YOu can
always use a graduated syringe to do the measuring. I played with it
for some time now and no matter how many drops I use the tests all
show the same results.

I much rather have the onhand test kits be used more often and thrown
away when shlf life hits them than skim on tests due to price or need
them and not have them as you did not get the replacement in yet.

So whats y'alls take on this concept? IMHO I think they just use the
standard vial (all kits I have use the same size and graduated vial)
thats in every kit they make and only alter the drops needed for the
tests, so it should not make any difference, except perhaps they may
not sell as many kits if foks adjust the water sample used accordingly
with lesser amount of test chemicals.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

This is a perfectly acceptable way to do your test. Laboratories often
dilute samples they think are above the high range for their detectors when
then run an GS/MS analysis. Conversely, in order to measure minute
quantities of compounds in water, the sample is put through an extraction
process which essentially concentrates the compound they are looking for,
if it exists at all in the sample. Then they run a calculation in order to
calibrate their results. Using half the amount of water, and then cutting
the quantity of reagent in half is perfectly acceptable in most cases. The
important thing to remember is that you know exactly how much water you are
using so that you use an appropriate amount of reagent. Having said this,
keep in mind that these tests are colorometric tests that are designed to
use specific quantities in order to get specific colorometric results. As
such, there can be variations in the resulting test color of your sample
because of the amount of time it takes for the sample to change color. In
other words, theoretically, you should get the same result, but, depending
on the kit you use, this may not always be the case.

I got a little confused whether you were advocating cutting the amount in
half or not?

Personally, the only test kit I use up by season end is pH and I'm not only
checking my stuff, but doing water tests for other ponders. In the KHA
program they suggest replacing yearly, so I'm only going for year on each
kit and the club covers my kits' cost since I'm doing other members.

If I was just doing my own and holding the kit for the supposed 2 years
(assuming it was fresh when I got it) I think I'd still have liquid left to
toss out, and I'm good about doing tests. I'd be surprised if most people
on here even have the all kits they should, let alone use them often enough
to run out. ;o) ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~


On Mon, 04 Jul 2005 22:18:55 GMT, (Roy) wrote:

Do it exactly by the directions in the kit in regards to the quanity
of water needed for each test? Some of you may already be doing this,
but when I brought it to the attention of a local fish store, who has
been in business close to 35 years it had never dawned on him to cheat
a bit, but not comnpromizse the tests results.

The test kits I have (all individual kits for each test is what I buy,
usually Aquarium pharmaceutical brand) have a 5 ml glass vial inside,
with a marked ring around the vial to give the proper level of wate
rneeded for the test.

For example on the Ammonia kit you fill it to the mark, and add 8
drops from each of the two bottles in the kit. Total tests you can
make this way is 130. HOwever if the vial is filled halfway with
2 1/2 ml of water and only 4 drops of test solution from each bottle
is added you can get 260 tests fromthis same kit. Same for the nitrate
kit........10 drops per 5 m of water = 90 tests or 5 drops per 2 1/2
ml of pond water gets you 180 tests. The Nitrite kit uses 5 drops per
5 ml of water so use 1 drop per ml of water.......you an get anywhere
from 180 tests using 5 drops to 900 using 1 drop per ml. YOu can
always use a graduated syringe to do the measuring. I played with it
for some time now and no matter how many drops I use the tests all
show the same results.

I much rather have the onhand test kits be used more often and thrown
away when shlf life hits them than skim on tests due to price or need
them and not have them as you did not get the replacement in yet.

So whats y'alls take on this concept? IMHO I think they just use the
standard vial (all kits I have use the same size and graduated vial)
thats in every kit they make and only alter the drops needed for the
tests, so it should not make any difference, except perhaps they may
not sell as many kits if foks adjust the water sample used accordingly
with lesser amount of test chemicals.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

On Mon, 04 Jul 2005 21:41:37 -0700, ~ janj JJsPond.us
wrote:

snip

=== I'd be surprised if most people
===on here even have the all kits they should, let alone use them often enough
===to run out. ;o) ~ jan
===
=== ~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~
snip

Ain't that the truth......I don't normally test my pond as there is
not much I could afford to do to it to make a chancge anyhow, but a
lot of times I am curious on its parameters after certain happenings
etc, like hurricanes, heavt down pours, no rain etc etc....
My main use of the kits is for my QT (Not used all that often) and
numerous holding tanks and aquarium in the house.......

