Test Equipment
pH (Potential Hydrogen) Meter
A device used to measure the pH of the water. This determines how acidic the water is. The device is small and measures the pH within a few seconds. Water with a high pH is less acidic than water with lower pH levels.
One way pH affects fish is by damaging their skin. This occurs with low pH (0-6) and high pH (9-14).
The pH of a waterway is typically altered by pollution, which could be natural or caused by humans. For example, soil particles contain many nutrients such as calcium, which affects pH. Soil runoff can occurs naturally and by humans altering the banks of waterway. Though this problem has been mainly solved, another way pH can be altered is by acid rain, which is caused by air pollution. pH measures how acidic water is, meaning acid rain directly increases the acidity of waterways (lowers pH).
Total Dissolved Solids Meter
A device similar in appearance to the pH meter is used to measure the total dissolved (TDS) of a waterway. This basically shows how many particles are in the water that are too small to see.
TDS can affect the level of pH in a waterway. Typically, if the TDS of a waterway is high, the pH will be low. High numbers of TDS can also decrease the water visibility (turbidity). Less TDS = more pure water. As water temperature increases, so do TDS.
Dissolved Oxygen Analyzer
A device used to measure the oxygen levels of water. The device also measures the water temperature.
Dissolved Oxygen is necessary for fish survival. Oxygen levels in natural waterways are typically not an issue as long as they haven't been altered greatly by humans. Man-made ponds are the most common waterway to have issues with oxygen levels. It is common in farm pond for fertilizer to runoff into the ponds, which encourages algae growth, leading to low oxygen levels and dead fish.
Turbidity Tube with Secchi Disk
A device used to measure the turbidity (water clarity) of a waterway. The tube is filled with water and then slowly drains until you can see the Secchi disk at the bottom.
Water clarity is affected by many factors, most of which hint to poor water quality while some hint to good quality. Pollution and excessive nutrient runoff are examples of negative factors that cause a decrease in water clarity and quality. In general, clearer water means better quality but that is not always the case. Sometimes extremely clear water could either mean nothing lives in it or artificial chemicals were added to the water (more common in small ponds).
Brown water = high levels of silt or pollutants
Green water = high amounts of algae (most common in ponds and small lakes)