Types Of Water Test Kits

Water test kits are often used for testing the quality of aquariums, ponds or swimming pools. They are also used to check the output from your taps in your home. Your taps may contain different types of bacteria or chemicals which could be harmful if ingested.

Regulations are in place to protect our supplies from contaminants such as lead, bacteria and pesticides but there are time when they may reach our supply due to an accident or oversight. Pesticides, in particular are poisonous to birds, bees and fish. Some may be harmful to us and therefore checks must be undertaken to prevent any casualties.

Legionnaire’s disease is very serious and can kill if not found and eradicated. Samples are normally taken from showers, tanks and pipework for analysis. Laboratories perform the analysis and if the bacteria should be found steps are taken to get rid of all the bacteria as early as possible.

The bacteria which cause this disease is mostly found in sprinklers, garden features, spas and showers. If it is found, the homeowner will normally be given advice to get rid of the bacteria safely. Communal water tanks and pipes may also be checked as a precaution.

Salinity is commonly checked in aquariums. A device can be placed under the water with a pointer showing the level of salinity. A drop may be placed on the glass of a refractometer. Looking at a bright light, through the refractometer, shows a line indicating the level of salinity in the sample.

Aquarists need to routinely check for pH, calcium and ammonia in addition to salinity. The general hardness and carbonate content is important too. Saltwater aquaria will require different results from freshwater aquaria. The inhabitants of reef and other saltwater aquaria may need daily testing to ensure the quality is kept high.

Simple ones can be purchased for single chemical or bacteriological checks or comprehensive kits comprising of all required tests can be purchased. Others include automatic monitoring devices. For ease of use, test strips are used. These are dipped into the sample and after a few seconds the results are shown. Normally, where the test is carried out using a pipette and tube, or where test strips have been used, the colour indicates the results. The colour is checked against a chart to determine if the correct levels are contained within the sample. Most will provide instructions to alleviate the problem when the results are incorrect. Read more about: water test kits

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