Question 4: Does anyone have good instructions for building a macroinvertebrate aquarium?
Question 1
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 11:02:30 -0400
From: “Jan (Hosier) Sneddon”
Subject: [volmonitor] Fwd: seeking homemade water sampler
Greetings, handy water samplers!
Would any of you have knowledge of how to make a homemade Kemmerer type sampler for lowering off of bridges and the like?
Blueprints would be welcome! 🙂
jan
Responses to Question 1
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 08:32:27 -0700
From: Eleanor Ely
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Fwd: seeking homemade water sampler
See “Low-Cost Van Dorn Water Sampler” on page 23 of the Fall 1994 issue (vol 6 no 2) of The Volunteer Monitor, and also the second sampler described under “Collecting an Integrated Sample” on page 17 of the Fall 2000 issue (vol 12 no 2). (Back issues are available electronically at www.epa.gov/owow/volunteer/vm_index.html. Online versions of issues before 2002 have a weird layout because they are not PDFs, but you should still be able to find the information.)
A request: Could anyone replying directly to Jan rather than the whole listserv please copy me on their message?
Thank you.
Ellie
Eleanor Ely
Editor, The Volunteer Monitor Newsletter
50 Benton Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 12:39:06 -0400
From: “Schenk, Ann”
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Fwd: seeking homemade water sampler
With regard to skewing the DO measurement by using a bucket/ surface water sample, wouldn’t you aerate the sample as soon as you emptied the sampler into another container for DO measurement? Not knowing your DO measurement method (Clark cell, optical probe, Winkler titration), it is hard to say if the collection method would have an impact greater than the measuring method’s accuracy. You’d have to do a lot of splashing and sloshing to exceed the Clark cell accuracy of most meters (anywhere from 0.2 mg/L to 0.5 mg/L for the better cells). Don’t remember off the top of my head the Winkler accuracy and precision. What I do remember is that the quality of the reagents and lighting to see the color change is important to that method.
If you have to have non-surface DO, then, yes, a collection bottle is needed.
I just hope they rinse the bucket in stream water if they are also collecting nutrient chemistry samples.
Just my 2 cents. 🙂
Ann Schenk
Natural Resource Biologist III
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
580 Taylor Ave., C-2
Annapolis, MD 21401
phone: 410-260-8609
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:19:12 -0400
From: Jeffrey Schloss
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Fwd: seeking homemade water sampler
With regard to collecting a proper DO sample for titration. If you carefully deploy a bucket that is fitted with a spout and tubing that allows you to fill a BOD bottle (specially designed not to trap air bubbles when closed) from the bottom up- and you count how long it takes to fill the bottle up and allow for 2 to 3 full volumes of water to flush through you should have a reasonably uninfluenced/disturbed sample to work with. Just remember that this sample only represents the surface water conditions if you are dealing with a system that has any temperature, current, or density (do to dissolved solids/salts) stratifications. So it would be fine for a mixed system.
Jeff Schloss
Director, NH Lakes Lay Monitoring Program
University of New Hampshire
Center for Freshwater Biology
and UNH Cooperative Extension
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 00:33:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kimberly Rinard
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Fwd: seeking homemade water sampler
Here is a relatively inexpensive unit available thru Ben Meadows. There are a few others on their website also.
I would think that at $67 for the sampler it would actually be cheaper to buy the sampler until than to try to make one (unless
it does not suit your needs)
Good luck
Kim Rinard
Granby,Mass
Question 2
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:37:04 -0700
From: “Williams, Gene”
Subject: [volmonitor] Integrated Water Sampler
We are looking for plans/designs for constructing integrated water samplers for lakes. Or, if there are commercially available integrated samplers that are inexpensive, we would also be interested in that.
Also, if you have used integrated samplers and have opinions on how well the instruments worked, I would appreciate that.
Thanks.
Gene Williams
Snohomish County Public Works
Surface Water Management
3000 Rockefeller Avenue, M/S 607
Everett, WA 98201-4046
(425) 388-3464 x4563
gene.williams@co.snohomish.wa.us or
gene.williams@snoco.org
Responses to Question 2
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:24:23 -0500
From: “Thorpe, Anthony Paul”
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Integrated Water Sampler
Gene,
We participated in the EPA Lake Survey last year, and they (EPA) gave us these PVC samplers
that worked fairly well. I made a rough sketch, but you’ll need some PVC (I think it might have
been 3 inch…), a connector piece, a rubber stopper and a stopcock valve that can attach to the PVC
pipe you use. EPA gave us a 6 foot sampler, but we cut it in half and added threaded connectors in
the middle for easier transport and for sampling turbid water bodies.
http://www.lmvp.org/Misc/integratedsampler.gif
You lower it into the water with the valve open, cap the top when it’s in the water, then raise it
until the valve us just under the surface. Then close the valve and bring it on board your boat.
