How Do People Fill Their Test Tubes?

[21rm]

well ya everyone has their own ways. This site has helped me out loads since i started, just reading through loads of posts and reading bout other ppls experiences has helped me so much, however i feel that that the majority of what ppl learn bout fish keepin they will learn through their own experiences and not from others. From what I personally have learned, alot of it as been trial and error,
So on the issue of how the water is obtained to be tested, it doesnt really matter how its done as long as it works for each person and each person knows and has experenced the way that suits them best

 

[21rm]

It's just a little plastic thing that sucks up water. I don't rinse it, just make sure I squirt all the water back out and shake it while I'm squirting it
wud the pipette be dry after that though?? In chemistry i learned that minimal traces of substances left in glassware cant effect the reading of any given test, it wouldn't be drastic alteration of the readin for the tanks, but as u said u do mutiple water tests, im sure traces are carried from tank to tank. And in terms of the amount of water needed for the tests, which is usually bout 5ml, this trace amounts of water from previous tanks coud take up quiet a large percent of the overall 5ml in the pipette, as opposed to the percentage that would be obtained from doin 10ml or 20ml tests and using 10ml or 20ml pipettes.
However, as ive said earlier, im sure if your reading are slightly inaccurate they wouldnt caused too much problems, and i see you've posted alot here so you've obviously not had problems with this method before, prob just somethin to be aware of

I only do 2 tanks and that's it. I'm closing down the 2nd one now anyway. I'll probably use different pipettes when I start testing my saltwater tank anyways. I haven't had any water issues since I did a fish in cycle at the beginning of last year

Just b/c someone posts alot doesn't mean they know anything bwaaaahhhhh

lol bout the lots of posts bit
and oooh on the saltwater tank, im really hoping to set one up this year. Cant wait.
Been on youtube and seen some of the videos of ppls marine tanks.. Omg, there is sooo much that can be done with them

 

[Keithoms]

Lol, i wasnt really meaning that my way was best, just curious as to how anyone without a syringe would do it accurately without it taking ages to get to the right level

 

[theshadowinc]

This kinda scared me for a second lol, I just tested all 3 of my tanks sat down and read this thinkin to my self hope i did it right lol

~ Insert tube 45 Degrees at surface and wait for it to fill, when line is in the middle of the 45 Degree water line I tilt the tube straight up and out perfect evertime. But I wash them after every test. ~

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Lol, i wasnt really meaning that my way was best, just curious as to how anyone without a syringe would do it accurately without it taking ages to get to the right level

I was wondering the exact same thing

 

[Keithoms]

Ok, next question!

How do people clean their test tubes? Mine are staining blue and yellow from ammonia and nitrite tests. (Probably because i leave it days before cleaning out..).

 

[Truck]

i just rinse them, best if you empty them after the test without waiting

 

[Schmill]

I wash out my nitrite tube straight after testing, then fill with fresh water, shake it, empty it out, rinse it again, and then dry it in kitchen towel before putting it back in the box. The next day when I get the tube out to do the tests it has a small amount of pale blue water in the bottom of the tube...

Quite baffling!

Still, no need to worry now, I dropped it earlier on this week, so am now using a fresh one

 

[Keithoms]

Any suggestions on cleaning my now stained tubes? Rinsing doesnt work.

 

[Schmill]

See my post, drop it, throw it away, buy a fresh one

Or there may be easier methods I don't know of

 

[andywg]

This problem has never effected me, i just use a syringe to take out water and get it perfectly to the mark, but how does everyone else do it?

Far easier, I don't bother.

Ok, next question!

How do people clean their test tubes? Mine are staining blue and yellow from ammonia and nitrite tests. (Probably because i leave it days before cleaning out..).

As they aren't used, they don't need cleaning.

 

[petertr]

Just dip it in for me too!

 

[MermaidMel]

What a peculiar thread!

 

[Keithoms]

Better than the last pointer one!

 

[MermaidMel]

Better than the last pointer one!

yeah but only just!!