Water Testing equipment question

[dehinrichs]

I am settting up a new (for me anyway), 90 gallon FW tank, and would like to know how you acomplish getting the water out of the aquarium to run tests on it?

To me it seems like a eye dropper kind of approach would work - suck up a test tube amount of water, squirt it into the test tube, and test - however I haven't seen or found any at the LFS around here.
So everyone must be doing it a different way. Maybe be scooping out water with a drinking glass?
Or is there another approach that is generally used??

Thanks!

 

[Jchillin]

First, I don my lab coat and pull out my master test kit. I have three plastic cups set aside for removing water from tank. Carefully pour water to indicated level (much trail and error here, but it's fun when wearing the lab coat).

You can get those neat medicinal droppers if so desired.

 

[Zagz]

ROFL at the lab coat. I never thought of that, will have to try it! I have some plastic piquettes for the task of measuring.

 

[iceywater101]

I just use an eye dropper that I got from a local drug store, and I have had no problems.

 

[cbk.o4]

got a whole infant medicine kit, included an eye dropper, syringe, and a lil pour thing lol for like 1.96 at walmart. use the eye dropper for water testing, syringe for dosing prime, and the pour thing for ammonia measurment.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I use a baby medicine syringe. It works great and is easy to control the amount of water without the "add some" "remove some" "add some" "remove some " "and just a little bit more" "Oh who cares. It'll be close"

I also use the syringe for measuing Prime.

 

[rich311k]

I got a bunch of plastic syringes from our companys lab to fill test tubes works great. I use a medicine dropper as well to measure small quantities of liquids.

 

[shawmutt]

I used to just dip the test tubes in the tank, but I got some 5mL plastic pipettes from work that I use now.

 

[TomK2]

I just dip the tube into the tank. After much practice, you can really get the water right on the test tube line very quickly. Of course, all test tubes are thoroughly rinsed after the test.

 

[malkore]

I just dip the tube in the tank for 90% of my tests. the ones I use a pipette for don't use test tubes, or require more exact water amounts (calcium, mg, phosphate kits)

I do religiously clean my test tubes after testing, and have enough that I don't have to re-use one in a given testing session.

 

[SCFatz]

I just dip the tube into the tank. After much practice, you can really get the water right on the test tube line very quickly. Of course, all test tubes are thoroughly rinsed after the test.

Same here.