I've been doing BBB for about 10 months and am certainly no expert.
I have found a few things that make everything much easier.
I'd like to share them.
1. 2' of 1/2" PVC - Costs about $2.00. It lets you take your water samples 18" deep without getting on your knees and dipping your arm in the water. (I was told about this on this forum. I don't remember who told me but I thank them)
2. Child's oral syringe - They cost a little over $1.00 at any pharmacy. They let you hit the right water measurement marks instantly, without retries.
They look like this http://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/the-science-of-dosing-errors/
Get the 10 ml size.
3. R-7065 CYA Standard Solution . I think you're wasting your time doing the CYA test without this. It's a standardized 50 ppm solution. You can use it to determine the proper lighting and distance from your eyes to hold the test vial. I was 30 ppm off on my CYA measurements until I got a bottle of this. The day I tested my water I found I needed to hold the vial about 4" under my chin rather than at waist level. It all depends on your vision and the lighting and it varies between people and circumstances.
http://tftestkits.net/R-7065-CYA-Standard-Solution-p34.html
I have found a few things that make everything much easier.
I'd like to share them.
1. 2' of 1/2" PVC - Costs about $2.00. It lets you take your water samples 18" deep without getting on your knees and dipping your arm in the water. (I was told about this on this forum. I don't remember who told me but I thank them)
2. Child's oral syringe - They cost a little over $1.00 at any pharmacy. They let you hit the right water measurement marks instantly, without retries.
They look like this http://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/the-science-of-dosing-errors/
Get the 10 ml size.
3. R-7065 CYA Standard Solution . I think you're wasting your time doing the CYA test without this. It's a standardized 50 ppm solution. You can use it to determine the proper lighting and distance from your eyes to hold the test vial. I was 30 ppm off on my CYA measurements until I got a bottle of this. The day I tested my water I found I needed to hold the vial about 4" under my chin rather than at waist level. It all depends on your vision and the lighting and it varies between people and circumstances.
http://tftestkits.net/R-7065-CYA-Standard-Solution-p34.html