Open the valve and the water will trickle rapidly into your sample container. Remove the stopper and
the water falls out very quickly.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I can even take a couple of snapshots if you’d like.
Tony
PS: I also found this while searching Google Images:Â http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/CLMN/equipment.html
Tony Thorpe
Coordinator, Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program
302 ABNR University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 1-800-895-2260
Fax: 573-884-5070
www.lmvp.org
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:21:02 -0400
From: Jo Latimore
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Integrated Water Sampler
Gene,
Here in Michigan we developed an integrated sampler that we use for volunteer chlorophyll
monitoring in our statewide Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program. It can be built at reasonable
cost and is easy for volunteers to operate effectively. I will send you the plans separately as an
attachment (and would be happy to share with others who are interested – Editor’s note, these are included below).
CLMP_Chlrophyll_Equipment_Instructions (9 KB pdf file)
CLMP_Chlorophyll_Equipment_Assembly (205 KB pdf file)
CLMP Chlorophyll Sampler Image(33 KB pdf file)
Chlorophyll Procedures 2008Â (53 KB pdf file)
(Editor’s note: You can also visit the CLMP site for more information:Â http://www.micorps.net/Â and look at this section: lake monitoring/CLMP documents)
Cheers,
Jo
Jo A. Latimore, Ph.D.
Lake, Stream, & Watershed Outreach
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Michigan State University
13 Natural Resources
East Lansing, MI 48824-1222
(517) 432-1491
latimor1@msu.edu
Question 3
From: Charles River Watershed Assoc. [mailto:charles@crwa.org]
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 11:33 AM
To: Volunteer water monitoring
Cc: ‘Julie Wood’
Subject: [volmonitor] Experiences with basket samplers?
Hello all,
Charles River Watershed Association has a seventy-person volunteer monthly river water quality monitoring program. We currently use buckets to take samples (mostly off bridges), which are transferred into sample bottles. However, we are in process of switching over to basket samplers so that the water can be collected directly, without the potential for contamination from the bucket.
We have some ideas about the design of these basket samplers, but are still determining exactly what they will look like and be made of – we will be constructing them ourselves. Do any of you have good or bad experience with basket samplers? Suggestions for design of the samplers, or anything we should watch out for? How have your volunteers reacted to them?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Rebecca
Rebecca Scibek Wickham
Outreach Coordinator/Office Manager
Charles River Watershed Association
190 Park Road
Weston, MA 02493
Phone 781-788-0007 x200
Fax 781-788-0057
www.charlesriver.org
Responses to Question 3
From: Danielle Donkersloot [mailto:Danielle.Donkersloot@dep.state.nj.us]
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 1:06 PM
To: charles@crwa.org
Cc: jwood@crwa.org; eburres@waterboards.ca.gov
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Experiences with basket samplers?
Hello: In 2006 at the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference
I saw this bucket that the CA SWAMP teams use for monitoring and I was
amazed. They are simple to make, easy to use and they work. I have cc’ed
Erick, Regional Citizen Montioring Coordinator, because he was kind enough
to bring his equipment to the conference and I attached some photos. Hope this helps.
Danielle
From: Erick Burres [mailto:eburres@waterboards.ca.gov]
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 4:41 PM
To: charles@crwa.org; Danielle Donkersloot
Cc: jwood@crwa.org
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Experiences with basket samplers?
The Clean Water Team drafted an article on how to make the bucket sampler
but the newsletter was never created. During lunch I put together this
draft SOPÂ (196 KB pdf file). The bucket is out on loan so I had to use some old pictures I
found. If this is helpful please let me know. Perhaps it can be made
better and included on the CWT Website.
Erick Burres
Citizen Monitoring Coordinator
SWRCB-SWAMP-Clean Water Team
eburres@waterboards.ca.gov
Desk (213) 576-6788
Cell (213) 712-6862
Fax (213) 576-6686
Clean Water Team c/o LARWQCB
320 W 4th Street
Suite200
Los Angeles, CA 90013
From: Erick Burres [mailto:eburres@waterboards.ca.gov]
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:30 PM
To: charles@crwa.org; Danielle.Donkersloot@dep.state.nj.us
Cc: jwood@crwa.org
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] Experiences with basket samplers?