A few days ago I ran into a couple in Petco, deeply involved in
studying all the medications in the pond fish section........We got to
talking and it turned out they live in the high rent district in
town......$500,000 is a cheap house there. They have a koi pond that
they have been putting fish into for a few months now. Their fish are
not doing well at all, sores etc on them, and I asked what their water
parameters were. They did not have a clue.........Did not even have a
test kit.........yet they were pround to point out that they made a
speial trip to various Koi breeders in Tennesee and Florida etc and
bought some magnificent koi.......but still lacked owning a test
kit.......so afater I mentioned they really needed to know their
parameters, the husband picked up a test kit (all in one strips), and
the wife picked up a reagent type....to which hubby replied, nope,
well get this one it does it all and its a lot cheaper........and does
it all........Could not believe my eyes....high bucks house, large
formal pond, bigbucks fish, and too cheap to buy a decent test
kit.......Odds are it will be used a time or two and what they will
have to do to remedy things wiill cut into their social life too much
and the fish will be in pityfull condition even longer......They also
picked up about one of evey kind of medication on the shelf, just in
case..........Guess its easier to throw money at the fish to cure them
than set down and do it right, with a little time invested.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

~ janj JJsPond.us wrote:
I got a little confused whether you were advocating cutting the amount in
half or not?

Personally, the only test kit I use up by season end is pH and I'm not only
checking my stuff, but doing water tests for other ponders. In the KHA
program they suggest replacing yearly, so I'm only going for year on each
kit and the club covers my kits' cost since I'm doing other members.

If I was just doing my own and holding the kit for the supposed 2 years
(assuming it was fresh when I got it) I think I'd still have liquid left to
toss out, and I'm good about doing tests. I'd be surprised if most people
on here even have the all kits they should, let alone use them often enough
to run out. ;o) ~ jan

Unless things have changed in the last 25 years or so the ammonia test
kits that use nestlers reagent are supposedly only good for a limited
time.. the ROT 'was' 1 year so that is how often I replace mine..
(Since I invariably loose, misplace, spill or contaminate one or more
of the parts to the kit it is easy to remember to replace...)

Unless things have changed in the last 25 years or so the ammonia test
kits that use nestlers reagent are supposedly only good for a limited
time.. the ROT 'was' 1 year so that is how often I replace mine..
(Since I invariably loose, misplace, spill or contaminate one or more
of the parts to the kit it is easy to remember to replace...)

1 year is still what is recommended by the KHA instructors. The test
manufacturers claim they're good for 2 years. Course conditions like
freezing & over heating can degrade all of the above. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

it all........Could not believe my eyes....high bucks house, large
formal pond, bigbucks fish, and too cheap to buy a decent test
kit...... Roy

Yup, experienced this first hand. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

In article ,
says...
Do it exactly by the directions in the kit in regards to the quanity
of water needed for each test? Some of you may already be doing this,
but when I brought it to the attention of a local fish store, who has
been in business close to 35 years it had never dawned on him to cheat
a bit, but not comnpromizse the tests results.

The test kits I have (all individual kits for each test is what I buy,
usually Aquarium pharmaceutical brand) have a 5 ml glass vial inside,
with a marked ring around the vial to give the proper level of wate
rneeded for the test.

For example on the Ammonia kit you fill it to the mark, and add 8
drops from each of the two bottles in the kit. Total tests you can
make this way is 130. HOwever if the vial is filled halfway with
2 1/2 ml of water and only 4 drops of test solution from each bottle
is added you can get 260 tests fromthis same kit. Same for the nitrate
kit........10 drops per 5 m of water = 90 tests or 5 drops per 2 1/2
ml of pond water gets you 180 tests. The Nitrite kit uses 5 drops per
5 ml of water so use 1 drop per ml of water.......you an get anywhere
from 180 tests using 5 drops to 900 using 1 drop per ml. YOu can
always use a graduated syringe to do the measuring. I played with it
for some time now and no matter how many drops I use the tests all
show the same results.

I much rather have the onhand test kits be used more often and thrown
away when shlf life hits them than skim on tests due to price or need
them and not have them as you did not get the replacement in yet.

