# Another DIY Drop Checker



## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

Well done, and thanks for the nice picture documentary!


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## Storm_Rider (Sep 30, 2006)

wow, it looks quite nice actually. the removable cap must also be nice! it wont rust right?


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## frozenbarb (Dec 16, 2006)

wow that is nice ima make one, that is surely 100% leak proof


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

nice.. Just to let you know that the cap will eventually rust.


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## crazy loaches (Sep 29, 2006)

Thanks all. And yeah I'm not sure how long the cap will last before it would cause any problems... if anyone has any idea I am all ears, otherwise I'll just keep my eye on it. I was thinking when I get a sump finished it wouldnt be hard to do with a larger jar with a plastic lid, just still want to find the smallest one I can that still seals water tight.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

maybe a baby bottle.. it already has a hole in the cap! And a fish graphic would be awsome.


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## crazy loaches (Sep 29, 2006)

I actually was looking at our bottles but I liked the tiny jar better. Our smallest bottle is 4 oz and they are the liner type. But I'm sure it would be a snap to do. Just remember the amount of fluid in the unit would be limited by how tall the nipple is, which would be pretty small and lots of air. Dont know if buoyancy would be an issue.


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

You might want to try these (click for link): 


They are small 2 oz containers, and I used a 3/4" hose barb:








with a good coat of Silicone. 

Should probably use a 1" threaded to smaller diameter hose barb. 


HTH


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## edacsac (Nov 13, 2006)

do you still have the original pictures somewhere? I can't see them here, nor can I open them up seperately. Thread is no good without pictures!


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## crazy loaches (Sep 29, 2006)

Sorry my webserver is down. I'll hopefully have time to work on it next week, I'll probably have to reinstall linux or maybe my hard drive is toast, not sure. My actual website link still works since I have a mirror running on a friends computer but just whats on my website, photos and stuff I have on the hard drive arent on my friends computer.


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## generals (Jun 5, 2008)

*drop checker and solution*

hi, thats a nice diy drop checker
how do you make the solution for the dropchecker?
what are the ingredients?
sorry newbie here.. so got no idea whatsoever.

is there a fixed or minimum volume of solution needed to be inside any drop checker in order for it to work? or just any volume would do?
what about the air and fluid ratio?


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

looks great. and pretty simple
congrats


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## lancermit (Jan 21, 2004)

*My version of the DIY Drop Checker*

Just finished making my first drop checker.

It's a little vial that contact lenses come in. The white tube is part of a cheap pen, cut to size.

I just drilled a hole so that the tube fit snugly into the opening. Then, I used plastic cement for a final seal on top of the lid.

(Sorry for the blurry pics.) :redface:



















You can't really see that the fluid is BLUE. But, it IS definitely Blue.


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## lancermit (Jan 21, 2004)

*My DIY Drop Checker is working!*

Well, I didn't notice any change in the DC's color after being in there around 6 hours. So, I increased the CO2 from 2 to 3 drops/s. This morning, it had changed from the obvious blue color to a distinct GREEN!










I have not yet received the 4dKH solution that is normally used with these things, (and I really don't want to make my own at this point) so I am temporarily using the tank water, which has a dKH of 5.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, having a 5dKH solution will mean that when the checker is green, the CO2 level is a little higher than it would be with a solution of 4dKH. Right??

Anyway, I'm just happy to see a color change, and that the DC is working as expected. Three plants have even started pearling!!

It's the little things that get me excited! I had been on a long hiatus from planted aquaria; it's nice to be back.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Using tank water, whatever its KH, means the drop checker isn't at all accurate. Tank water almost always has other things in it that affect the pH and alkalinity, so the KH/pH/CO2 equation doesn't work accurately at all. But you certainly did demonstrate that your device will work.


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