Filling those dang vials!

Is there a trick to getting the water right at the 5ml level? I struggle with getting a little too much water in there, then trying to pour off just a little to get it to the line, and then pouring out too much and having to start all over, only to have the same thing happen again!

Any tricks? Maybe use a dropper? What's your method?

 

I use a syringe.

I get them from my local chemist (drug store), they cost about $1 for a 10mL syringe.

 

I use one of those medicine droppers that I used to get for my son when he was a baby - similar to an eye dropper that way I can drop in to the exact amount on the vial. Makes it much easier! Good luck!

 

I use one of those medicine droppers that I used to get for my son when he was a baby - similar to an eye dropper that way I can drop in to the exact amount on the vial. Makes it much easier! Good luck!

Me too. They sell them at the grocery store.

 

I just stick it under the filter and collect a little water from the trickle. I only get a little at a time, but I've gotten pretty good at it.

 

Also, hit up your friends if they have small babies/infants or know someone who does. I guarantee they have a least a dozen of those things ( medicine droppers ) if you still need one, pm me and I can mail you one

 

I use a regular soda straw. Just hold it vertically and dunk it down into the tank several inches, then hold your thumb over the end, pull it out and drop it into the test tube. The straw can be calibrated by doing a few trials to determine the depth the straw needs to be submerged to produce 5 mL, then marking that point with a permanent marker.

 

Wow. You guys are high-tech. I just stick the tube in the water. Never even occurred to me to use some kind of tool.

 

Wow. You guys are high-tech. I just stick the tube in the water. Never even occurred to me to use some kind of tool.

haha - must be that type A in me that says I have to be "EXACTLY" at that white line

 

I had the same problem! But I got one of those little "eye droppers" as my mom calls it and it works really well

 

haha - must be that type A in me that says I have to be "EXACTLY" at that white line

Ditto!

 

The CVS stores around me will give you a dosing syringe for free if you ask the pharmacist. It has cut so much time off preparing the vials for testing

 

Good morning,

I also use a syringe, that came with the Tetra Laborette Test kit. I used them for many years before switching to API kits, so I have a bunch of syringes. They work great!

Ken

 

I don't dip the vials in the tank because I'm paranoid about residue getting in the tank and harming my fishies. :3 I just dip a cup and pour it into the vials over a bucket. If I pour too much I can just pour some out. xD It's not always spot on but I get close enough.

 

I rinse the vials between uses, so I just dip them in the tank.

 

I rinse them. Several times. Fill partially with water and shake. Rinse some more. I'm just strange. >.>;

 

I have a little Tupperware container that I use to dip out a small amount of water, and then take that to the bathroom sink for testing. The light is bright and consistent in that room for reading test results. It's there that I'm dipping/pouring/redipping/pouring/cursing/redipping, and then I pour out the leftover water when I'm done testing- which usually isn't much.

I'm going to get a syringe and fill all the vials in the test kit tray right from the tank- how easy will that be!

 

I use both API & Hagen/Nutrafin test kits & the Nutrafin ones come with little pipettes that work great!

 

I decided to give the straw method a try since I don't have any pipettes. Worked great! My fingers didn't get wet at all and it was much easier to get the right amount in the tube. You guys are awesome.

 

Picked up a $1.50 dropper. Fill frustration gone!

 

I use a turkey baster. It can hold enough water for all 5 vials. Takes a bit to get the hang of over a syringe though. You have to squeeze it in to get close, and then let the droplets take it to 5ml.