Water quality tests

 

1. Nitrates- The test on nitrates is performed to see how many nitrates is in the water. Nitrates are a primary plant nutrient. Howver, excess nitrates causes algae bloom which decreeses the water quality.                                                                                                                                        
2. Ph- Ph is the measure of hydrogen in a sample. Most organisims live between 5.5 to 9.5  
3. Conductivity- Conductivity is trhe waters ability to conduct electricity, it shows how much dissolved salt is in a sample
4.   
   Turbidity- Referes to water clarity, it helps see how much "junk" is floating in the water.  
5. DOC- (dissolved Oxygen content) This is the most important thing to test for the more oxyegen the better, organisms need to breath too. the colder the water the more oxygen per ppm.
6. 
   Temperature- Most aquatic live between 0-32 celcious. Rapid change in temperature can cause the organisms to stress. Plus the warmer the water the less DOC
 
7. Alkalinity- is the waters ability to nutrilize acids, if the water is unable to do this then the water will be come acidic and stress the organisms and possible kill them.  
8. E. Coli- E. Coli is an indicator species and is from the intestines of warm bodied organisms. Most strains or harmless, however, they can indicate that other harmful pathogens are present.