Pipette for the poor

T

Trigger1985

AC Members
Jul 31, 2009
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Arlington Heights, IL (near Chicago)
So, today while at McDonalds and playing with my drink waiting for the girlfriend to finish eating, I had an idea. For me the biggest pain about testing is getting the right amount of water in the tube, it's a pain whether you dip, pour or whatever, and I was wanting to buy some pipettes to make life a little easier, but I just started a new job and waiting on the first check.

What I did was snag a bunch of straws go home home and start 'sperimenting making marks on the straw until I figured out home much of it I would have to stick in the water to equal the 5ml I needed for my test kits when I covered the end. turns out it was a about 2/3. I took a new, clean straw, transfered the mark, rinsed it in some tank water and went to work testing.. ended up with water levels more consistant and accurate I had gotten with any other method. SO if money is tight and your tired of struggling to get right amount go to Micky D's, pick up a milkshake and a handfull of straws and get to work. It only took me about 5 minutes to figure out which line to use. I'm new around here so if this has already been brought up then please ignore my shinangiains.
 
I finally got me some laboratory test tubes that are 12 ml test tubes with increments able to measure 1/4 ml. With these test tubes Im able to use a fraction of the test chemicals reducing cost substantially by as much as 500%. For example to test for nitrate I measure out 1 ml of water using the test tube cap to pour the drops in to the 1 ml mark, then I add 2 drops of test chemicals from each API N03 bottle. For ammonia I fill the tube to 1.25 ml mark and add 2 drops from each API NH3/4 bottle. So spend a couple bucks and buy a lab test tube with incremental marks 1/10th ml then just do the math subtraction by percentage to figure out amounts.

To use 1 drop of test chem instead of 4 for a 5ml water test use this simple formula example: (100 divided by 4 test drops = 25) then use this to (subtract 25 from 100 = 75) then subtract 75% from 5ml and that gives you (1.25 ml) the amount of water to place in the test tube for a 1 drop chem test reducing your cost by 75%. Also just use the test tube cap to add or remove drops for measuring.
 
CWO4GUNNER said:
To use 1 drop of test chem instead of 4 for a 5ml water test use this simple formula example: (100 divided by 4 test drops = 25) then use this to (subtract 25 from 100 = 75) then subtract 75% from 5ml and that gives you (1.25 ml) the amount of water to place in the test tube for a 1 drop chem test reducing your cost by 75%. Also just use the test tube cap to add or remove drops for measuring.
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the nitrate test kit is pretty much the only test kit i wouldnt do this with. if we are talking the api one anyways, the second bottle that you have to shake for like a minute before you can use it, has all these little white specks in it, i would beleive that the shaking is to make the number of these little white specks, when you lower the sample size by using less solution you might get an inaccurate reading. on the other hand, seriously? turning 100 tests into like 500 tests, come on
 
I can only tell you that I have compared full and minimum test samples in all categories many times and they have always come out identical in both positive and negative ranges, as mathematically they should. I tell you one thing it sure is great to pay $5 for a master test kit then $25.
 
Most pharmacies will give you plastic syringes, especially if you trade there. I have 1, 5 and 10 mils for testing and fert mixing. Good idea on the straw if a free syringe is not available however. I have hesitated reducing the sample volume on nitrate testing to hopefully get a more representative sample of the aquarium and test chemicals. Good luck.
 
I've always used a turkey baster. I find it so much faster to fill multiple vials that way.
 
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