Hand held disolved oxygen meters...advice required

[dolphinscales]

Ok our disoloved oxygen meter is kaput and rather just go with the same wondered what else other people used. Needs to be handheld not a stand alone unit.
They all seem a tad fidly to me and a pain in the fact they get used once a year for a few days.

[Ocker]

Do you have any Data loggers?
If you do, price a input for them much more versitile

[RosalieM]

We buy the dissolved oxygen test kits from Southern Bio. Requires doidng some chemical reactions etc. I haven't personally used them but they go out on the water field trips and nobody has a problem with them.

[Slartibartfast]

If you have data loggers - as Ocker says, it's worth investing in that manufacturers probe for accuracy.

We also use 5 in 1 test strips that also have pH, nitrates, nitrites etc. for the students to test our fish tanks. Quick & easy to use but like pH test paper will not give you a figure, just a corresponding colour in a range.

What have you got in mind for it?

[dolphinscales]

Just that Richard the aqauculture kids test their tanks - what are teh strips and where do you get them from - sounds like a good deal for the quick testing - but may still need a meter for numbers.


we dont have data loggers and at present the HOD is not interested in getting any -we got some graphic calculators that are data loggers but turned out to be a total bogus buy (years before my arrivall) that are no use to any one due to the fact the students need a calulator type that is hard to get hold of and expensive and the HOD is not interested in buying any in for their use - sigh! SO data loggers are out at this point.


thanks people for your replies

[Slartibartfast]

Most good aquarium shops will stock these or something like them. These retail around $32. Expensive but we only use 1 maybe 2 a week.

easy 5 in one test

aquarium pharm 5 in one test is so easy. Dip the stick in pull it out and you just did a test for pH, KH, gh, nitrite and nitrate . It takes longer to say all the names than do the tests. There is 25 complete 5 in one test strips in a box, no drips no drops just easy.

[Robb]

Hi All,

Just keep in mind that all Ion Selcetive Electrodes, (Oxygen Fluoride etc will always be very sensitive). Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE's for short) require permiation of agressive ions wich send current throught the probe to the detector eg Data logger or other interface.

All ISE's will be expensive and will require calibration every time they are used. There are some liquid stabilizers, (TISAB), (or Total Ionis System Adjustment Buffer), which can be used in solution but you cant use any if you are analysing for O₂.

What I am trying to say is that every O₂ probe you get there will some tedious setup before use.

Lucky you don't have a Conductivity probe as these require at lease 20mins for conductive calibration before use.

Cheers,

Robb.....

[dolphinscales]

hmm that is what i thought Robb thanks for that and for your help also Richard - will go and explain this once again to the teachers involved and see where they want to go with it

Thanks again