How to avoid being messy in water testing?

[Hydro]

I test water parameters several times a week on my planted tanks using kits by Hagen and AP and I've also used Tetra's test kits. Do the poor seals provided by the caps on the test tubes annoy anyone?

When you have to cap the tube and shake each agent before adding the next, it's also annoying to get water from the test tube running down the outside of the tube.

Other than rubber gloves and paper towels, any tips or tricks you use to avoid being messy?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sguthrie]

I just tilt the cap and tap the corner of the cap on the inside of the tube after carefully pulling it out of the tube. I think moving a little more slowly is the key to no mess.

Sam

 

[MikefromNH]

Do the poor seals provided by the caps on the test tubes annoy anyone?

Other than rubber gloves and paper towels, any tips or tricks you use to avoid being messy?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, the caps are extremely annoying. Some of them just sit on the top while others fit nice and tight. I just keep some PT's handy and I take my time. I do one at a time and wipe the tubes well before setting aside to "develop". I do things very deliberately and it makes me feel like more of a "professional aquarist" , ya' know?

You can buy replacement tube and cap pairs. They are .47 each at my LFS. Most LFS's should have some as they do a lot of testing.(I hope!) Just go in to your LFS and say you need 10 tubes/caps. While you shoot the bull with the cashier, casually fit the caps to the tubes. Let's say 5 of 10 fit well, just put the rest back on the counter and say you actually only need 5 and keep the tight fitting ones. Watch out though, some LFS employees, especially managers, will know what you are doing and may say something.

I know, this may screw the next person but.............

Or, check out a lab supply store. They probably have something much better for a fairly cheap price. Perhaps rubber stoppers would work. Ahhhhh, memories of high school chemistry class! Now just show me the way to the bunsen burner, heh heh......

 

[christopher1260]

I work in a microbiology lab. We always use stuff called parafilm to cover our tubes. It comes in a big roll and is a thin sheet of parafin wax that peels away from a paper backing. It stretches over the top of the tube and forms a watertight seal. I highly recommend the stuff.

 

[got_nailed]

i orderd a box of 24 tubes. i just use the sunger fitting tops.


would a peace of sran wrap help befor putting on the top? would be a one use thing but might help. i don't know if it woul mess up you tests or not.

 

[ScottoMacD]

At the store and at home. I simply test half doses.

The AP test for ammonia asks for 5ml of water and 8 drops of both bottles.

I put 2.5 and 4 drops of each without shaking in between. (it really isn't necessary and doesn't affect the test outcome)

For the nitrite. I do use the full 5ml and 5 drops
Same for the PH both high and low. 5ml and full drops.
Again only 1 bottle each.

For the GH and KH full dose in 5ml with light shaking with no cap. It's very rare that we test these and you can start to tell right away when the water begins to turn color.

For the nitrate 2.5 ml of the water and 5 drops each (instead of 10) of the two bottles at once then shake.

We don't charge for the water tests at the store and it costs us a fortune to do them when you add up the tests between us at the store with our systems and the amount of customers we do tests for in a week.

This way the test kit lasts twice as long.

 

[Cearbhaill]

I don't use the vials that come with the tests, or the caps. I take out a cup of tankwater, then withdraw/measure water for each test with a syringe. I then put it into a regular test tube for the actual testing. Swirl it a bit for mixing, then it sits in the rack until it's time to read. They all sit in the rack until I'm done with that particular tanks testing. Then rinse them, they sit upside down to dry, and draw a cup out of the next tank.
Test tubes & rack- Ebay.

 

[Hydro]

Thanks for all your responses.

I've wondered about the necessity of mixing one agent in the tube before adding the next. If it's enough to just mix them well after adding all the agents, there's no need to cap, shake, and uncap the test tube after each agent. For me, it's uncapping the tube after shaking it that causes the most problems (leaks).