If you would like to view the entire SWAMP Field Methods Course or refer
people to a video, here is the Course’s link,
http://water101.waterboards.ca.gov/swamp/qapp_advisor/FieldMethods/start.htm
l.
We would like to update the CD but is has been of a low priority and there
just aren’t any funds to do so. It hasalso been a struggle to get the Course
online and advertised. Fortunately it was included in the SWAMP QA Advisor.
The Advisor can also help your group prepare QAPPs, its inclusion of the
Course has been kept quite.
Sincerely,
Erick Burres
Citizen Monitoring Coordinator
SWRCB- Clean Water Team
From: Charles River Watershed Assoc. [mailto:charles@crwa.org]
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 3:26 PM
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] Experiences with basket samplers?
We’ve created a different type of sampler using a metal basket, based on a MassDEP prototype. I’ve also
attached a photo of the sampler we are currently piloting.
Thanks,
Rebecca Scibek Wickham
Question 4
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:32:24 -0600
From: VBojic@lc.edu
Subject: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
Does anyone have good instructions for building a macroinvertebrate aquarium? If so, please send them my way.
Thanks!
Vera Bojic, RiverWatch Program Coordinator
National Great Rivers Research & Education Center
Lewis and Clark Community College
Responses to Question 4
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:13:50 -0500
From: “Cooke, Ken (EPPC DEP DOW)”
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
One product I have seen in place that creates an aquarium environment for benthic macroinvertebrates are Mike Strohm’s Creeklab.
http://www.teachwater.com/CreekLab.html
He has some educational materials that go with the product as well.
Thanks
Ken Cooke
KY Water Watch
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:53:04 -0500
From: Mayio.Alice@epamail.epa.gov
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
There are some simple instructions from the IL Natural History Survey for setting up a classroom-type macroinvertebrate aquarium (including adding a submersible undergravel filter to simulate streamflow) at
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/outreach/downloads/Macroinvertebrate%20Aquarium.pdf
but I don’t think it says anything about keeping the water cold once you introduce the macros, so I wonder how long they’d last. Assuming they weren’t eating each other anyway.
Alice Mayio
USEPA (4503T)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 566-1184
Street Address for visitors/deliveries:
EPA West, Room 7424B
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:38:19 -0500
From: David Kirschtel
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
I’ve been playing around for the past few years with an circular table-top stream (technical term: re-entrant flume) using an angled airlift tube to drive the current.
Basic design is a large clear acrylic ice bucket (straight-sided). The airlift tube is a section of flexible pvc tubing (to fit the curve of the outside wall), angle should be about 45deg., stick it onto the side of the tank with small suction cups.
In the center of the tank silicone a 2L soda bottle – top cut off and small holes in the bottom and top to allow water to flow through. This is to channelize the flow and keep the velocity up also, velocity would drop to zero at the center anyway.
In the warm weather you can place a 1L soda bottle filled with water and frozen in the center as “refrigeration” to keep the temp down.
Add slimy rocks in the bottom of the tank. Illuminate with desktop halogen lamp. You’re good to go.
Been able to keep a few mayflies to hatch. Also, in both tanks that I’ve set up, I’ve wound up with healthy populations of freshwater hydra.
I think that I’ve got some photos at home that I can post tomorrow, as well as some video of inverts (mostly mayflies) , if anyone is interested.
-David
======================================================================== ========
David Kirschtel, Ph.D.
National Ecological Observatory Network – National Project Office
1444 I St, NW, #200 – Washington, DC 20005
email: kirschte@msu.edu – tel: 202.628.1500×240
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:55:33 -0500
From: David Kirschtel
Subject: Re: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
Just tried to send a set of images to the list but the message was rejected by the listserv because it contained attachments. For the time being I’ll have to send them directly to individuals, until I can find some web space.
Send me an email message and I’ll send a set of images to you, zipped. I have image sets of both the tank and some closeups of some of some of the insect larvae. Also have a short QT movie of two
planaria attacking a first instar mayfly (1.6MB)
So far Karen Anderson and Chris Andersen have requested images — I’ll send those out right after this message.
– David
======================================================================== ========
David Kirschtel, Ph.D.
National Ecological Observatory Network – National Project Office
1444 I St, NW, #200 – Washington, DC 20005
email: kirschte@msu.edu – tel: 202.628.1500×240
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:50:55 -0600
From: Kris Stepenuck
Subject: RE: [volmonitor] stream aquarium
Hi
There’s one I am aware of called Carry Creek. Here’s a web link to it:Â http://www.carrycreek.com/
Cheers,
Kris Stepenuck