While many of us use liquid test kits regularly, are we doing so safely for both us and our fish?
WORDS: NATHAN HILL
Hold bottles totally upright
Test kits are designed to work with a specific droplet size, and this droplet size is only achieved if the reagent bottles are held vertically at 180°. Don’t add your drops at a 90° angle as this can cause inaccuracies.
Don’t rest test tubes on tank lids or rims
If you aren’t testing at the sink, avoid the temptation to carry out tests on top of the tank. All it takes is one test tube to tumble over and spill, and suddenly you have a tank full of potentially hazardous chemicals.
Keep out of reach of children (and pets)
This one should be obvious, but I’ve lost count of the conversations I’ve had over the years where a fishkeeper’s dog has eaten their test kit (along with other aquarium paraphernalia).
Label those tubes
Try to use the same test tubes for the same tests and avoid swapping them about. It helps to label what each test tube is used for, and this will also help out when you’re trying to carry out multiple tests on multiple tanks at once. Just remember to label tubes above the parts you need to see, not on them.
Read (and note) those warning labels
Before you carry out any water test, read the warning labels on the bottle. Does contact with eyes require a trip to A&E, or will a flush with tapwater do the job? It’s incredibly likely that you’ll have a spill on to skin at some point, and you can save a lot of panic if you know what’s just run up your sleeve. Likewise, if you do accidentally get testing reagents in the eye and need medical attention, take along the bottle with you to show the doctors—they’ll be grateful for the information.
Don’t store too hot or cold
Avoid keeping your testing kit on a top shelf in a boiling fish room, or in a garden shed or garage that freezes over winter. Try to keep them somewhere at room temperature—and ideally in a dedicated, lockable medicine cabinet with your other fish medications.
Use a cap when shaking
Most water tests require shaking and the lazy aquarist will often cap a test tube with a thumb when doing this, exposing themselves to direct contact with potentially hazardous reagents. Always use the caps provided (holding them on where necessary) and shake tubes away from your (or anyone else’s) face.
Check those best before dates
Test kits have a finite l
