How important is proper cleaning and storage of hanna egg vials compared to testing results?

[rennjidk]

I've read a couple of threads on this, and I think I fall in line with most hobbyists. I rinse them with tap water after testing, shake them dry, and store them with the cap back on in the test kits. When it comes time to test, I rinse them out once with tank water, to remove any previous tap water interference, use a pipettor to dispense precisely 10ml, and then clean the outside thoroughly with a paper towel.

Is this enough for accurate testing, or at least, the level of precision us hobbyists use?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've read a couple of threads on this, and I think I fall in line with most hobbyists. I rinse them with tap water after testing, shake them dry, and store them with the cap back on in the test kits. When it comes time to test, I rinse them out once with tank water, to remove any previous tap water interference, use a pipettor to dispense precisely 10ml, and then clean the outside thoroughly with a paper towel.

Is this enough for accurate testing, or at least, the level of precision us hobbyists use?

The main key (I use RO water to clean) is to Not scratch them and assure lint free as the photometer is very sensitive and will easily offer a false reading if a scratch or spec is in the reading area

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I also use RO water to rinse and a lint free eyeglass wiping cloth to clean the class.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that an RO/DI water rinse is better. Water spots on the outside of the cuvettes from drying tap water will scatter light and potentially cause errors.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I've read a couple of threads on this, and I think I fall in line with most hobbyists. I rinse them with tap water after testing, shake them dry, and store them with the cap back on in the test kits. When it comes time to test, I rinse them out once with tank water, to remove any previous tap water interference, use a pipettor to dispense precisely 10ml, and then clean the outside thoroughly with a paper towel.

Is this enough for accurate testing, or at least, the level of precision us hobbyists use?

Same as others here, I use RO water clean, and an eye glass cloth to wipe

 

[esquare]

Can you use the same cuvette for all of your tests if you rinse well between? For example, the same cuvette for Alk, Cal and Mag.

 

[DanyL]

my approach is a little different, though similar to others.

I keep my vials full of RODI water for storage, this prevents water marks from forming inside.

After draining the RODI water, I rinse them with tank water, before adding the final sample, than I use lint free fiber to clean the outside.

After testing I drain the sample, rinse with RODI water and than fill the vials again with RODI water.

 

[taricha]

Can you use the same cuvette for all of your tests if you rinse well between? For example, the same cuvette for Alk, Cal and Mag.

Hard to say. You can - except for the ones you can't. Some of the tests chemistry will really interfere with the other chemistry in ways that multiple rinses don't always fix for me.
PO4 always gets its own cuvettes.

 

[rennjidk]

Hard to say. You can - except for the ones you can't. Some of the tests chemistry will really interfere with the other chemistry in ways that multiple rinses don't always fix for me.
PO4 always gets its own cuvettes.

Ok now, what if we've been doing exactly that for years? Do I need to order a new box of cuvettes or can I clean them a few times, lol.