So whats y'alls take on this concept? IMHO I think they just use the
standard vial (all kits I have use the same size and graduated vial)
thats in every kit they make and only alter the drops needed for the
tests, so it should not make any difference, except perhaps they may
not sell as many kits if foks adjust the water sample used accordingly
with lesser amount of test chemicals.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

I'm trying to get my head around the possibility of error if you use too
much on one drop. By using more water and more solution, excess on one
drop would be dilluted. If you use 4 drops and the correct amount of
water one big drop would alter the result, this would be less of a
problem with one big drop in 8.

I hope this makes sense, it does to me but I've been awake all night so
anything might make sense.

On Sat, 09 Jul 2005 09:21:10 GMT, Cyril The Squirrel
wrote:

===In article ,
says...
=== Do it exactly by the directions in the kit in regards to the quanity
=== of water needed for each test? Some of you may already be doing this,
=== but when I brought it to the attention of a local fish store, who has
=== been in business close to 35 years it had never dawned on him to cheat
=== a bit, but not comnpromizse the tests results.
===
=== The test kits I have (all individual kits for each test is what I buy,
=== usually Aquarium pharmaceutical brand) have a 5 ml glass vial inside,
=== with a marked ring around the vial to give the proper level of wate
=== rneeded for the test.
===
=== For example on the Ammonia kit you fill it to the mark, and add 8
=== drops from each of the two bottles in the kit. Total tests you can
=== make this way is 130. HOwever if the vial is filled halfway with
=== 2 1/2 ml of water and only 4 drops of test solution from each bottle
=== is added you can get 260 tests fromthis same kit. Same for the nitrate
=== kit........10 drops per 5 m of water = 90 tests or 5 drops per 2 1/2
=== ml of pond water gets you 180 tests. The Nitrite kit uses 5 drops per
=== 5 ml of water so use 1 drop per ml of water.......you an get anywhere
=== from 180 tests using 5 drops to 900 using 1 drop per ml. YOu can
=== always use a graduated syringe to do the measuring. I played with it
=== for some time now and no matter how many drops I use the tests all
=== show the same results.
===
=== I much rather have the onhand test kits be used more often and thrown
=== away when shlf life hits them than skim on tests due to price or need
=== them and not have them as you did not get the replacement in yet.
===
=== So whats y'alls take on this concept? IMHO I think they just use the
=== standard vial (all kits I have use the same size and graduated vial)
=== thats in every kit they make and only alter the drops needed for the
=== tests, so it should not make any difference, except perhaps they may
=== not sell as many kits if foks adjust the water sample used accordingly
=== with lesser amount of test chemicals.
===
=== ==============================================
=== Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
=== "The original frugal ponder"
=== ~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o
===
===I'm trying to get my head around the possibility of error if you use too
===much on one drop. By using more water and more solution, excess on one
===drop would be dilluted. If you use 4 drops and the correct amount of
===water one big drop would alter the result, this would be less of a
===problem with one big drop in 8.
===
===I hope this makes sense, it does to me but I've been awake all night so
===anything might make sense.


You lost me there Squirrel

What I am saying is if a test calls for say:
5 ml of water
10 drops of test solution

then 2 1/2ml of water and 5 drops would produce the same results.....

Your not usuing "bigger" drops or more of one solution or water, or
changing anything other than the amounts stated but still at the same
ratio as directions......

There has been some statements in other forums that suggested the over
test may be jeopardized as larger samples are more accurate, and just
as many that say it matters not........Afterall look at the overall
quanity being tested and look at the amount of water in a
pond.......so halving the chemicals would really not compromise the
results to any degree, as long as the ratios are maintained....

If you use too much of any one chemical on any test , then that test
certainly would be invalid......no ratios are changed just the
portions sizes are reduced.




==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

Message ,
by author Roy aka inspired me,

drops and the correct amount of ===water one big drop would
alter the result, this would be less of a ===problem with one
big drop in 8. ===

Your not usuing "bigger" drops or more of one solution or water, or
changing anything other than the amounts stated but still at the
same ratio as directions......

Worked in a laboratory.
Normally there are no big drops and small drops. Drops are of the same
size all the time. It's more accurate that a burette.
--
d:Johan; Certifiable me; http://www.aacity.net

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